Eviction Laws in Rome, Georgia
Rome is the county seat of Floyd County and the regional hub of northwest Georgia, built at the historic confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers where they form the Coosa. With a population of roughly 39,000 and a broader Floyd County population exceeding 100,000, Rome serves as the commercial, medical, educational, and judicial center for a multi-county region that extends into neighboring Bartow, Chattooga, Gordon, and Polk counties. The city is home to four institutions of higher education — Berry College (which occupies the world’s largest contiguous college campus at 27,000 acres), Shorter University, Georgia Highlands College, and Georgia Northwestern Technical College — giving Rome an unusually deep college-town character for a city its size. Floyd Medical Center anchors the healthcare sector, and a diversified manufacturing base provides blue-collar employment. The majority of Rome residents rent, and the rental market reflects the city’s mix of students, healthcare workers, manufacturing employees, and families.
Georgia’s landlord-friendly eviction framework applies in full. Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50, once a landlord has made a demand for possession and the tenant refuses, the landlord files a Dispossessory Affidavit with Floyd County Magistrate Court. Since HB 404 took effect in July 2024, a written 3-business-day notice is required before filing for nonpayment — but holdover tenants and lease violators can be filed on immediately after the demand. Floyd County has a distinctive feature: mandatory mediation is required for all dispossessory cases before they proceed to trial. Mediators from the 7th District Court Administrator’s Office handle dispossessory mediations every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. — both parties must attempt resolution before the court will schedule a hearing. Filing fees are approximately $70 (plus a $7 mediation fee). E-filing is available through eFileGeorgia.com. Georgia caps security deposits at two months’ rent and imposes no rent control.
Rome & Floyd County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. Georgia state law preempts local rent regulation and Rome has none.
Mandatory Mediation Before Trial. This is the most important local procedural difference for Rome landlords. Floyd County Magistrate Court requires all dispossessory cases to go through mediation before a trial can be scheduled. Mediators meet with both parties on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. If mediation succeeds, the case resolves without a hearing. If it fails, the case moves to the trial calendar. This adds a procedural step not found in most Georgia counties, but it can actually benefit prepared landlords — tenants who have no defense often agree to move-out timelines during mediation rather than contesting in court. Landlords should come to mediation with all documentation: the lease, demand for possession, payment records, and photos of any property damage.
Four-College Student Rental Market. With Berry College, Shorter University, Georgia Highlands College, and Georgia Northwestern Technical College all in the city, Rome has a significant student renter population relative to its size. Student tenants create predictable lease cycles tied to academic calendars, with the heaviest turnover in May and August. Holdover situations at the end of spring semester are common. Landlords renting near any of these campuses should include clear lease-end and subletting provisions — unauthorized subletting is one of the most frequent lease violations in student-heavy neighborhoods.
Affordable Market with Strong Yields. Rome’s median rent of approximately $1,156 — about 29% below the national average — makes it one of the most affordable rental markets in Georgia and an attractive option for buy-and-hold investors seeking cash-flow returns. Home prices are well below the state median, and the combination of low acquisition costs and steady rental demand from healthcare, education, and manufacturing creates solid yield potential. The tradeoff is a tenant base with tighter income margins — the median household income is $54,435 and the poverty rate approaches 21%.
River Flood Risk. Rome’s location at the confluence of three rivers creates flood risk for properties in low-lying areas near the Etowah, Oostanaula, and Coosa. Landlords owning rental property in flood-prone zones should carry appropriate flood insurance and disclose flood zone status to tenants. Properties with documented flood history can face habitability challenges in a dispossessory hearing if water damage issues are raised as a defense.
Floyd County Magistrate Court — Where Rome Landlords File
Rome landlords file dispossessory actions at Floyd County Magistrate Court, located at 3 Government Plaza, Suite 227, Rome, GA 30161, phone (706) 291-5250, open Monday through Friday 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. File a Dispossessory Affidavit and pay the filing fee of approximately $70 (plus $7 mediation fee). E-filing is available through eFileGeorgia.com. The Floyd County Sheriff serves the Dispossessory Warrant. The tenant has 7 days from service to file a written answer. Both parties must attend mandatory mediation (Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m.) before a trial is scheduled. If mediation fails and the case proceeds to hearing, a judgment is entered and a Writ of Possession is issued after a favorable ruling. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities without a court order — is illegal under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14 and exposes landlords to significant damages claims.
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