Texas Security Deposit Return Deadline & Penalty Guide
Under Texas Property Code § 92.103, landlords have exactly 30 days to return your deposit or provide an itemized list of deductions. Learn how to recover 3x damages plus $100 if they fail.
Texas Tenant Rights: Laws, Rules & Remedies
Texas rental law is primarily governed by Title 8, Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code. While Texas is often viewed as a landlord-friendly state, the statutes mandate strict procedural deadlines, prohibit self-help lockouts, and establish severe penalties against landlords who withhold deposits or refuse repairs in bad faith.
Quick Texas Statutory Highlights
- Security Deposit Return: Exactly 30 calendar days after surrender and provision of a forwarding address (
Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103). - Repair Duty: Landlord must make a diligent effort to repair any condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant (
Tex. Prop. Code § 92.052). - Notice to Vacate: In most cases, a minimum 3-day written notice to vacate is mandatory before any eviction lawsuit can be filed in Justice of the Peace court (
Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). - Self-Help Lockouts: Changing tenant locks without following the strict notice and key-providing protocol of
§ 92.0081is illegal, entitling the tenant to civil penalties.
All Texas Tenant Legal Guides
In-depth statutory breakdowns, sample demand letters, and step-by-step procedures.
Texas Landlord Repair Responsibilities: Notice, Remedies & Deduction
What repairs are legally mandatory in Texas? Learn how to send a certified repair notice under § 92.056, calculate the 7-day cure window, and safely repair-and-deduct without getting evicted.
The Texas Eviction Process: Notice to Vacate, Timeline & Tenant Rights
What happens when a Texas landlord threatens eviction? From the statutory 3-day notice to the Justice of the Peace hearing and writ of possession, understand your rights at every phase.
Free Texas Legal Aid & Official Court Resources
If you are facing an active court eviction hearing or cannot afford an attorney, the following organizations provide free civil legal services to qualifying low-income Texans:
- Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA): Serves Southwest, Central, and South Texas. Phone: 1-888-988-9996 | trla.org
- Lone Star Legal Aid: Serves East Texas and the Houston Gulf Coast region. Phone: 1-800-733-8394 | lonestarlegal.org
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: Serves Dallas-Fort Worth, West, and Northwest Texas. Phone: 1-888-529-5277 | lanwt.org
- Texas Law Help: Statewide legal aid self-help portal with official court forms. texaslawhelp.org