Example
A tenant is two months behind on $1,200 rent, and the landlord changes the locks on October 10, 2026 while the tenant is at work. In Texas, the tenant can go to court to get back in and recover actual damages, one month’s rent plus $1,000, and attorney’s fees, less any rent owed. Shutting off the electricity or taking the front door off counts the same as changing the locks. The landlord ends up worse off than if they had filed an eviction case.
In a lease it looks like…
Landlord shall not remove Tenant from the premises, change the locks or interrupt utilities except as permitted by law and under a court order.
By state
Penalties differ by state, from actual damages to fixed amounts: California, for example, adds $100 for each day of a lockout or utility shutoff. The legal route is always the same shape: notice, court case, judgment, then a sheriff or marshal.
Plain English, not legal advice. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.