I have some questions I need some help with.

Please don't take this the wrong way:

There are plenty of attourneys familiar with Tennessee landlord/tennant laws.  They are in TENNESSEE.   I recommend you see one of them.  You may have to pay, but the advice will be more site specific and relevant.

I am wanting general information not legal advice. I thought this was the legal corner to get such.

Read your last message and make up your mind what you want: general information or legal advice.  If the latter, you got it: go to a TN lawyer for TN advice.

I think femaleartist was hoping to find a TN attorney on this list.  Because this site started in LA, a lot of Angelenos sometimes forget that a lot of the boards are national.  No TN lawyers have responded but it was worth a shot.  It's also possible that one or more TN lawyers have contacted her directly.

this pm. The reason I wanted a TN atty is simply because some laws are drasticaly different state to state.

I am not a lawyer but I am a landlord as well as a tenant.   You can get to all the legal information you need by researching it on the web.  I have yet to find anything that I could not find the legal reading for already discussed on the web.  Do your homework and don't get yourself into a situation where you are paying a lawyer for something that you could take care of yourself......it may seem difficult but it is really pretty simple and straightforward.

You have a contract and there are laws which it must comply with, and you are bound to obey the contract as is your landlord.  Small claims court is where the legal action will end up going if there is any dispute.   Don't let yourself get evicted under any circumstances......unless you never plan to rent again.