MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – A Montgomery County homeowner says his front yard was left damaged after utility work and that it took weeks of calls before anything was done to fix it.
The situation is now raising broader questions about what rights utility companies have when working on private property and what homeowners can expect in return.
Recommended Videos
The homeowner, who doesn’t want to be identified, shared photos showing what he described as significant damage to his lawn after crews working for Ezee Fiber came through his neighborhood.
“I came outside and saw they had completely destroyed a section of my front lawn,” he said in an email to KPRC 2 News Rilwan Balogun. “Since this case was opened, I have called in multiple times only to be told that it is being scheduled, and I will receive a call back. None of those things have taken place.”
According to the homeowner, he repeatedly contacted the company over a two-week period, trying to get repairs scheduled. He says crews eventually returned over the weekend but only after he told the company he had reached out to KPRC 2 News.
Company says it aims to “make it right”
A spokesperson for Ezee Fiber says the company works to address any issues homeowners report.
“If there’s any damage, we absolutely want to be in contact with the homeowner and make it right,” said Jim Schwartz, spokesperson for the company.
Schwartz added that restoring property can sometimes take time, especially when crews try to match original landscaping.
“We’ll send somebody from our construction team out there. Sometimes people have certain rocks or certain plants in their yard and they want them brought back exactly the way it was before,” Schwartz said. “We will bend over backwards to make sure it gets done that way… but it may take a couple days because we have to find the right materials.”
What the law says about utility access
Under Texas law, utility companies are allowed to access private property through easements, which are areas where infrastructure like cable lines, water systems, or sewage lines are installed and maintained.
These easements are common and typically run along a narrow strip of land, often three to five feet wide, on a property. In most cases, companies do not need a homeowner’s permission to enter these areas to perform work.
However, the Texas utility code does not clearly define how long companies have to restore property after completing work. It also does not set strict requirements for ongoing communication with homeowners during the process.
Homeowners still have rights
Legal experts say that while utility companies have access to easements, homeowners are still protected in several important ways.
According to Guerra Days Law Group, utility companies must:
- Provide reasonable notice before entering a property
- Use the least invasive methods possible to access and maintain equipment
- Repair any damage caused during construction or maintenance
Homeowners who want to know where utility easements are located on their property can check their home survey, which is typically provided during the closing process.
If that document isn’t available, a copy can usually be obtained through the county clerk’s office.