(a) Section property as short-term rental unit” class=”unlinked-ref” datatype=”S” sessionyear=”2021″ statecd=”TN” title=”13″>13-7-603 does not prevent a local governing body from prohibiting the continued use of property as a short-term rental unit if, as a direct result of the operation of the short-term rental unit, the unit has been in violation of a generally applicable local law three (3) or more separate times, and the provider has no appeal rights remaining for any of the three (3) violations. The burden of proof that a violation of a generally applicable local law was a direct result of the operation of the short-term rental unit is on the local governing body.

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 13-7-604

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Generally applicable local law: means an ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or other requirement of any type other than zoning enacted, maintained, or enforced by a local governing body that applies to all property or use of all property and does not apply only to property used as a short-term rental unit. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Local governing body: means the legislative body of a city, municipality, county, or other political subdivision of this state that has authority to enact a zoning ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or other requirement of any type regarding land use in its jurisdiction. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • Property: means a tract of land as recorded with the register of deeds office of the county where the property is located. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • Provider: means any person engaged in renting a short-term rental unit and includes an owner of a residential unit that is made available through a vacation lodging service as that term is defined in §. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • Transferred: means :
    (A) An interest in real estate was conveyed on or after May 17, 2018. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • unit: means a residential dwelling that is rented wholly or partially for a fee for a period of less than thirty (30) continuous days and does not include a hotel as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
  • Used as a short-term rental unit: means the property was held out to the public for use as a short-term rental unit, and:
    (A) For property that began being held out to the public for use as a short-term rental unit within the jurisdiction of a local governing body that required a permit to be issued or an application to be approved pursuant to an ordinance specifically governing short-term rental units prior to using the property as a short-term rental unit, a permit was issued or an application was approved by the local governing body for the property. See Tennessee Code 13-7-602
(b)

(1) The local governing body may authorize short-term rental units through a permitting or application process.
(2) Notwithstanding this part to the contrary, a local governing body that authorizes short-term rental units through a permitting or application process pursuant to subdivision (b)(1) may suspend the continued use of property as provided in § 13-7-603(a) during the time that the unit does not maintain a permit or approved application if the permitting or application requirements are reasonable.
(3) Nothing in this subsection (b) extinguishes a provider’s right to continued use of property as a short-term rental unit set out in § 13-7-603(a) unless the property is sold, transferred, ceases being used as a short-term rental unit for a period of thirty (30) continuous months, or has been in violation of a generally applicable local law three (3) or more separate times as provided by subsection (a).
(c) A local governing body that accepts public complaints regarding the operation of short-term rental units in its jurisdiction pursuant to a permitting or application process shall assure that all complainants are notified that any false complaint made against a short-term rental unit provider are punishable as perjury under § 39-16-702.
(d) If a local governing body prohibits, effectively prohibits, suspends, or otherwise regulates property used as a short-term rental unit that is also subject to § 13-7-603(a), the provider may challenge the prohibition, regulation, suspension, or regulation as in conflict with this part through a civil action or appeal. The circuit or chancery court has jurisdiction of any appeal instituted by a provider pursuant to this subsection (d) and review is de novo.