Every rule, countdown timeline, court document, and civic statistic in Texas Tenant Navigator is mapped directly to authoritative government records and research audits. Nothing is probabilistic or unverified.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
A landlord is legally required to make repairs only if the tenant is not behind on rent, properly notifies the rent recipient in writing, and the condition threatens physical health/safety or lacks 120°F hot water.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
Texas law gives landlords a presumed 7-day cure period from delivery. If sent by regular mail, two separate notices are required. If sent by Certified Mail Return Receipt, only ONE notice is required to trigger legal liability.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
A tenant can only repair and deduct after strict prior statutory notices, limited to the greater of one month's rent or $500. Work must be done by a licensed contractor and cannot be performed by the tenant.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
If the landlord fails to repair after proper notice, the tenant can sue in Justice Court (Small Claims) for a repair order, rent reduction, $500 civil penalty + one month's rent, actual damages, and attorney fees.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
Withholding rent in Texas is strictly illegal without statutory compliance. Tenants who withhold rent are legally presumed to act in bad faith and face mandatory penalties of one month's rent + $500 plus immediate eviction.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
Landlords cannot cut off water, electricity, gas, or wastewater services to force rent collection or force a tenant to leave, even if the tenant is behind on rent.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
A landlord who changes locks must provide a key 24/7 immediately upon request, without requiring delinquent rent payment. Removing doors, windows, or roof is strictly prohibited.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
Landlords must refund deposits or provide itemized deductions within 30 days of surrender and written forwarding address. Bad faith retention triggers triple damages + $100 penalty + attorney fees.
Authority: Texas State Legislature
Landlords are barred from retaliating by evicting, raising rent, cutting services, or ending leases for 6 months after a tenant exercises repair rights in good faith.
Authority: Supreme Court of Texas
Texas court rules establish that notices served via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested constitute legal proof of service upon deposit in the postal stream.
Authority: Supreme Court of Texas
Special court procedure in Justice Court for fast-track repair lawsuits without requiring an attorney. Filing fee is typically ~$54 in Bexar County, and citations must issue within 6 days.
Authority: City of San Antonio City Council
In the City of San Antonio, landlords must provide safe heating capable of reaching at least 68°F in all living areas. Dial 3-1-1 for City Code Compliance inspections.
Authority: Texas RioGrande Legal Aid & University of Texas at San Antonio
62.5% of renters experiencing habitability issues lose their legal leverage because Texas law ignores text messages and phone calls without formal written notice.
Authority: Bexar County Housing Defense Task Force
Roughly 1 in 6 tenants with severe repair issues withhold rent, which completely destroys their legal standing in Texas and allows landlords to evict them immediately.
Authority: U.S. Census Bureau & U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Over 20% of San Antonio tenants have oral or expired leases, meaning statutory default protections under Chapter 92 govern their tenancy rather than private contract terms.
Authority: City of San Antonio Development Services Department
Tenants wait an average of 31 days before sending a legally binding notice, prolonging their exposure to health and safety hazards.