Tex. Prop. Code Ann. §§ 92.001–92.355 § 92.062
LEASE TERM AFTER NATURAL DISASTER.
Operative Text
Sec. 92.062. LEASE TERM AFTER NATURAL DISASTER. If a rental premises is, as a practical matter, totally unusable for residential purposes as a result of a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, extended freeze, or widespread windstorm, a landlord that allows a tenant to move to another rental unit owned by the landlord may not require the tenant to execute a lease for a term longer than the term remaining on the tenant's lease on the date the premises was rendered unusable as a result of the natural disaster. Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 475 (S.B. 1120), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014. SUBCHAPTER C. SECURITY DEPOSITS
Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.062, when a rental unit becomes completely unusable for residential purposes due to a natural disaster—such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, extended freeze, or widespread windstorm—and the landlord offers the displaced tenant a different unit within the same ownership portfolio, the landlord cannot require the tenant to sign a new lease that extends beyond the time remaining on the original lease at the moment the disaster struck. The rule effectively preserves the tenant's existing lease timeline rather than resetting it. It applies only when the landlord voluntarily offers an alternative unit; it does not compel a landlord to make such an offer.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who choose to accommodate displaced tenants by offering a substitute unit after a qualifying natural disaster should be aware that Tex. Prop. Code § 92.062 limits the lease term they may require. A compliant operator generally matches the new lease's end date to the remaining term of the original lease as of the date the unit was rendered unusable, rather than starting a fresh full-term lease. Keeping clear records of the original lease's expiration date and the date the disaster rendered the premises unusable helps document compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tex. Prop. Code § 92.062 gives tenants a protection when a landlord offers a replacement unit after a natural disaster makes their home completely uninhabitable: the landlord may not require a new lease that runs longer than what was left on the original lease when the disaster occurred. If a landlord presents a longer-term lease as a condition of moving to a substitute unit, a tenant may have grounds to raise this provision as a defense or to seek guidance from a local tenant-rights organization. Tenants who believe this rule has been violated can also explore filing a complaint with the appropriate local or state housing authority.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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