HB 725: Property; certain rental agreements; provide landlord duties

Current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13) simply says a landlord must keep rental premises in repair and is liable for improvements made with the landlord's consent, without spelling out what that repair duty covers. This bill adds a detailed list of specific conditions landlords must maintain in rental housing. The added list covers structural safety, safe exits in case of fire, adequate personal space and sleeping areas, ventilation and clean air, safe drinking water, working sanitary facilities, working heating and cooling, adequate lighting and safe electrical service, sanitary food preparation areas, overall sanitary conditions, and smoke detectors in each unit and in public areas like laundry rooms, hallways, and stairwells. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a separate effective date, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rules once signed.

• Adds twelve specific habitability requirements to landlords' existing duty to keep rental premises in repair under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13.
• Requires rental structures to be structurally sound, provide safe alternate exits, and be accessible without trespassing on other private property.
• Requires working water, sanitation, heating, cooling, lighting, and electrical systems, plus sanitary food preparation areas and pest-free conditions.
• Requires at least one working smoke detector on each occupied level of a unit, with special alarms for hearing-impaired occupants.
• Requires smoke detectors in shared public areas of rental properties, including laundry rooms, day-care centers, hallways, and stairwells.
• Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with these new requirements.

Landlords who own or manage rental housing in Georgia, and tenants living in that housing, including people with hearing impairments who would need specialized smoke alarms. Property managers responsible for shared spaces like laundry rooms and stairwells would also be affected.

Tenants would gain clearer, enforceable standards for basic living conditions such as working smoke detectors, clean water, and functioning heat and air conditioning, rather than relying on a general repair duty. Landlords would face more specific maintenance obligations across their rental properties.

• Section 1 amends subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13 to add twelve numbered habitability requirements to the landlord's existing repair duty.
• Item (1) requires structures to be structurally sound and free of hazards threatening occupant health and safety.
• Item (2) requires safe accessibility and alternate fire exits without unauthorized use of neighboring private property.
• Items (4) through (9) require adequate ventilation, clean water, working sanitary facilities, heating and cooling, lighting and electrical safety, and sanitary food preparation areas.
• Item (11) requires at least one smoke detector per occupied level, with hearing-impaired alarm systems where needed.
• Item (12) requires smoke detectors in public areas of the property, listing laundry rooms, day-care centers, hallways, and stairwells as examples.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.

1. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-06House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-04House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)Patrocinador principal
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)
• Michael Smith (D, HD-041)
• Dexter Sharper (D, HD-177)

• landlord tenant law
• rental housing
• habitability standards
• smoke detectors
• property maintenance