HB 5073

relating to a landlord's duty to provide an accounting statement to
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is
amended by adding Section 92.027 to read as follows:
Sec. 92.027.  LANDLORD'S DUTY TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTING
STATEMENT ON REQUEST.  (a)  Not later than the third business day
after the date a landlord receives a written request for an
accounting statement from a tenant, the landlord shall provide to
the tenant an accounting statement that includes:
(1)  the amount of rent owed per payment period under
(2)  the amount of any outstanding balance owed by the
(3)  a description of each charge or fee included in the
balance owed and the date the charge or fee became due;
(4)  a reference to any lease provision authorizing a
charge or fee other than rent; and
(5)  the number of payments remaining under the lease,
(b)  A landlord's failure to provide an accounting statement
as described by Subsection (a) does not invalidate the lease or,
subject to Subsection (c), prevent the landlord from prosecuting or
defending a legal action or proceeding to enforce the lease.
(c)  A landlord may not continue to prosecute and a court
shall abate an action to enforce the lease only until the landlord
provides to a tenant an accounting statement as described by
Subsection (a) if the tenant submits to the court evidence in a plea
in abatement or otherwise that the landlord failed to comply with
(d)  A landlord may comply with this section by providing to
a tenant an accounting statement as described by Subsection (a):
(2)  in an electronic format if requested by the
(3)  by e-mail if the parties have communicated by
e-mail regarding the accounting statement.
(e)  A tenant or a governmental agency or civic association
acting on the tenant's behalf may file suit against a landlord for a
violation of this section if the landlord fails to provide, not
later than the 10th day after the date the landlord receives a
written request under Subsection (a), an accounting statement as
described by Subsection (a) to the requesting tenant.
(f)  A party who prevails in a suit brought under Subsection
(e) may recover court costs and reasonable attorney's fees from the
other party.  In addition to court costs and reasonable attorney's
fees, a prevailing tenant may recover from the landlord the greater
of one month's rent or $500 for each violation of this section.
SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a request for a copy of an accounting statement submitted by a
tenant to a landlord on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
request for an accounting statement submitted by a tenant to a
landlord before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.