Keller, TX Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

The City of Keller does not regulate the rent that landlords may charge for residential or commercial properties. Texas law expressly preempts local rent control. Under Texas Local Government Code Section 214.902, a municipality may not adopt an ordinance that controls or regulates the amount of rent charged by a landlord, and any such ordinance must be based on a finding by the governing body that a housing emergency exists because of a disaster and approved in writing by the governor. This preemption limits municipal rent-stabilization and vacancy-control programs across all Texas cities, including Keller. As a result, the rent charged in Keller is determined by the market and the terms of each lease. Texas Property Code Chapter 92 governs landlord-tenant relationships more broadly, including habitability, security deposits, late fees, repair obligations, and eviction procedures. Landlords may raise rent at the end of a fixed-term lease subject to whatever notice provisions the lease sets. On a month-to-month tenancy, at least one months written notice is generally required. Rent late fees are capped under Section 92.019 at reasonable amounts tied to estimated damages, with statutory safe harbor percentages. Lease addenda required by federal law, such as lead-based paint disclosure under 42 USC 4852d for pre-1978 housing, still apply. Tenants facing unusual rent increases can seek counsel through Tarrant County legal aid resources.