Tenant Refusing To Pay

[Paul Crowson]

My newest tenant in my rent house here in houston texas has paid the required 1st 100.00 of repair costs twice in past situations, but is now refusing to pay in this latest situation. its some electrical plugs that just quit working, and im sending the electrician even with her saying she isnt going to write the check for her part of the service call. there has been a plumbing service call also in the past that she just acted like she forgot, and i didnt press her then, but i dont want a trend to start here. i hope i have given yall enough info here to ask your opinion if you have had a similar experience and what did you do about it. she sent me a very long email quoting the contract we have, the standard texas tenant contract, attempting to reinterpret its wording, that it was a pre existing situation, but the plugs have been working fine for at least 6 months. im thinking i will mail her the bill by certified mail. what would you do?

[Colleen F.]

I am not in Texas but are you are saying the tenant is required to pay $100.00 of the service call for things that were working when they moved in? I am curious about this, so if your water heater stops working the tenant pays $100.00 of the service call ?