NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Have you received unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails from real estate developers wanting to buy your property?

A bill moving through the Tennessee legislature wants to prevent homeowners from being inundated with pesky real estate developers.

State Sen. Charlane Oliver (D – Nashville) introduced the Tennessee Homebuyer Harassment Prevention Act in January.

“People who have lived in their homes for decades are now being harassed by out-of-state developers to purchase their property for a quick buck, ” Sen. Oliver said.

The bill states that “no person, partnership, corporation, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity can contact a property owner more than one time in a calendar year in connection with an unsolicited request or offer to buy the property owner’s real property.”

That contact applies to a phone call, text message, email, mail or any other form of contact.

A property owner can submit a complaint to the Consumer Affairs Division in the Office of the Attorney General and Reporter if they believe they are receiving unsolicited requests or offers to buy their property.

Once a complaint is received, it will be reviewed within 20 business days. If a court finds that the act was violated, the solicitor faces a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation.

The bill passed on first and second consideration and last week it was recommended for passage with amendments.

The bill has been placed on Monday’s regular Senate agenda. A similar bill has been introduced in the House.

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