Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Texas

Re: changing locks before tenant moves out

Thank you for your question. Unless a tenant has abandoned the leased premises, the landlord would have no reasonable excuse to be locking a tenant out from the premises by changing locks before legal notice to quit has been given. In such circumstances you may institute an action to regain possession and recover all of your damages for having been locked out. If a landlord asserts a lien on property at the time he serves notice to quit his lien is limited to only so much of the tenant's property as would pay what is owed but not including clothing, tools used in a trade, family pictures, food, cooking and eating utensils and many other specific personal items.