Operative Text
Sec. 92.302. NOTICE OF UTILITY DISCONNECTION OF NONSUBMETERED MASTER METERED MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY TO MUNICIPALITIES, OWNERS, AND TENANTS. (a) In this section:(1) "Customer" means a person who is responsible for bills received for electric utility service or gas utility service provided to nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property.(2) "Nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property" means an apartment, a leased or owner-occupied condominium, or one or more buildings containing at least 10 dwellings that receive electric utility service or gas utility service that is master metered but not submetered.(b) A customer shall provide written notice of a service disconnection to each tenant or owner at a nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property not later than the fifth day after the date the customer receives a notice of service disconnection from an electric service provider or a gas utility. The customer must provide the notice by mail to the tenant's or owner's preferred mailing address or hand deliver the notice to the tenant or owner. The written notice must include the customer's contact information and the tenant's remedies under Section 92.301. The notice must include the following text in both English and Spanish:"Notice to residents of (name and address of nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property): Electric (or gas) service to this property is scheduled for disconnection on (date) because (reason for disconnection)."(c) If the property is located in a municipality, the customer shall provide the same notice described by Subsection (b) to the governing body of that municipality by certified mail. The governing body of the municipality may provide additional notice to the property's tenants and owners after receipt of the service disconnection notice under this subsection.(d) A customer is not required to provide the notices described by this section if the customer avoids the disconnection by paying the bill. Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 322 (H.B. 1772), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014. SUBCHAPTER H. RETALIATION
Texas Property Code § 92.302 establishes a notification chain that must occur when a utility disconnection is scheduled for a nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property — meaning a building of at least 10 units that receives electric or gas service through a single master meter without individual unit submetering. The person responsible for the utility bill (the "customer") must notify each tenant or owner in writing within five days of receiving a disconnection notice, and must also notify the local municipality by certified mail if the property is within city limits. The required notice must appear in both English and Spanish and include the disconnection date, the reason, the customer's contact information, and a reference to tenant remedies under § 92.301. This obligation disappears entirely if the customer pays the outstanding bill and avoids disconnection.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners or managers who serve as the "customer" on a master-metered utility account at a qualifying multifamily property under § 92.302 generally maintain a process for promptly tracking incoming disconnection notices and distributing written tenant notifications within the five-day window. Compliant operators typically keep a record of each tenant's preferred mailing address so that notices can be mailed or hand-delivered without delay, and they ensure the bilingual (English and Spanish) notice template includes all required elements — disconnection date, reason, and tenant remedies under § 92.301. When the property sits within a municipality, operators also send the same notice to the governing body by certified mail, retaining proof of delivery.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 92.302, tenants living in a nonsubmetered master metered multifamily property have a right to receive written advance notice — in both English and Spanish — if the building's utility service is scheduled for disconnection, giving them time to understand their options before service is cut. The notice must reference remedies available under § 92.301, which tenants can review to understand what recourse may be available to them. Tenants who believe they did not receive the required notice, or who want to understand their rights further, may contact their local municipality's governing body (which is also entitled to receive notice under this section) or reach out to a tenant-rights organization familiar with Texas property law.
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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