Tenants’ Council of Houston, founded by UHLC alum David Sadegh, helps resolve tenant disputes
An article in yesterday’s Houston Chronicle features David Sadegh, a recent graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, who started the Tenants’ Council of Houston, an organization that helps tenants resolve disputes with landlords.
The council is a clearinghouse of information about tenant and landlord rights. The staff — eventually to include several law student interns — will guide people through the dispute resolution process but not offer legal assistance, he said.
People who need further help will be referred to other organizations including free legal aid groups that serve low-income residents.
“Our goal is to avoid having disputes deteriorate into lawsuits,” Sadegh said.
Phyllis Wilson, 49, of Houston, said she found the council on the Internet, and received helpful advice after her landlord didn’t make repairs he agreed to make when she moved into an apartment.
She got a call-back and e-mail the day after she called.
Houston Chronicle: Lawyer fights for tenants’ rights
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As someone that’s in the biz, I will say that the Texas Apartment Association standard lease form that many places use is significantly pro-landlord. But then again which adhesion contract is not pro the party that drafted it? It is interesting to note that this is not the case in places like San Francisco where large corporations don’t have 800 unit apartment communities but rather family/single owners own small 5-20 unit apartment blocks. The irony is that in places like that, the rent tends to be a lot higher.