Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in El Paso

Find the right Tenant attorney in El Paso, TX

Tenant Law in Texas

In El Paso, Texas, relationships between tenants and landlords can sometimes become strained.

There are several rights and responsibilities that landlords and tenants have. It's important that each party is aware of their rights, and the rights of the other party. By knowing and respecting these rights, the risk of conflict should be reduced dramatically.

Landlord's Rights in El Paso, TX

The most important and most evident right that a landlord has is the right to timely payment of rent from the tenant. This, of course, means that the tenant has a duty to pay rent.

They also have a right to compensation for any damage that a tenant causes, beyond ordinary wear and tear. Landlords are free to bill the tenants for repairs to damage they caused, and deduct the cost from the security deposit.

Tenant's Rights in El Paso, TX

Tenants, most basically, have a right to a habitable apartment. After all, this is what they're paying for. El Paso, Texas landlords are obligated to see that the units they rent to tenants are fit to be lived in by people. Many different defects might render an apartment uninhabitable, such as serious infestations and other problems with sanitation, lack of running water or electricity, or failure to provide adequate protection from the outside elements.

Furthermore, tenants are entitled to common areas that are reasonable safe and sanitary. The common areas of an apartment building would include lobbies, laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways, and fire escapes (basically, any part of the building which all of the tenants can access). In El Paso, Texas, these areas must be kept reasonably clean and safe.

In the United States, and most likely under the laws of Texas, it is unlawful for renters or sellers of real estate to discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national origin, color, or religion. Doing so can subject a landlord to harsh civil penalties. Also, they cannot discriminate based on physical disabilities, either. Tenants with physical disabilities, who are otherwise qualified to rent an apartment (they are able to pay, have good credit, etc.) are entitled to make reasonable modifications to the apartment to make it more accessible to them, and the landlord generally can't bar a tenant from doing this, as long as the modifications are not too extensive, and are reversible. The landlord can, however, require the tenant to remove the modifications, at the tenant's expense, when they move out.

Finally, the laws of most states protect tenants from unfair eviction. In general, as long as a tenant is paying rent on time, and is not damaging the unit, they cannot be evicted before the term of the lease expires, unless there is a very good reason to do so (such as excessive noise caused by the tenant, or illegal activities in the apartment).

Can a El Paso, Texas Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, chances are that you want to avoid conflict. But if you do end up in a seemingly irresolvable conflict with the other party, an El Paso, Texas attorney can help you protect your rights.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in El Paso

El Paso, Texas is a large city in (and the county seat of) El Paso County, in the far western tip of Texas. It is the 5th-largest city in Texas, and the 22nd largest city in the United States, with a population of over 620,000. El Paso is right over the U.S. border from Juarez, Mexico.

The two cities are directly adjacent, and a great deal of cultural and economic exchange occurs between the two. For this reason, they are typically treated as part of the same metropolitan area (referred to as El Paso-Juarez). With a population of over 2.3 million people, El Paso-Juarez is one of the largest international metro areas in the world.

El Paso is an important entry point into the U.S., and Juarez serves the same role in Mexico. There is a significant amount of trade between the two cities, which accounts for a significant amount of the economic activity in both cities.

Additionally, Fort Bliss, an U.S. Army base which serves as home to the Air Defense Artillery Branch, is a major contributor to El Paso's economy.

Given its size and economic diversity, El Paso, Texas attorneys have plenty of work to keep busy, which ensures that they are constantly challenged, forcing them to become proficient in as many areas of law as possible. Accordingly, it's nearly certain that there's at least one El Paso, Texas lawyer who can help you with your legal issues.

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