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Lubbock, TX Rental Property Rules: Cash-for-Keys Agreements (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified May 2026

Key Facts

City ordinance
None
Minimum buyout
Not mandated
Written form
Strongly recommended
Disputes
Justice Court contract case

Summary

Lubbock has no ordinance regulating cash-for-keys agreements between landlords and tenants. Such buyouts are negotiated privately under Texas common-law contract principles without a city-mandated minimum payment or disclosure form.

Sec. 24.005. NOTICE REQUIRED BEFORE FILING CERTAIN EVICTION SUITS. (a) If the occupant is a tenant under a written lease or oral rental agreement, the landlord must give a tenant who defaults or holds over beyond the end of the rental term or renewal period at least three days' written notice to vacate the premises before the landlord files a forcible detainer suit, unless the parties have contracted for a shorter or longer notice period in a written lease or agreement. In a forcible detainer suit against a tenant whose right of possession is terminated based solely on nonpayment of rent and who was not late or delinquent in paying rent to the landlord before the month in which the notice is given, written notice under this section shall be

Source: Lubbock Code of OrdinancesView official code

Full Breakdown

California cities like Oakland and Los Angeles require written cash-for-keys offers, set minimum buyout amounts, and impose mandatory disclosure forms with rescission rights. Lubbock has no equivalent ordinance. Texas tenants and landlords negotiate buyouts under standard contract law, with no statutory minimum amount, cooling-off period, or disclosure form. Tenants accepting a cash-for-keys offer should obtain a signed written agreement that releases the landlord only upon delivery of agreed payment. Texas Tech students near campus and Heart of Lubbock renters often receive informal verbal buyout offers, which are difficult to enforce without written terms.

Violations & Fines

There is no city cash-for-keys violation. Disputes proceed as ordinary contract claims in Lubbock County Justice Court under Texas common law, not city housing code.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a cash-for-keys deal enforceable in Lubbock?
Yes if reduced to writing. Without a signed agreement, oral buyouts are extremely difficult to prove. Get the offer, payment, and move-out date in writing before vacating.
Is there a minimum amount?
No. Texas has no statutory cash-for-keys minimum and Lubbock imposes no city floor, so the amount is purely a matter of negotiation between landlord and tenant.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Lubbock

All Lubbock rules

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