Housing Problems in Texas

Under Texas Property Code Section 92.103, landlords must return your security deposit within 30 days of lease termination. If the landlord acts in bad faith in failing to return the deposit or provide an itemized statement, you may recover $100 plus three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney fees.

For nonpayment of rent or other lease violations, Texas requires a 3-day written notice to vacate before the landlord may file a forcible detainer action in Justice of the Peace court. Eviction hearings can be scheduled within 10-21 days. Tenants may appeal an adverse judgment to county court.

No. Texas has no statewide rent control, and state law generally preempts local rent control measures. No Texas city currently imposes general rent stabilization. Landlords may increase rents to any amount at lease renewal.

Texas Property Code Section 92.056 requires landlords to make required repairs within a reasonable time after written notice. Texas tenants may withhold rent into court registry, repair-and-deduct (up to one month's rent), or terminate the lease — but only after following the precise statutory notice procedures. Failing to follow these steps correctly can undermine a tenant's legal position.

Texas Property Code Sections 92.151-92.170 provide tenants with specific rights regarding security devices. Landlords must install deadbolts, peepholes, window latches, and sliding door security bars on most residential units. If a landlord fails to install or repair required security devices within a reasonable time after written request, the tenant may install them and deduct the cost from rent, or obtain a court order. Additionally, tenants who are victims of family violence may request a lock change at any time, and the landlord must comply within a reasonable time under Section 92.160.

Texas has one of the fastest eviction timelines in the country. After the 3-day notice to vacate expires, the landlord files a forcible detainer suit in Justice of the Peace court. The hearing is typically set 10-21 days after filing. If the court rules for the landlord, the tenant generally has 5 days to appeal and post an appeal bond. If no appeal is filed, the landlord may request a writ of possession, which gives the tenant 24 hours to vacate before a constable enforces the eviction. The entire process from notice to physical removal could potentially take as little as 3-4 weeks in uncontested cases, though delays for contested cases, appeals, or court scheduling may extend the timeline.