Texas Property Code
§ 92.301 — LANDLORD LIABILITY TO TENANT FOR UTILITY CUTOFF
PR § 92.301Title 8. LANDLORD AND TENANT · Ch. 92. RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES · Art. G. UTILITY CUTOFF
Statute text
View on source(a)A landlord who has expressly or impliedly agreed in the lease to furnish and pay for water, gas, or electric service to the tenant's dwelling is liable to the tenant if the utility company has cut off utility service to the tenant's dwelling or has given written notice to the tenant that such utility service is about to be cut off because of the landlord's nonpayment of the utility bill.
(b)If a landlord is liable to the tenant under Subsection (a) of this section, the tenant may:
(1)pay the utility company money to reconnect or avert the cutoff of utilities according to this section;
(2)terminate the lease if the termination notice is in writing and move-out is to be within 30 days from the date the tenant has notice from the utility company of a future cutoff or notice of an actual cutoff, whichever is sooner;
(3)deduct from the tenant's rent, without necessity of judicial action, the amounts paid to the utility company to reconnect or avert a cutoff;
(4)if the lease is terminated by the tenant, deduct the tenant's security deposit from the tenant's rent without necessity of lawsuit or obtain a refund of the tenant's security deposit pursuant to law;
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Legislative history
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 650, Sec. 12, eff. Aug. 28, 1989.