One of the most common defense in Texas residential lease termination cases is contamination of the leased premises by pests. This happens when people rent a unit, they don’t know it’s infested with pests and their landlord failed to disclose the infestation. The most common type of pest that can cause this situation are rats which have many different signs of infestation like flea droppings, tracks and holes. But what exactly do these mean? What does this really mean for you as a tenant? If you see any of these and your landlord refuses to investigate or eradicate them you may be able to break your lease. Landlords have a responsibility to keep your home habitable and free from pests. When there is a rat infestation in your home, your landlord has neglected their responsibilities and you, as the tenant, are left to deal with the infestation. You might be wondering if a rats in Texas exempts you from having to continue to pay rent to your landlord. Under the Texas Property Code, a tenant has certain rights that allow them to terminate their lease if conditions in the property are not sanitary or safe. If your property is occupied by rats, you may be at risk of breaching your lease and be forced to pay a fine. As you would know if you have ever visited Texas, there are several types of animals there and the most common one is rats. Rats in Austin have always been a problem … and it is not the first time the city council had to consider a curfew after dark … that was in the late 1800s, and they had to pass an ordinance because cats were getting scapegoated by dogs. For many years, Austin has had a rat problem; it’s said that one rat may cause more damage than 40 mice! The State of Texas Health and Safety Code §893.02 provides that if the premises or appurtenances are destroyed or damaged by flood, fire or other calamity to an extent that it renders the premises or appurtenances untenantable then the tenant is excused from continuing in possession; however, the tenant is obligated to make reasonable efforts to repair or restore the damages in order to avoid actual termination of the lease.

Can I Break My Lease Because Of Rats In Texas

You have a legal right to live in your home without rats.

If you have rats in your home, the first step is to talk to your landlord about what’s going on. Tell him or her about the problem and ask for help in getting rid of them. If the landlord refuses to do anything about the rats, you can file a small claims court case against him or her for breach of contract (Tex. Prop Code § 92.001).

The owner is responsible for “habitable” premises—that means that they must keep their property safe and sanitary so that people who live there are protected from dangerous conditions (Tex. Prop Code § 92). In addition to that duty, owners must repair any defects on their property within a reasonable amount of time after they are notified (Tex. Prop Code § 92).

You have the right to break your lease without penalty if your landlord does not fix the rat problem.

Regardless of the reason you have rats in your home, you have the right to break your lease without penalty if your landlord does not fix the rat problem.

In Texas, landlords are required to maintain their premises in a safe condition and comply with all building codes, health codes and other applicable laws affecting rental housing. They must also provide tenants with habitable homes by repairing damage caused by pests such as rats. The landlord is also responsible for exterminating any infestation or repair work that is needed because of infestation problems (fumigation costs are included). Landlords can be fined up to $500 per day for each day they do not correct an extermination-related violation after receiving notice from tenants that there is a pest problem at their property; however this only applies when tenants have given written notice of their concerns within seven days after discovering evidence that vermin exist on their property such as droppings or rodent burrows near doors/windows/walls etc., which was provided in writing before moving into their apartment but only after being informed by management office staff that there were previous complaints regarding rodents entering homes through openings around pipes/plumbing vents located underneath outdoor access points – especially since these openings may allow rodents access inside walls which could lead them directly into living areas where children play or adults sleep at night – even though we did not see any signs ourselves until recently during routine visits from friends who told us about seeing these signs on previous visits some months ago when visiting family members who live nearby so we asked them about it then later found out what had happened over time without being told ahead of time that there might be signs present outside our apartment complex.”

If your landlord refuses to help you, call animal control.

If your landlord refuses to help, call animal control. You can get the number for your local office online or by dialing 311.

You’ll want to document the call and provide a copy of the report to your landlord. Make sure that you are being clear about what is happening and that you’re not blaming any damage on them (if they’re responsible). Do not try to handle this situation yourself; if there are rats in your apartment, they could bite or spread disease! It’s also important that you don’t pay for any exterminator services yourself; this should be covered by your landlord under Texas law.

If you move out and break your lease, hire a lawyer.

If you move out and break your lease, you’ll need a lawyer. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and get your security deposit back. A lawyer can also help you get out of your lease without penalty, or negotiate a reasonable settlement with the landlord.

You can get out of your lease if your landlord doesn’t do something about a rat infestation.

You can break your lease if you’re being subjected to rats, roaches or other vermin. You’ll need to hire an attorney and have him or her send a letter to your landlord asking them to address the situation. In this case, it’s best to use certified mail so that you can prove when they received it. If the landlord doesn’t respond within 10 days of receiving this letter, then they are in violation of their contract with you and should be required to let you out of your lease without paying any late fees or penalties for breaking it early.