Extending the Option Period Because the Seller Hasn’t Turned on the Power

My buyer client is on the eighth day of his 10-day termination-option period, and the seller still hasn’t turned on the utilities to allow the buyer to have the property inspected. The seller promised to have the utilities on next week, so my buyer just wants to extend the termination-option period another 10 days. Will the buyer have to pay another option fee even though the extension is because the seller breached the contract?

Yes. If the buyer in this situation chooses to request an extension of the termination-option period instead of exercising the default remedies available to him in the contract, then he must agree to offer something of value as consideration to the seller to ensure that the extension is legally enforceable. This is often done by paying an additional termination-option fee. 

Extensive case law in Texas suggests a termination-option period cannot be extended without an additional option fee, so a buyer should pay another option fee to reliably extend the option period.

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