Texas Property Code Section 92.103 requires landlords to refund a tenant's security deposit within 30 days of move-out, with itemized deductions for damage beyond normal wear and tear; Houston has no stricter local rule.
Section 92.103 of the Texas Property Code governs all Houston residential leases. After a tenant surrenders the unit and provides a forwarding address, the landlord has 30 days to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. 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 requirement, and no escrow requirement. Texas does not require non-refundable fees be disclosed separately, but they cannot be labeled "deposit."
A 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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