Most deposit disputes in Lubbock aren’t really arguments about the law — they’re arguments about facts nobody documented. Texas deposit rules are fairly renter-friendly if you know them and follow a few steps. This is a plain-English overview; it isn’t legal advice, and for a real dispute you should read the statute or talk to a lawyer or tenant-rights organization.
The statute
Security deposits for residential tenancies are governed by Texas Property Code Chapter 92, Subchapter C. The Texas Attorney General’s office also publishes a renters’ rights summary that’s easier to read than the code itself.
The 30-day rule
After you move out, the landlord has 30 days to either refund your deposit or give you a written, itemized list of deductions along with whatever balance remains. Both the refund and the itemization are required; a landlord who keeps money without itemizing is on shaky ground.
The forwarding-address catch
The 30-day clock doesn’t start until you’ve given the landlord a forwarding address in writing. This is the step renters most often skip. Email it, text it, and hand it over on paper when you return the keys. Keep a copy.
What landlords can and can’t deduct
A landlord may deduct for damages and charges you’re responsible for under the lease — including cleaning — but not for “normal wear and tear.” The code defines wear and tear as deterioration from the intended use of the property, without negligence, carelessness, accident or abuse. In practice:
- Usually wear and tear: minor carpet wear in walkways, small nail holes, faded paint, loose grout from age.
- Usually deductible: a dirty oven or fridge, soap scum and mildew, pet stains and odors, large holes, broken blinds, trash left behind, carpet that needed professional cleaning per the lease.
Notice how many deductible items are cleaning. That’s why a proper move-out clean is the most controllable way to protect a deposit.
Lease clauses that change the math
Read your lease for a required professional carpet cleaning (with receipt), a flat “cleaning fee” charged regardless of condition, or a requirement to return the unit in a specific state. These are generally enforceable if they were in the lease you signed.
Documentation is your leverage
- Photograph and video the unit at move-in and at move-out, timestamped, every room, inside appliances.
- Keep the move-in inspection form if one was provided.
- Keep receipts for carpet cleaning or professional cleaning.
- Request a walk-through with the manager and note what they say.
If the deposit doesn’t come back
Send a written demand citing the statute and your forwarding-address date. If that fails, Texas law allows a tenant to sue in Justice Court; a landlord who acts in bad faith can be liable for more than the deposit itself. Most disputes settle once the landlord sees organized documentation.
The practical takeaway
Give a written forwarding address, document everything, and don’t hand the landlord an easy cleaning deduction. Investing in an inspection-ready clean — or a full day doing it yourself with a proper checklist — protects a deposit that’s often worth four figures.
Quick answers
Does the landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
Texas does not require landlords to pay interest on residential security deposits.
Can a landlord keep my deposit for unpaid rent?
Yes, if rent is genuinely owed. It must still appear on the itemized statement.
What if I never gave a forwarding address?
The landlord’s 30-day obligation doesn’t begin until you do. Send it in writing as soon as possible, even after moving out.
