Tenant Duties & Consequences

TENANT DUTIES AND CONSEQUENCES:

  A tenant's main duties are to pay rent on time and to follow the lease and house rules of the landlord by not disturbing others, violating the law on the property or damaging the property. If the landlord feels you have violated one of these conditions she/he may take some of the actions outlined in this section. Sometimes these actions are legal and sometimes they are illegal according to state law (regardless of what has been put in the lease agreement).

   A landlord may prevent you from entering your leased premises only when your rent is not completely paid ( and the landlord follows very strict rules and promptly allows you back in the premises), in an emergency situation, to conduct a bona fide repair, or when you have abandoned the premises. 

  If the landlord changes the door locks without providing you the required notices or without providing a new key or removes a door or other item improperly, you may also recover actual damages, one month's rent plus $1,000.00, plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs, less any past due rent owed by you as the tenant.

 To obtain entry, you should contact the manager, management company, or owner for a new key. If your landlord refuses to provide you a key, you can go to the Justice of the Peace court in your area and request a "writ of reentry" which will order the landlord to provide you with a key to the dwelling.

 Go to www.texasbar.com for more information on Tenant duties and consequences.