According to Texas law, the landlord cannot intentionally prevent a tenant from entering a leased premises unless the landlord has followed the proper court process, and a judge has determined a lockout is necessary. Therefore, after you determine that you are locked out of the premise, request a new key from the landlord. The landlord must supply you with a new key within two hours of your request. You have a right to the key no matter if you pay your back owed rent or not.

If your landlord refuses to supply you with a new key to enter the residence, and the lockout is not authorized by law, you may be entitled to damages. For example, if your landlord violated Texas law by wrongfully locking you out of your leased residence, you have the option to either recover possession of your residence or terminate the lease, no matter how much time is remaining on the lease. In addition, you may be able to recover a civil penalty from the landlord equal to one month’s rent and any costs or fees you accrue due to the lockout, including attorney’s fees.

Every case is unique and a lockout can be complicated. Therefore, you should contact a licensed Texas attorney to discuss your case as soon as possible.