If my tenant is behind on rent and the water bill which is in my name, can I turn off their water?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my tenant is behind on rent and the water bill which is in my name, can I turn off their water?
What legal course of action can I take against them? Such as lien, garnishment of wages or something, changing locks in the mean time, repairs to make their lives inconvenient.
Asked on January 9, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Texas
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Oh my goodness. Listen, you can not do any of the things that you mention here or you will be in big trouble. The courts will even abate - reduce - their rent if there are no services. You need to do things legally and take them to court for back rent and sue them to enforce the payment of the water bill or pay it yourself and then sue them for the money under the lease. You are opening yourself up to a whole host of legal consequences - civilly and probably criminally - if you do not tone it down.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.