Tennessee Consumer Tips

Below are answers to the top questions asked by Tennessee consumers. Hopefully they will touch on some area of concern you have and give you a better understanding of Tennessee rules and what protection you have or don't have as a consumer in Tennessee.

• Your credit Report can be accessed by anyone with a valid reason to do so. Many businesses you that have not even dealt with you will "pre-approve" you (check to see if you can afford their sales pitch).
  
  
• A collection agency can not charge you interest, late charges, or legal fees unless it is for the creditor and you have agreed to the charges. Read it fine print in any contract or credit card agreement.
  
  
• Information stays on your credit report for 7 to 10 years or even longer for some bankruptcies. If information is inaccurate write to the creditor and have them correct the information.
  
  
• A landlord can not enter your apartment whenever he or she wants but neither can you deny them entry at a reasonable time for you. The landlord has the right to inspect the apartment. In an emergency, permission is not required.
  
  
• Your landlord is required to make repairs that if undone would violate building and housing rules.
  
  
• If your lease doesn't have an early out clause in it and you want to vacate the apartment before the lease is up, see an attorney. Your only recourse is to let someone else take over your lease and that may even not be possible.
  
  
• If your landlord refuses to make repairs, again, see a lawyer. The landlord has to provide a "livable" apartment but what is livable is in the eye of the law not you. You may be able to hold back rent, but that is for a lawyer to determine or the courts.
  
  
• A landlord can raise the rent at any time. There are no rent controls in Tennessee.
  
  
• A landlord has to return your security deposit but it is there to pay for any damages the landlord thinks you caused. If you disagree with the landlord then you may have to go to court to recover any part of the security deposit not required to cover damages.
  
  
• You will probably have to continue making payments to your health club until the contract expires even if you never use the club. The Tennessee Health Club Law only gives you a 3 day cooling off period in which to cancel. Health club contracts are almost always binding, which means you pay whether or not you play.
  
  
• If a health club goes out of business and doesn't offer you another site to exercise in, then you have lost your money. The Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs can tell you if a health club is registered with the state of Tennessee and if the club has any complaints against it.