Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Sugar Land

Find the right Tenant attorney in Sugar Land, TX

Tenant Law in Texas

In Sugar Land, 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 Sugar Land, TX

The most important and most apparent 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.

Landlords also have a right to be free from damage to the rented unit. Tenants are expected not to damage their dwellings, intentionally or negligently. Landlords can deduct the cost of repairs from the tenant's security deposit. In general, tenants are not liable for damage resulting from ordinary wear and tear.

Tenant's Rights in Sugar Land, TX

Tenants, most essentially, have a right to a habitable apartment. After all, this is what they're paying for. Sugar Land, 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 contain lobbies, laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways, and fire escapes (essentially, any part of the building which all of the tenants can access). In Sugar Land, Texas, these areas must be kept reasonably clean and safe.

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.

Lastly, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords generally must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Sugar Land, Texas Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants usually prefer to avoid getting into fights with one another, for apparent reasons. A harmonious relationship is profitable for everyone involved. To that end, the advice of a good Sugar Land, Texas landlord/tenant attorney can help defuse arguments before they become too serious.

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Life in Sugar Land

Sugar Land is an affluent suburb located in Fort Bend County, Texas. The U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011, has estimated the population to be 84,511 people. When the area is described as affluent, this is no joke. The median family income is ,261!

The history of Sugar Land is rooted in the sugar plantation industry--hence the name. It is the headquarters of Imperial Sugar.

CNN Money ranked the area third on its list of "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States." Also, it was voted as the "Fittest City in Texas" in 2007. Not only do residents work hard for their money, but also to stay in shape.

Some great attractions to check out is Sugar Land Town Square, First Colony Mall, and the Sugar Land Ice and Sports Center.

Major employers include Western Airways and Nalco Energy Services, Imperial Sugar, Schlumberger, Minute Maid, and BMC Software. Sugar Land is also home to well-experienced attorneys, law offices, and well-established small to mid size firms. Therefore, residents and local businesses do not have to travel far to receive legal guidance in any and every area of law.

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