Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Mesquite

Find the right Tenant attorney in Mesquite, TX

Tenant Law in Texas

In Mesquite, Texas, relationships between tenants and landlords can occasionally become strained.

Both parties to a landlord/tenant relationship are controlled by an extensive body of laws and regulations, defining their legal rights and obligations.

Landlord's Rights in Mesquite, TX

First and foremost, landlords have a right to timely payment of rent from their tenants, at the agreed-upon rate. This, of course, imposes on tenants a duty to pay their rent in whole, in a timely manner.

Also, landlords have a right to be compensated for damage a tenant causes to a rented unit, either intentionally or negligently. Landlords have a right to deduct repair costs from tenants' security deposits, unless the damage was caused by usual wear and tear, for which tenants are not liable.

Tenant's Rights in Mesquite, TX

The most basic right of a tenant is the right to a living space that's fit for human habitation. This is, after all, what they're paying the landlord to present. Landlords in Mesquite, Texas are under a legal duty to make sure that their apartments are habitable. There are numerous factors that are considered in deciding if an unit is habitable or not, but, generally, an unit will not be deemed habitable if it lacks any of the following: running water, electricity, heat, and protection from the elements (such as proper insulation, and windows that close).

Furthermore, tenants are entitled to common areas which are reasonably safe and clean, and free of physical obstacles. Areas such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes must comply with the building codes of Mesquite, Texas. Furthermore, any other unreasonable safety hazard, even if it doesn't violate a specific provision of a building code, can create liability for the landlord if it injures a tenant.

Tenants also have rights, under federal and Texas law, to not be victims of racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination in housing, whether they are renting or buying. Furthermore, landlords are not allowed to discriminate against tenants based on physical disabilities. They must also allow physically-disabled tenants to make reasonable modifications to the apartment to make it more accessible. Nonetheless, the landlord can require tenants to remove those modifications and restore the property to its original condition once the tenant moves out.

Tenants are also legally safeguarded from unfair eviction. Before a lease agreement expires, landlords cannot evict tenants unless they breach as significant term of the agreement by not paying rent, causing serious damage to the property, engaging in activities that are a nuisance to the other tenants, or engaging in illegal activity on the property, among other things.

Can a Mesquite, Texas Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants almost always prefer to prevent conflict. In a perfect world, tenants would pay rent on time, and landlords would always provide the services that they're being paid for. As we know, the world isn't perfect. When circumstances demonstrate the world's imperfection, a Mesquite, Texas real estate attorney can help, whether you're a landlord or a tenant.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Mesquite

Mesquite, Texas is a city located in Dallas County. It has a population of about 136,000 people, and is a suburb of the city of Dallas.

Mesquite, Texas was founded in 1873, when a railway engineer purchased a large tract of land in the area, shortly before the establishment of a rail line from Dallas to Shreveport, Louisiana. Once this happened, Mesquite entered a period of rapid growth.

Up until the early 20th century, Mesquite's prosperous economy was largely based around agriculture, and the export of produce such as cotton, sugar, and corn.

Mesquite's economy is largely linked to that of Dallas, which is a major center for information technology, financial, and health care industries. The Dallas area has one of the largest concentrations of publicly-traded and Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. - the entire area is a hotbed of economic activity, in virtually any industry or discipline one could imagine.

If you live in Mesquite, Texas, it goes without saying that you can probably find the right lawyer to solve whatever legal problem you may have. If you have a legal issue, it's very likely that a Mesquite, Texas lawyer will be able to help.

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