Texas Property Code 92.301 – Landlord Liability to Tenant for Utility Cutoff
(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;
(5) if the lease is terminated by the tenant, recover a pro rata refund of any advance rentals paid from the date of termination or the date the tenant moves out, whichever is later;
(6) recover actual damages, including but not limited to moving costs, utility connection fees, storage fees, and lost wages from work; and
(7) recover court costs and attorney’s fees, excluding any attorney’s fees for a cause of action for damages relating to a personal injury.
Terms Used In Texas Property Code 92.301
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by writing, printing, or other means. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) When deducting for the tenant’s payment of the landlord’s utility bill under this section, the tenant shall submit to the landlord a copy of a receipt from the utility company which evidences the amount of payment made by the tenant to reconnect or avert cutoff of utilities.
(d) The tenant remedies under this section are effective on the date the tenant has notice from the utility company of a future cutoff or notice of an actual cutoff, whichever is sooner. However, the tenant’s remedies under this section shall cease if:
(1) the landlord provides the tenant with written evidence from the utility that all delinquent sums due the utility have been paid in full; and
(2) at the time the tenant receives such evidence, the tenant has not yet terminated the lease or filed suit under this section.