WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — This week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new bill that give renters more protection against their landlords.
House Bill 404 says, in part, that landlords have to wait three days after the rent due date before filing for eviction in court. The bill also says a security deposit cannot be more than two month's worth of rent.
But another big part of the legislation is that landlords have to make sure their properties are fit for people to live in. The exact wording says 'fit for human habitation', and we won't have a clear definition of what that actually means until it goes into effect on July 1.
Folks like Daniel Newman hope it can help keep landlords like his be held more accountable.
Since Daniel Newman moved into his apartment in 2022, he's compiled a folder full of documented problems. Issues include a broken A/C, cracked flooring, rotten door frames, mold and broken windows.
He says that wasn't the worst of it.
"We kept on smelling gas, we couldn't figure out where it was coming from," Newman said.
He says he called the management over at Huntington Village a Hunt Company.
"Kept on calling, they said don't worry about it. It's ok, it's ok," Newman said.
He says they blamed the issue on a new stove but never came out to see the apartment. As the smell continued, he reached out to city code enforcement and the fire department.
He says they were able to determine the cause of the leak, which was behind their stove.
"The valve there was not connected. It was just hanging there," he said.
Code enforcement also helped the renters get other issues fixed around their unit.
However, Newman says the family and a doctor believe the leak could be the cause of his wife's recent blindness.
"Put your hand over your eyes or take a blindfold, turn off all the lights and try to feel your way around. It takes your freedom completely away, and that's what happened to my wife," he said.
The Better Business Bureau offers tips to prevent problems with landlords.
"Read the fine print, read everything and make sure you can live with the terms," Kelvin Collins shared.
He says you should research the management company of the home before you sign a lease.
"When it comes to an individual landlord, ask for people that have stayed there before," he shared.
He says doing your research is an important part in avoiding issues. If you do have to make repairs, that under a lease, a landlord is supposed to handle, you have options.
"You also always have the option that you can make repairs and have them deduct that from the rent. Before you do that, you should submit something in writing to the landlord and give them the opportunity to repair it," he said.
Just like Newman, Collins also recommends you put everything down in writing. He says it could help in legal cases.
Now, the Newman family is still looking for empathy and solutions from the property management.
"I think they we're trying to sweep it underneath the rug, to be honest with you. They are more concerned about our money then they are us as a tenant. In other words, they're putting money over people's lives and you can't do that. You can't do that," Collins said.
We get a lot of calls and messages from people across Central Georgia, needing housing help. You can check out our housing guide here. It covers what to know about your rental agreement, walks you through your rights as a tenant what to do if you face eviction and more.
You can also text the word "housing" to 478-752-1309 and we'll send a link to the guide right to your phone.