Top Horizon City, TX Landlord Tenant Law Lawyers Near You

Visit our free Landlord-Tenant Resource Center.

Landlord Tenant Law

Landlord tenant law covers the legal rights and protections of both landlords and tenants. Lease agreements provide for the obligations, expectations, and rights of the renter and landlord and provide for remedies if there is a breach or a landlord tenant dispute.

Texas Landlord Tenant Attorneys

Landlord tenant lawyers can represent either the tenant or landlord when a rental agreement has been breached and the parties cannot reach an agreement. For tenants, these attorneys can usually delay or prevent an eviction, or immediately stop landlord harassment. If your landlord is illegally raising rent, failing to fix problems in the rental unit, or won’t give you back your security deposit, a lawyer can step in to protect your rights. For landlords, a lawyer can help you create a valid rental agreement, to protect your rights as a property owner. A Horizon City law firm can also help you evict tenants who aren’t paying rent, and make sure you’re operating under the law when you take any actions against a tenant.

When Is My Horizon City Landlord Allowed to Raise the Rent?

Rent increases are often a big concern for renters in Horizon City, and in many cities across the country. Landlords generally can’t raise your rent while you are under an existing lease agreement. However, when you go to renew, your landlord may be allowed to increase the price of rent. Generally, the landlord must give you “proper notice” of the increase in advance, which may vary by local jurisdiction or the terms of your lease. If you’re on a month-to-month lease, the state determines how much notice your landlord must provide before an increase can go into effect.

Can You Be Evicted as Soon as You Stop Paying Rent?

Tenant rights provide some protections when it comes to evictions. Most leases provide a small grace period for late rental payments, usually within a couple of days from the due date. However, if you go beyond that, landlords are usually allowed to charge a late fee if the fee was included in the lease. In many states, a landlord has to wait a set amount of time before they can start the eviction process, usually a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

Can My Landlord Come In When I’m Not Home?

Just because your landlord owns the property does not mean they can come into your house or apartment without notice. A Horizon City landlord has to have a reason to come in and they have to provide notice. Valid reasons for coming into the property include making repairs or inspections, performing agreed maintenance, and showing the property to renters or buyers. However, except for limited situations, the landlord still has to provide a minimum amount of notice.

Top Questions to Ask When Hiring an Attorney

• How many years have you been practicing law? How long have you practiced law in the local area?
• How many cases similar to mine have you handled in the past?
• What is the likely outcome for my case?

In legal practice, experience matters. An experienced attorney will likely have handled issues similar to yours many, many times. Therefore, after listening to your situation, the attorney should have a reasonable idea of the time line for a case like yours and the likely resolution.

How to Prepare for Your Initial Consultation

Prepare for your consultation by writing down notes of your understanding of the case, jot down questions and concerns for the attorney, and gather your documents. Remember that you are trying to get a sense of whether the attorney has your trust and can help you address your legal issues. Questions should include how the attorney intends to resolve your issue, how many years he/she has been practicing law and specifically practicing in your area, as well as how many cases similar to yours the attorney has handled. It can also be helpful to broach the subject of fees so that you understand the likely cost and structure of your representation by a specific attorney and/or legal team.

Does firm size matter?

For most consumer legal issues, the size of the practice is much less important than the experience, competence, and reputation of the attorney(s) handling your case. Among the most important factors when choosing an attorney are your comfort level with the attorney or practice and the attorney’s track record in bringing about quick, successful resolutions to cases similar to yours.

Common legal terms explained

Pro se – This Latin term refers to representing yourself in court instead of hiring professional legal counsel. Pro se representation can occur in either criminal or civil cases.

Statute – Refers to a law created by a legislative body. For example, the laws enacted by Congress are statutes.

Subject matter jurisdiction – Requirement that a particular court have authority to hear the claim based on the specific type of issue brought to the court. For example, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court only has subject matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy filings, therefore it does not have the authority to render binding judgment over other types of cases, such as divorce.