Landlord/Tenant (Texas)

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Landlord/Tenant

Before You Move In
Repairs & Maintenance
Security Deposits
Rent Issues (Late Rent, Late Fees, Rent Increases, etc.)
Evictions
Electric/Utilities
Written & Verbal Rental Agreements
Moving Out (Notice Requirements, Penalties, Moving Out Inspections)
Roommates
Landlord's Right Of Entry (Limits)
Subleasing
Nuisances, Noise & Neighbors
Prohibited Practices/Illegal Lease Clauses
Discrimination/Fair Housing
Retaliation
Uninhabitable Premises/Constructive Eviction
Form Letters (Samples)
Mobile Homes
HUD/Public Housing
Right To Tenant's Property Left Behind
Crime Prevention
Miscellaneous
Where To Get Help

House Rules (Texas)
House rules or apartment regulations are usually a part of the lease even though they are not printed on the lease form itself. Before you sign the lease, ask for a copy of the rules.

Selecting Your New Home (Texas)
What to do before you rent.

Repairs & Maintenance

Repairs and Improvements (Texas)

FAQs On Repairs (Texas)
Repairs landlord must make, your rights when he doesn't, illegal retaliation, and who you must hire to make repairs when your landlord won't.

Can I Stop My Landlord From Remodeling Until I'm Gone? (Consumer-SOS)

Notice Letter To Landlord To Make Repairs (Texas)

Landlord Tenant FAQs and Law On Everything (Texas)
FAQS and law on the Eviction Process, Landlord's Liens,
Lockouts, Repairs, Security Deposits, Utility Shut-off, Small Claims Court, Getting Legal help, etc. Mostly pro landlord but has great form letters for both landlord and tenants.

Safety-The Landlord's Duty Regarding Locks, Smoke Detectors and Other Security Devices (Texas)
Also says you have the right to have a keyless deadbolt to keep the landlord from entering your apartment without notice.

Locks and Security Devices (Texas)

Smoke Detectors (Texas)

Repair Language (Texas)
You are under no duty to repair or remedy most conditions unless you cause the damage through abnormal use. Make sure that the lease does not say that you give up your rights requiring the landlord to make these repairs. Although such clauses are often considered void, it is better to modify the lease than rely on the courts to resolve a dispute.

Where To Get Legal Or Government Assistance (Texas)
Government, nonprofit and commercial groups to help you when you're in trouble.

Finding Out Who Owns and Manages the Premises (Texas)
If they don't tell you you can sue for damages and attorney's fees and even break the lease.

Serving Court Papers on Your Landlord (Texas)

Landlord/Tenant Attorney Desk Reference Manual (Texas 1995)
For information about court cases and law on almost any landlord-tenant issue!!!!

Tenant Rights in Texas
Detailed information concerning leases, rent issues, security deposits, evictions, landlord liens, repairs, retaliation, security devices, utilities and more. Cites Texas statutes and case law.

FAQs On Heat & Air-Conditioning, Discrimination, Duty To Disclose Owner/Management Agency, Health Code Violations, The Landlord's Right To Enter and Where To Get Legal Help

Help Resources In Urban Areas
How to deal with housing code problems, discrimination, roommates, late rent and lack of money, finding an apartment, transportation, health & safety and more.

Getting Your Landlord To Make Minor Repairs (General)

Cleaning & Repairs A Landlord Can't Charge For (Not State Specific)

Tactics To Get Your Landlord To Make Repairs (Not State Specific)

Find Your City's Municipal Codes
Learn how your city code treats, garbage, nuisance and safety hazards. If you can't find your city, follow their links to other code sites that can help you.

Landlord Tenant Laws In 49 States & DC (Missing LA)
If your apartment has been rendered unlivable by your landlord's breach of his obligations, see
Uninhabitable Premises/Constructive Eviction

Security Deposits

FAQs On Security Deposits (Texas)

Security Deposits (Texas)

Texas Tenant Form Letters
Various demand letters relating to security deposits, lockouts, repairs and more.

Where To Get Legal Or Government Assistance (Texas)
Government, nonprofit and commercial groups to help you when you're in trouble.

Landlord Tenant FAQs and Law On Everything (Texas)
FAQS and law on the Eviction Process, Landlord's Liens,
Lockouts, Repairs, Security Deposits, Utility Shut-off, Small Claims Court, Getting Legal help, etc. Mostly pro landlord but has great form letters for both landlord and tenants.

Landlord/Tenant Attorney Desk Reference Manual (Texas 1995)
For information about court cases and law on almost any landlord-tenant issue!!!!

The Texas Tenant Advisor (Tenant Net)
FAQs On Security Deposits, Leases, Evictions, Rent, Safety/Locks, Repairs, Insurance and more.

What The Landlord Can & Cannot Charge You (Chart)
Items damaged by ordinary wear & tear vs. those damaged by the tenant's negligence.

Finding Out Who Owns and Manages the Premises (Texas)
If they don't tell you you can sue for damages and attorney's fees and even break the lease.

Serving Court Papers on Your Landlord (Texas)

Deadline For Returning Security Deposits (Chart For 50 States & DC)
Also has links to help orgs & law in many of the states. See their homepage for state guides on Landlord-tenant law.

Deadlines For LL To Itemize & Return Deposits (Chart For 50 States & DC)

State Limits On The Amount You Must Deposit (Chart For All 50 States & DC)
The limits on how much $ the landlord can demand upfront.

Landlord Tenant Laws In 49 States & DC (Missing LA)
May also have state specific brochures and pamphlets.

Security Deposit Statutes (In 48 States, Not in WV or WY)
Links to the actual statutes, state by state. (Lots of legalese).

Rent Issues

FAQs On Rent (Texas)
Late payments, paying in cash, rent increases, withholding the rent for lease violations and more.

Late Fees New Law as of 2008 (Texas)

Rent and Late Fees (Texas)

Texas Tenant Form Letters
Various demand letters relating to security deposits, lockouts, repairs and more.

RentAssistance (In All 50 States & DC)
RentAssistance provides a directory of rental assistance agencies and organizations that will help you pay your rent. Some listings are government organizations other are non-profits and charities that offer rental assistance programs. Each organization has its own eligibility rules and conditions and you are encouraged to call directly to find out what you need to do. RentAssistance.us does not have funds for providing rental assistance. We can only refer you to listings on the website and urge you to call these offices directly.

Can't Pay Your Rent, Mortgage or Utilities? (Consumer-SOS)
Step by step on what to do and where to go for assistance.

R ent, Utilities and Mortgage Assistance In Texas (Google)
For help in your county or city, add your county or city's name in the Google search box.

Landlord's Right to Remove Property (Texas)
Your right to property when late on rent or when you've left the apartment.

Where To Get Legal Or Government Assistance (Texas)
Government, nonprofit and commercial groups to help you when you're in trouble.

The Texas Tenant Advisor (Tenant Net)
FAQs On Security Deposits, Leases, Evictions, Rent, Safety/Locks, Repairs, Insurance and more.

Landlord/Tenant Attorney Desk Reference Manual (Texas 1995)
For information about court cases and law on almost any landlord-tenant issue!!!!

Help Resources In Major Urban Areas
Where to get help paying your rent. Also has info on housing code problems, discrimination, roommates, finding an apartment, transportation, health & safety and more.

Rent Due Dates, Late Rent, Rent Increases

For Those Without A Written Lease See Verbal Rental Agreements

Evictions

Eviction Overview (Texas)
See their index at left for and explanation of the eviction Process, Defenses Options, Appeal rights, Forms And Eviction Law.

Eviction (Texas)
Procedures and suggestions. Also how to appeal an eviction case against you. or see Evictions (Requires Acrobat Reader).

Where To Get Legal Or Government Assistance (Texas)
Government, nonprofit and commercial groups to help you when you're in trouble.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Relief Act:
If you're a reserve component service member called to active duty, you're protected by a law that can save you some legal problems and possibly some money as well. Under the provisions of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, you may qualify for any or all of the following: • Reduced interest rate on mortgage payments. • Reduced interest rate on credit card debt. • Protection from eviction if your rent is $1,200 or less. • Delay of all civil court actions, such as bankruptcy, foreclosure or divorce proceedings.

Finding Out Who Owns and Manages the Premises (Texas)
If they don't tell you you can sue for damages and attorney's fees and even break the lease.

Serving Court Papers on Your Landlord (Texas)

Tenant Rights in Texas
Detailed information concerning leases, rent issues, security deposits, evictions, landlord liens, repairs, retaliation, security devices, utilities and more. Cites Texas statutes and case law.

Forcible Detainer (Eviction) Lawsuits (Texas)
Google results on the law of evictions in Texas.

Landlord/Tenant Attorney Desk Reference Manual (Texas 1995)
For information about court cases and law on almost any landlord-tenant issue!!!!

http://www.mrlandlord.com/html/frametop_frametop.html
Gives you links to the actual statutes, state by state. (very legalese)

http://www.mrlandlord.com/html/frametop_frametop.html (In 48 States, Not HI or MI)
This site has select laws from each state on security deposits, evictions and landlord laws, but it's not consumer friendly. Their "landlord Laws sections may have stuff on notice to end tenancy and other stuff tenants should know.

Electric/Utilities
In most cases, if the utility company you chose is changed without your permission, this is illegal slamming. But the landlord may have the right to move from individual metering to mass metering based on what the lease says. Also, the landlord cannot cut off your utilities to force you to leave. For that he needs to file eviction papers.

Learning More About Electric Submetering (Texas)
Your rights when your service is separate from your rent, apartment complex or mobile home park. Learn what the landlord must include in the lease to even allow for submetering.

Rules for Allocating Non-Submetered, Master-Metered Utility Bills
Your rights when the landlord decides to allocate charges among the various tenants without metering their individual apartments.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates how a landlord may allocate an electric bill; the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulates how a landlord may allocate a water and wastewater bill; and the Texas Railroad Commission regulates how a landlord may allocate a gas bill. Gas allocation is very rare so it will not be discussed in this brochure.

Other Helpful Brochures From the Public Utility Commission of Texas

Submetering for Apartments, Condos, & Mobile Home Parks (Texas)

Understanding Fuel Charges for IOU Customers (Texas)

What Are My Rights As An Electric Customer? (Texas)

What To Do if Your REP Goes Out of Business (Texas)

Charges On Your Electric Bill (Texas)