The bill amends Section 92.054 of the Property Code to establish a landlord's liability to tenants for casualty losses to residential rental premises caused by the landlord's negligence or fault. It introduces new subsections (d) and (e), which outline the responsibilities of landlords in such situations. Specifically, if the rental premises become unusable due to a casualty loss, the landlord must either allow the tenant to move to comparable rental premises owned by the landlord or, if no such premises are available, locate comparable rental premises and cover any rent difference that exceeds the tenant's current lease amount.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the landlord's duties under the new subsection (d) are supplementary to any existing landlord responsibilities or tenant remedies outlined in the subchapter. The provisions of this bill will apply only to leases entered into or renewed after the effective date, which is set for 91 days following the end of the legislative session.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Property Code 92.054 (Property Code 92)