Landlord Tenant FAQ

General explanation of residential tenant rights in Texas. https://texaslawhelp.org/article/tenants-rights-handbook

A livable property means the home is safe and meets basic needs, such as: A roof that keeps out rain and snow. Enough hot water. Heat that works well. Strong floors and walls that won't fall apart. No big dangers from things like lead, asbestos, or mold. A decent level of safety to keep out intruders.

It is your landlord’s duty to repair or remedy most conditions in your unit that affect your health and safety unless you cause the damage through abnormal use, and so long as you follow the proper procedure to request such repairs.
Texas law does NOT require a landlord to repair or remedy a condition that does not affect your health or safety, such as a non-working appliance, garage door opener, slow or clogged drains, irrigation systems to name a few items.

A tenant leasing a home, townhome, condo etc has a responsibility to maintain the property. This includes but is not limited to keeping the exterior of the property free from mildew, cleaning the roof and gutters of debris, keeping landscaping, trees, shrubs trimmed, maintenance to the HVAC system, protecting exposed plumbing pipes from freezes, maintenance and repairs to the irrigation system, keeping the residence clean and sanitary

Normal Wear and Tear can be defined as the normal degradation of an item over time due to normal use. An example would be Paint on the Wall, Trims, Doors, Siding fading or discoloring or starting to peal. Carpeting having matted down and fraying areas from foot traffic.

These are some examples of Damage and Not Wear and Tear: Damaged surfaces such as walls, trim, doors from items striking the wall, discoloring the surface or dirt and grime on the surface. Soiled flooring from spills, dirt etc that leads to staining in the flooring. Dirty electrical, lighting, plumbing, tub surrounds.