Hello
We would like to rent a house from my wife's Grandfather. The house is recently vacant after a tenant of 15 years has moved.
The house is in need of some repairs and updating.
My wife's grandfather is in his eighties and has told us that he has left the house to my wife in his will.
We would like to rent the house from him and take complete responsibility for maintenance and repairs but would like to protect our investment of time and money just in case.
Any suggestions on how to do this in a mutually beneficial and legally safe way?

If you want to forego probate of the will you will need to do something about the deed to the home while he is still alive. In some states there is a Transfer Deed on Death. I don't think Georgia is a TOD state though.

Of course he can always change his will, end up in a nursing home and the property have to be sold to pay a nursing home and a lot of other things, It would be better to work out a purchase of the home, even a contract for deed, with an agreement in the will that the house become yours at his death. Then at the worst, you just have to pay for it but don't lose all the work you did to it.