Bradley County and its county seat, Cleveland, occupy a compelling but sometimes overlooked position in the Tennessee rental landscape. Located in southeastern Tennessee at the northern edge of the Chattanooga metropolitan combined statistical area, Cleveland has quietly built one of the most concentrated industrial economies in the state. With thirteen Fortune 500 manufacturers operating in or near Cleveland — including Whirlpool, Procter & Gamble, Mars, Duracell, and Wacker Polysilicon — Bradley County supports a large blue-collar and skilled-trades workforce that drives consistent demand for rental housing at mid-market price points. The county ranks second in Tennessee for poultry and broiler production, adding an agricultural employment layer to the economic base.
With a 2020 population of 108,620, Bradley County is firmly in URLTA territory. The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies to all residential tenancies, bringing with it enhanced habitability obligations, repair-and-deduct rights for tenants, and anti-retaliation protections. Eviction proceedings run through the Bradley County Judicial Complex in Cleveland, with General Sessions Court filing at 2230 Blythe Avenue.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Cleveland
Population
108,620 (2020)
Key Communities
Cleveland, Charleston, Tasso, Blue Springs
Court System
General Sessions — Bradley County Judicial Complex
URLTA Status
✅ Applies (pop. 75,000+)
Rent Control
None (state preemption)
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required statewide
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
14-Day Pay or Vacate (T.C.A. § 66-28-505)
Lease Violation Notice
14-Day Cure or Vacate
Filing Fee
~$130–$175
Court Address
2230 Blythe Ave, Cleveland, TN 37311
Court Phone
(423) 728-7048
Answer Deadline
6–15 days after filing
Writ Enforcement
Bradley County Sheriff
Bradley County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rent Control
None. T.C.A. § 66-35-102 prohibits local rent control statewide.
URLTA Coverage
✅ Applies. Bradley County population (108,620) exceeds the 75,000 threshold under T.C.A. § 66-28-102.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap. Must be returned within 30 days with itemized written deductions (T.C.A. § 66-28-301).
Habitability
T.C.A. § 66-28-304 (URLTA). Landlord must maintain premises safe, sanitary, and fit for habitation.
Repair-and-Deduct
Available after proper written notice under T.C.A. § 66-28-502. Up to one month’s rent.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited statewide. Lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal of property are illegal.
Retaliatory Eviction
T.C.A. § 66-28-514 prohibits retaliation following a tenant habitability complaint.
Late Fees
No statutory cap. Must be expressly stated in the lease agreement.
Landlord-Tenant Disputes
City of Cleveland directs civil tenant complaints to General Sessions Court at (423) 728-7214. Code violations handled by Cleveland Police Department.
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🏛️ Courthouse Information and Locations for Tennessee
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Tennessee has a dual-track eviction system. The URLTA (§66-28-505) applies to counties with population over 75,000 (covering ~75% of the population including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga). Non-URLTA counties use §66-7-109. Notice periods are 14 days for both tracks for nonpayment. Tenants have a mandatory 5-day grace period (§66-28-201(d)). The 14-day notice cannot be sent until after the 5-day grace period expires. If the same nonpayment recurs within 6 months, landlord can issue a 7-day unconditional quit notice (§66-28-505(a)(2)(B)). Filing fees vary by county ($100-$200).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the General Sessions Court. Pay the filing fee (~$130).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Tennessee eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Tennessee attorney or local legal aid organization.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
Tennessee landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in Tennessee —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Tennessee's
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
Ready to File?
Generate Tennessee-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Tennessee requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏙️ Local Market & Screening Tips
Key markets: Cleveland, Charleston, Blue Springs, Tasso
Manufacturing employment verification: Bradley County’s major employers — Whirlpool, P&G, Mars, Duracell, Wacker Polysilicon — are stable and well-paying. Verify direct-hire status vs. staffing agency placement, as temp workers rotate and may not have the income continuity of direct employees. Ask for 2–3 recent paystubs showing consistent hours.
Chattanooga commuter market: Cleveland is roughly 30 miles from downtown Chattanooga via I-75. Some tenants commute to Hamilton County jobs. Confirm stable employment and transportation access before leasing to long-distance commuters whose primary job is in Chattanooga.
Bradley County Landlord Guide: Industrial Economy, URLTA Compliance, and the Cleveland Rental Market
Cleveland, Tennessee is one of those mid-sized industrial cities that often flies under the radar of investors focused on Nashville or Knoxville. But the numbers tell a compelling story: thirteen Fortune 500 manufacturers, the fifth-largest industrial economy in Tennessee by city, and a population base that has grown steadily as the Chattanooga metro expands northward up I-75. For landlords, this translates into a blue-collar and skilled-trades workforce with consistent rental demand, moderate vacancy rates, and little of the speculative volatility that plagues more headline-grabbing markets.
Screening Tenants in a Manufacturing-Heavy Market
The dominant employers in Bradley County — Whirlpool, Procter & Gamble, Mars Incorporated, Duracell, and the Wacker Polysilicon plant in Charleston — provide steady, above-median wages for production workers and offer a strong tenant pool. The practical screening challenge is distinguishing direct-hire employees from staffing-agency temporary placements. Temp-to-hire arrangements are common in this sector, and workers in early placement phases may not yet have stable income or guaranteed hours. Request employment verification letters that specify direct-hire status, and look for paystub history showing consistent bi-weekly or weekly pay over at least 60–90 days.
URLTA Obligations in Bradley County
URLTA applies in full. The habitability standard under T.C.A. § 66-28-304 requires landlords to maintain working plumbing, heating, and structural soundness, and to respond to maintenance requests within a reasonable time. Tenants who provide written notice of a material habitability defect and wait a reasonable period can exercise repair-and-deduct rights under T.C.A. § 66-28-502, deducting repair costs up to one month’s rent. Document all maintenance requests and responses with dates and written confirmation — email or text threads are admissible and effective. The anti-retaliation statute (T.C.A. § 66-28-514) prohibits initiating eviction proceedings within 60 days of a tenant habitability complaint without documented independent cause.
Filing in Bradley County General Sessions Court
The Bradley County Judicial Complex at 2230 Blythe Avenue, Cleveland, TN 37311 houses General Sessions Court. Phone: (423) 728-7048 for General Sessions; (423) 728-7214 for civil landlord-tenant matters. Office hours run Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. After serving a proper 14-day Pay or Vacate notice and waiting out the notice period without cure, file your detainer warrant at the Judicial Complex. The court’s civil division handles evictions at 2230 Blythe Avenue SE. Note that as of a prior period, Circuit and Criminal Court was temporarily relocated to 2250 Blythe Avenue at the Bradley County Jail — verify the current filing location when you visit.
The Chattanooga Commuter Factor
Cleveland’s location roughly 30 miles north of Chattanooga via I-75 makes it an affordable alternative for workers commuting into Hamilton County. This adds a commuter-tenant segment to the market, which can be valuable — Chattanooga wages with Cleveland rents represents strong affordability — but also introduces transportation dependency risk. If a tenant’s job is in Chattanooga and their vehicle breaks down, they face a genuine commuting crisis. Verify that commuter tenants have reliable transportation and consider this when assessing overall tenant risk profile.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Tennessee attorney or contact the Bradley County General Sessions Court for guidance on specific matters. Last updated: March 2026.
