Safe at Home Act — House Bill 404 (2024)

June 9, 2024 · Coauthored by Joe Cloer & Susan Cook

The Safe at Home Act (House Bill 404) is Georgia’s most significant tenant-protection law in decades. It applies to residential lease agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, and makes four key changes Georgia landlords and property managers need to know.

1. Duty of habitability — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13

The Act adds an express duty (a warranty of habitability) requiring landlords to keep rental premises in a condition fit for human habitation, free from conditions that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant.

2. Security-deposit cap — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1

A new Code section caps a residential security deposit at no more than the equivalent of two months’ rent.

3. “Utilities” now includes cooling — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1

The definition of utilities a landlord may not shut off is expanded to explicitly include cooling, in addition to heat, light, and water.

4. Three-business-day cure period — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50

Before a non-payment dispossessory can proceed, the tenant must be given the opportunity to pay all amounts owed (rent, late fees, and other charges) within three business days of receiving the written demand for possession.

What it means for you: for any lease signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, collect no more than two months’ rent as a deposit, keep the property habitable and the cooling on, and build the three-business-day cure window into your non-payment timeline. These steps protect your case and keep you compliant.

This is procedural information, not legal advice. Review the full bill text from the Georgia General Assembly (HB 404) or the plain-language Safe at Home Act summary from Georgia Appleseed.

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