Automatic Lease renewal

[Sreeni Guntupalli]

Hi:

My tenant in Cumming, GA has been living in my townhome for the past two years. We renewed the lease last year for 12 months ending 3/31/2021. This lease has a provision that it is automatically renewed for 12 months if either party doesn't communicate intent with a 60-day notice. As I wanted to keep him as a tenant, I didn't initiate any conversation until 30 days before the renewal. He has been asking for a re-paint of the whole townhome which is only two years old (and he has been living there for this whole time) after I started the conversation. I told him that I wouldn't do it as it is so new. He hasn't been in communications for the last couple of weeks.

My question to the gurus is - is my current lease good as is without additional renewal signatures with a new start/end date if he continues to make the rent payments? Am I protected if there is an issue down the line during the next renewal period? Please share any thoughts or suggestions. Thank you in advance.

[Stan Sugarman]

If the lease auto renews then yes the tenant would be entering into a new 12 month period. However GA law allows residential tenants to break most leases with 30-60 day notice. Depending on your lease you might be able to charge a penalty but you have a duty to find a new tenant to alleviate that cost on your tenant.