Landlord & Tenant Laws in Texas.

Give the landlord a written forwarding address after move-out. Texas ties the tenant’s deposit-return and accounting rights to delivery of that forwarding address.

If the amount sought is within Texas justice court limits, a tenant may file there. Keep the lease, proof of deposit payment, move-out records, and the forwarding-address notice.

A Texas landlord generally must return the security deposit on or before the 30th day after the date the tenant surrenders the premises.

If any portion of the deposit is retained, the landlord generally must give the tenant a written description and itemized list of all deductions, unless the tenant owes rent and there is no factual dispute about the amount owed.

A tenant generally must give the landlord a written forwarding address in order to require return of the security deposit and written accounting under the Texas deposit statutes.

A landlord who retains a security deposit in bad faith may be liable for $100, three times the portion wrongfully withheld, and the tenant’s reasonable attorney’s fees.