If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Repair-request & landlord/tenant forms (LawDepot)Templates for a notice to repair, security-deposit demand, and more.
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Default rule and exceptions
Hot water is a habitability item in the statutes quoted here; Texas law names a minimum temperature (120°F) as an automatic repair trigger, and the duty shifts to the tenant only if tenant damage caused the failure.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Must provide and maintain in good operating condition a device that supplies hot water (120°F minimum under Texas law). |
| Tenant | Owns the cost only if tenant-caused damage broke the water-heating system. |
| Exceptions | Tenant-caused damage to the water heater/system; Lease terms |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 27, 2026.
the condition: (A) materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant; or (B) arises from the landlord's failure to provide and maintain in good operating condition a device to supply hot water of a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
A water supply approved under applicable law that is under the control of the tenant, capable of producing hot and cold running water, or a system that is under the control of the landlord, that produces hot and cold running water, furnished to appropriate fixtures...
Common questions
Who pays for rental repair: no hot water in Nationwide, US?
The landlord. Must provide and maintain in good operating condition a device that supplies hot water (120°F minimum under Texas law).
Are there exceptions in Nationwide, US?
Tenant-caused damage to the water heater/system; Lease terms
What is this based on for Nationwide, US?
This verdict is sourced to Texas Property Code § 92.052 (Landlord's Duty to Repair or Remedy) and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Texas Property Code § 92.052 (Landlord's Duty to Repair or Remedy)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-27
- California Civil Code § 1941.1statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-27
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