New Landlord Tenant Laws in Texas Protect Renters from Risks of Flooding

In several parts of Texas, the risk of flooding is a major concern when renting or buying a house. Fortunately, the landlord tenant laws that went into effect in 2022 requires landlords to inform renters of flood risk.

An article in the Houston Chronicle states that the new landlord tenant laws require the landlords from Texas to inform potential renters if the area is situated inside a 100-year floodplain or if it was destroyed by flooding within the past five years.

According to Guerra, the purpose of the landlord tenant laws is to persuade renters to invest in flood insurance that will protect them from a serious financial burden if floods destroy their houses. In 2021, a report published in the Texas Tribune revealed that the Hurricane Harvey that struck in 2017 caused $125 billion worth of damages in the state.

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Landlord Tenant Laws Against Flooding

An article in the Texas Department of Insurance states that the burning of energy sources such as oil, gas, and coal to heat houses and and power cars releases gases into the atmosphere. Consequently, this warms up the Earth and increases the threat of severe weather conditions and flooding in several parts of the world. In the U.S., a national assessment discovered that parts of the country have experienced an increase by 42% of rainfall since the 1950s.

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