Hurt at your Dallas apartment: what the landlord must fix and when you can sue
Dallas City Code makes apartment owners keep balconies, stairs, railings, locks and air conditioning in working order. Report problems to 311 at (214) 670-5111. Texas generally gives you 2 years to sue over an injury. A government housing authority claim needs notice within six months.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (28)
What does Dallas make an apartment owner fix?
The list is longer than most tenants know. It applies to multi-tenant properties, meaning three or more dwelling units on a lot. Dallas inspects these properties at least once every three years.
| Problem that can hurt you | What Dallas says | Can 311 send an inspector? |
|---|---|---|
| Loose balcony, landing or walkway | Must be in operating condition and securely fastened | Yes, listed as unsound stairs, rails or balconies |
| Wobbly handrail or guardrail | Must be securely fastened and anchored | Yes |
| Exposed wiring, no smoke alarm | On the city's interior list | Yes |
| No air conditioning | Must keep rooms at least 15 degrees below outside temperature and no higher than 85 | Yes |
| Dark parking lot or stairwell | Lit from dusk until dawn | Yes, as inadequate security lighting |
| Broken pool gate | Pool safety is on the list | Yes |
| Mold or a broken elevator | Outside what the city can enforce | No |
How do I report a dangerous apartment in Dallas?
- Put it in writing. The city says to give the complaint to the manager or send it by certified mail, with a reasonable time to fix it.
- Take dated photos and keep a copy of the letter.
- If nothing happens, call 311 or (214) 670-5111 and ask for an inspection.
- Save the service request number. An inspector tries to respond within 24 hours on life hazards and within 10 days on general violations.
- If you do not know who owns the building, ask in writing. Texas gives the landlord 7 days after a request to tell you.
These records matter if someone gets hurt later. A dated letter and a city inspection are hard for an owner to explain away.
Can I sue my landlord in Dallas if I got hurt?
Maybe, and where you were hurt matters. Texas generally says a landlord has no duty for conditions inside the leased unit. There are important exceptions. A landlord may be liable if it made a negligent repair, if it concealed a defect it knew about, or if the injury happened in a part it still controls, such as stairs, parking lots and pools.
A fall on a shared staircase at a Dallas complex is often a stronger case than a fall inside your own bedroom. The landlord's liability insurer usually pays, and your renters policy may help with your own medical bills.
Do not confuse repair rights and injury claims. The Texas Supreme Court has said the repair-duty section does not apply in a personal injury case, but the chapter leaves injury suits in place. A code violation alone does not prove your case, though it helps.
What about locks and smoke alarms in Dallas apartments?
Texas requires at least one smoke alarm in each separate bedroom. Windows need latches, even if you never asked. If a lock breaks, the landlord must repair or replace it when told. Dallas folds those state rules into its own code, so city inspectors can act on them. If you were attacked because a lock did not work, read our page on negligent security.
What if the Dallas Housing Authority owns my building?
Your clock can be much shorter. DHA says it houses more than 53,500 people a day through vouchers and public rental communities. Texas law treats a housing authority as a unit of government, including under the Tort Claims Act. So written notice is generally due within six months. Texas limits these claims, and a local government's limit is $100,000 per person.
A voucher tenant in a private building is different. There, your claim is usually against the private owner. Check who owns the building before you assume anything. We could not find a published DHA injury claim form.
Questions
How long do I have to sue my Dallas landlord for an injury?
Generally 2 years. If a housing authority owns the building, notice is generally due within six months.
Who do I call about unsafe conditions at my Dallas apartment?
311 or (214) 670-5111. Write to the manager first if you can.
Does Dallas require air conditioning in apartments?
Yes. Owners must provide refrigerated air that keeps rooms no higher than 85 degrees.
Will Dallas fix mold in my apartment?
Code Compliance says the city code gives it no power over mold.
Hurt at your apartment in Dallas? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (28)
- Dallas City Code § 27-11, checked 2026-11-09. “all balconies, landings, porches, decks, and walkways in operating condition and securely fastened”
- Dallas City Code § 27-11, checked 2026-11-09. “An owner shall maintain all handrails and guardrails: (A) in operating condition and securely fastened and anchored”
- Dallas City Code § 27-11(j), checked 2026-11-09. “shall provide and maintain security devices in each dwelling unit as required by Sections 92.153, 92.154, and 92.155 of the Texas Property Code”
- Dallas Police Department, Multi-Tenant FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “a property owner must provide refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining room temperature at least 15 degrees lower than the outside temperature but in no event higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, checked 2026-11-09. “You may report any of the above violations by dialing (214) 670-5111 (3-1-1 City Services)”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Texas Local Government Code § 392.006, checked 2026-11-09. “For all purposes, including the application of the Texas Tort Claims Act (Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code), a housing authority is a unit of government”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- City of Dallas, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, Complaint Resolution, checked 2026-11-09. “This notice should be turned in to the manager or sent by certified mail.”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, checked 2026-11-09. “the Dallas City Code does not give us any jurisdiction to enforce remediation of the following: - Mold - Inoperable elevators - Evictions - Utilities shut off”
- Texas Supreme Court, Johnson County Sheriff's Posse v. Endsley (1996), checked 2026-11-09. “a lessor who makes repairs may be liable for injuries resulting from the lessor's negligence in making the repairs”
- Texas Supreme Court, Johnson County Sheriff's Posse v. Endsley (1996), checked 2026-11-09. “a lessor may be liable for injuries caused by a defect on a portion of premises that remain under the lessor's control”
- City of Dallas, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, Complaint Resolution, checked 2026-11-09. “having three or more dwelling units on a lot”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Owners and Managers, checked 2026-11-09. “multi-tenant properties must be inspected at least once every three years”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Unsound stairs, rails or balconies > - Trip hazards • Holes or cracks in walls > - Inadequate security lighting > - Pool safety”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Peep hole/keyless deadbolt lock > - Missing electrical switches or cover plates > - Exposed wiring”
- Dallas City Code § 27-11(h), checked 2026-11-09. “An owner shall maintain illumination from dusk until dawn: (i) along pedestrian pathways; in plazas, courtyards, building entrances, parking areas, including carports and driveway areas; and other outdoor spaces commonly used.”
- City of Dallas, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, Complaint Resolution, checked 2026-11-09. “respond within 24 hours on life hazard concerns (i.e. sew age discharge, pool safety, exposed wiring, and open/ vacant units) and within 10 days for general code”
- Texas Property Code 92.201, checked 2026-11-09. “on or before the seventh day after the day the landlord receives the tenant's request for the information”
- Texas Supreme Court, Johnson County Sheriff's Posse v. Endsley (1996), checked 2026-11-09. “A lessor generally has no duty to tenants or their invitees for dangerous conditions on the leased premises.”
- Texas Supreme Court, Johnson County Sheriff's Posse v. Endsley (1996), checked 2026-11-09. “A lessor who conceals defects on the leased premises of which the lessor is aware may also be liable.”
- Texas Supreme Court, Timberwalk Apartments v. Cain (1998), checked 2026-11-09. “it does not apply in a personal injury case”
- Texas Property Code 92.061, checked 2026-11-09. “any right a landlord or tenant may have to bring an action for personal injury or property damage under the law of this state”
- Texas Property Code 92.255, checked 2026-11-09. “A landlord shall install at least one smoke alarm in each separate bedroom in a dwelling unit.”
- Texas Property Code 92.153, checked 2026-11-09. “a window latch on each exterior window of the dwelling”
- Texas Property Code 92.158, checked 2026-11-09. “a landlord shall repair or replace a security device on request or notification by the tenant”
- DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, checked 2026-11-09. “Our team provides affordable housing for more than 53,500 people each day across seven counties through the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program and public rental housing communities.”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “liability of a unit of local government under this chapter is limited to money damages in a maximum amount of $100,000 for each person and $300,000 for each single occurrence”