House Bill 404 signed into law, giving Georgia renters more protection

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 404 into law Monday, April 22 balancing the power between renters and landlords, and giving renters extra protection.

It’s called Safe at Home Act. One of the things this new law says is that landlords have to provide rental housing that is “fit for human habitation.”

“Whether we’re talking about the power source. Whether we’re talking about water supply. Whether we’re talking about the actual living conditions. Whether we’re talking about the outside conditions, the roof, things of that nature just the basic things that make a home habitable,” said Georgia Representative of House District 140, Teddy Reese.

Reese said the law creates standards that can be enforced by courts.

“Prior to that a judge would actually be out of line to tell an individual that you got to go fix this you got to go fix that. There were very basic things. Well this expands that,” he said.

Columbus tenant Terry Williams said he’s been renting his home since April of last year.

“I’m just tired of living here. Everything in here is contaminated,” he said.

However, he said he was not ready for the amount of problems that followed.

“Two months I say give or take, I been noticing it had been raining in the house, leaked roof, mildew, mold, things of the wall not measured properly, Different bugs, insects coming in outside of the house,” he said.

Williams also showed News Leader 9 leaking hot water heater, rotten flooring, and exposed pipes and insulation in the back of the home.

He said he’s made multiple calls to his landlord along with work orders, but nothing is being done to make the needed repairs.

According to him, his next steps are seeking legal action.

“At least a new justice is coming out. So they’ll pretty much learn they lesson,” he said in regards to the new law.

The law also gives a three day grace period for renters before an eviction notice can be filed, and it caps security deposits to a two month rent equivalent. It will go into effect July 1.

“Before Governor (Brian) Kemp signed that bill, if you missed paying your rent by one day, that Landlord could go down there and file an eviction. Now under state law there is a three day grace period that an individual can go pay that rent and that eviction will not be applicable,” Reese said.

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