| Rent Increase Facts | Answer |
| Reason Needed? | No |
| Maximum Amount | None |
| Required Notice | No Statute |
Does Texas Have Rent Control Laws?
Texas does not have rent control laws limiting the amount that landlords request. State law prohibits local governments from establishing their own rent control ordinances, except as approved by the governor during times of official housing crisis.
When Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Texas?
Landlords in Texas can raise the rent at any time, as long as they comply with the following:
- Give reasonable notice
- Wait until the end of the lease term (unless otherwise specified in the lease)
- Aren’t raising rent for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons
30 days before the end of a year-long lease, a landlord sends the tenant a notice that rent will increase by 5.5% if they choose to renew the lease.
When Can’t a Landlord Raise Rent in Texas?
Landlords in Texas may not raise the rent if:
- It is during the middle of a lease’s fixed term (unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement)
- The increase is applied in a way that discriminates against one of the protected classes specified in the Fair Housing Act
- It is done in retaliation within six months of a protected tenant action, such as filing a complaint
Are There Rent Increase Exceptions in Texas?
Texas does have a rent increase exception. Special circumstances can warrant rent stabilization in Texas if:
- A governing body of a municipality finds that a housing emergency exists due to a disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, or oil spill, AND
- The governor approves the ordinance
How Often Can Rent Be Increased in Texas?
Landlords in Texas can increase the rent as often as they choose as long as they don’t do so during a lease term (unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement).
How Much Notice is Needed To Raise Rent in Texas?
Unlike most other states, Texas law does not require a specific notice period before raising rent.
Even though state law has no minimum notice period, Texas law still requires that parties to a contract act in good faith, meaning that a landlord should give the tenant reasonable notice when increasing rent.
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Texas?
In Texas, landlords can raise rent by any amount that they wish. There is no legal limit or cap on the amount of a rent increase.
Sources
- 1 Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 214.902(a)
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The governing body of a municipality may, by ordinance, establish rent control if:
(1) the governing body finds that a housing emergency exists due to a disaster as defined by Section 418.004, Government Code; and
(2) the governor approves the ordinance.
Source Link - 2 Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331(b)
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A landlord may not, within six months after the date of the tenant’s action under Subsection (a), retaliate against the tenant by:
(1) filing an eviction proceeding, except for the grounds stated by Section 92.332;
(2) depriving the tenant of the use of the premises, except for reasons authorized by law;
(3) decreasing services to the tenant;
(4) increasing the tenant’s rent or terminating the tenant’s lease; or
(5) engaging, in bad faith, in a course of conduct that materially interferes with the tenant’s rights under the tenant’s lease.
Source Link
