How to Request Storm Damage Repairs from Your Landlord
Do you know your legal rights to seek repairs to your apartment or rental property after last week’s severe storms?
Texas law is clear: landlords and property managers must recognize and repair damages within a reasonable time.
However, you must continue to pay your rent in order to take legal action.
“The landlord is required to make repairs for any condition that could affect the health and safety of a regular tenant,” says Eric Kwartler of Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston.
To request repairs, Kwartler said you must send a certified letter to your landlord detailing exactly what is wrong. It may also be helpful to include photos of the damage.
In most cases, the law gives your landlord at least seven days to respond and make repairs.
“But if it’s more of an emergency situation, they may have to respond more quickly,” Kwartler said.
If there is no response after a week, you can send a second reminder by mail or consider taking legal action.
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If the damage to your home is beyond repair and the home is uninhabitable, the law allows you or your landlord to terminate the lease.
“You only owe rent until the last day of occupancy. If the place is unlivable, you can pack up and leave,” Kwartler said.
It is recommended that you consult an attorney before filing a lawsuit or attempting to terminate your lease.
As for power outages, Kwartler explained that it’s usually the fault of your local utility company, not your landlord.
“In most cases, landlords and tenants have to work together to get through this,” he says.
Under Texas law, it is illegal for a landlord to retaliate against you because you complain in good faith about needed repairs, according to the Texas Attorney General.
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