Texas Property Code Section 92.103 requires Austin landlords to refund tenant security deposits within 30 days of move-out, with itemized deductions for damage beyond normal wear and tear; Austin imposes no stricter local rule.
Texas Property Code Section 92.103 governs all Austin residential leases. After a tenant surrenders the unit and provides a written forwarding address, the landlord has 30 days to return the deposit or send an itemized deduction list. Bad-faith retention triggers $100 plus three times the wrongfully withheld amount, plus attorney fees, under Section 92.109. There is no statutory cap on deposit amounts, no interest accrual requirement, and no escrow requirement. Non-refundable fees cannot be labeled deposit. The Austin Tenants Council provides counseling, and small claims under $20,000 go to Travis County Justice Courts.
An Austin landlord who fails to return the deposit or provide written itemization within 30 days is presumed to have acted in bad faith. Tenants may sue in justice court for $100, triple damages, and attorney fees under Section 92.109.
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