For all of its ostensible landlord-friendly provisions, Georgia in fact has a very tenant-friendly statute defining when a landlord-tenant relationship is created:
Quote Quoting OCGA Sec. 44-7-1(a)
(a) The relationship of landlord and tenant is creat ed when the owner of real estate grants to another person, who accepts such grant, the right simply to pos sess and enjoy the use of such real estate either for a fixed time or at the will of the grantor. In such a case, no estate passes out of the landlord and the tenant has only a usufruct which may not be conveyed except by the landlord ́s consent and which is not subject to levy and sale.
"The payment of rent is not essential to the creation of a tenancy at will." May v. May, 165 Ga.App. 461, 462, 300 S.E.2d 215 (1983) (citing Carruth v. Carruth, 77 Ga. App. 131 (48 SE2d 387) (1947)). A landlord is required to give proper notice and follow proper process when evicting a tenant. You can find a ton of information on the rights of tenants in Georgia, here.