What is the exam-ready answer?
| Official syllabus topic | Real Estate Practice in Georgia: Property Management |
|---|---|
| Official PSI group | Real Estate Practice in Georgia |
| Published group count | 21 of the 52 Georgia questions |
| Exam portion | Georgia salesperson supplement |
| Source edition | PSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026 |
The Rule
PSI publishes 16, 21, and 15 items for the three Georgia groups. It does not publish a guaranteed subtopic count. The statute, current GREC rule, contract, or other cited primary authority controls each lesson.
The lesson
Georgia questions reward the Georgia rule. A national rule that sounds right can still be the wrong answer when the question names a Georgia statute, document, role or procedure.
Tenancy at will
Where no fixed term controls, Georgia's general notice rule is 60 days from landlord and 30 days from tenant, subject to current statutes and special exceptions.
Security deposits
For residential leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, no landlord may take a deposit larger than two months' rent. Covered landlords must also escrow or bond the deposit, give the move-in and move-out inspection lists, and return the deposit or itemize deductions within the time the statute allows.
Repairs and habitability
Georgia law requires covered residential property to be fit for human habitation. The lease and handbook explain reporting, repair, and remedy boundaries.
Dispossessory process
A landlord goes through the court, not the locks, the utilities or physical removal. For unpaid rent on a lease signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the landlord first gives written notice to pay or leave within three business days, posted on the door in a sealed envelope, and only then may file for dispossession.
Decision rule
Georgia rule and national contrast
Worked Georgia example
Scenario. A landlord wants to end an ordinary tenancy at will and gives the tenant ten days' notice, then changes the locks.
Reason it through. The general landlord notice is 60 days, and possession must be recovered through lawful court process rather than self-help lockout.
Answer. The notice and lockout are not the proper Georgia process.
Common exam traps
- Importing another state's notice
- Using self-help eviction
- Assuming all landlords have identical deposit duties
- Treating the handbook as individual legal advice
Original practice questions with detailed explanations
These are original instructional questions mapped to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or a live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.
Question 1A landlord wants to end an ordinary tenancy at will that has no fixed term. How much notice must the landlord give?
- A. 60 days
- B. 30 days
- C. 90 days
- D. 3 business days
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: A. 60 days
In a Georgia tenancy at will, the landlord gives 60 days' notice to end the tenancy and the tenant gives 30. The 30-day choice is the tenant's notice, which is why it can mislead. Three business days is the pay-or-leave notice for unpaid rent, not a notice to end a tenancy.
Question 2A tenant on a lease signed in March 2026 is behind on rent. What must the landlord do before filing a dispossessory action?
- A. Change the locks and keep the tenant's things until paid.
- B. Give 60 days' written notice to end the tenancy.
- C. Give written notice to pay or leave within three business days.
- D. File right away, since unpaid rent needs no prior notice.
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: C. Give written notice to pay or leave within three business days.
For unpaid rent on a lease signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the landlord must first give written notice to pay or leave within three business days, and only then file. Changing the locks is self-help, which Georgia does not allow. The 60-day notice is for ending a tenancy at will, not for nonpayment.
Question 3A residential lease is signed on September 1, 2026, at $1,800 a month. What is the largest security deposit the landlord may collect?
- A. $1,800
- B. $2,700
- C. $5,400
- D. $3,600
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: D. $3,600
For residential leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, a deposit may not exceed two months' rent. Two months at $1,800 is $3,600. The $1,800 answer assumes a one-month limit, a common rule elsewhere that Georgia does not use.
Ready to move on?
You are ready for the next lesson when all of these are true.
- Explain Georgia Landlord-Tenant Rules for Exam Candidates in one clear answer without notes.
- Separate Tenancy at will from Security deposits using a fresh example.
- Apply the decision rule to a new fact pattern and name the fact that controls the result.
- State the Georgia-specific point or explain why the national rule applies unchanged.
- Answer every practice question and explain the rule each rejected option misapplies.
- Revisit this topic later in mixed practice without category labels.
Recommended next lesson
Continue with Community Association Management in Georgia. Community association management moves from one owner's rental to an association's affairs, covering the CAM license, the board's authority, and the separate accounting that association funds require.
Return to the Real Estate Practice in Georgia hub for the complete official branch and the full lesson list for this Georgia group.