Eviction Defense

Can a landlord evict a tenant from a dwelling at any time?

No. Under Article 562 of the Civil Code, a dwelling lease may be terminated by the landlord only for weighty reasons, and the termination must be effected in writing. Arbitrary eviction is unlawful.

How much arrears gives the landlord a right to terminate?

Under Article 558, termination before the term is possible where the tenant has not paid the rent for three months. Shorter arrears do not create the right to terminate.

What happens on the tenant’s death?

Where the tenant ran a joint household with family members in the dwelling, the family members enter the legal relationship with the landlord on the tenant’s death and may terminate the lease within the period established by law.

Can a new owner evict the tenant?

On a sale, the acquirer steps into the landlord’s position and the lease rights and obligations pass to them. The new owner may terminate only on the same statutory grounds — a weighty cause, in writing.

How can possession be defended against the owner?

Article 575 gives the tenant the right to defend their possession against every violator, including the owner. Self-help measures such as changing locks or removing belongings are unlawful and can be met with protective claims.

5 min·9 Jan 2026

Facing Eviction — the Sources of Your Protection

If a landlord is threatening you with eviction, the first thing to understand is that Georgian law protects the tenant of a dwelling with substantial guarantees. Eviction is not a matter of the landlord’s discretion: it requires a ground, a form and a procedure. Arbitrary eviction — changing the locks, restricting access to the premises or using force — is unlawful, and against such actions the tenant has the full range of protective remedies.

This page sets out the norms that protect a tenant in a dwelling: the requirement of a weighty cause for termination, the continuity of the family’s position after the tenant’s death, the consequences of a sale of the property, and — the broadest guarantee of all — the tenant’s right to defend their possession against every violator, including the owner.

Updated: 14 Oct 2026

Legal basis:

Eviction Defense

Can a landlord evict a tenant from a dwelling at any time?

No. Under Article 562 of the Civil Code, a dwelling lease may be terminated by the landlord only for weighty reasons, and the termination must be effected in writing. Arbitrary eviction is unlawful.

How much arrears gives the landlord a right to terminate?

Under Article 558, termination before the term is possible where the tenant has not paid the rent for three months. Shorter arrears do not create the right to terminate.