Section 92.331 - Retaliation By Landlord, Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331 (2024)

(a) A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant by taking an action described by Subsection (b) because the tenant:

(1) in good faith exercises or attempts to exercise against a landlord a right or remedy granted to the tenant by lease, municipal ordinance, or federal or state statute;

(2) gives a landlord a notice to repair or exercise a remedy under this chapter;

(3) complains to a governmental entity responsible for enforcing building or housing codes, a public utility, or a civic or nonprofit agency, and the tenant:

(A) claims a building or housing code violation or utility problem; and

(B) believes in good faith that the complaint is valid and that the violation or problem occurred; or

(4) establishes, attempts to establish, or participates in a tenant organization.

(b) A landlord may not, within six months after the date of the tenant's action under Subsection (a), retaliate against the tenant by:

(1) filing an eviction proceeding, except for the grounds stated by Section 92.332;

(2) depriving the tenant of the use of the premises, except for reasons authorized by law;

(3) decreasing services to the tenant;

(4) increasing the tenant's rent or terminating the tenant's lease; or

(5) engaging, in bad faith, in a course of conduct that materially interferes with the tenant's rights under the tenant's lease.

Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331

Amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg. - Regular Session, ch. 588,Sec. 2, eff. 1/1/2014.

1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 48, Sec. 16, eff. 9/1/1993. Redesignated from Property Code Sec. 92.057(a) and amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 869, Sec. 5, eff. 1/1/1996.

Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 650, Sec. 9, eff. 8/28/1989

Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 3637, ch. 576, Sec. 1, eff. 1/1/1984.