DisputeKit / States / Texas
Your consumer rights in Texas
What Texas and federal law say about getting a security deposit back, refunds and cancelling subscriptions, with the law cited and a sample letter for each. Guía del depósito en español.
Security deposits
30 days. Under Texas Property Code § 92.103, a landlord must refund the security deposit together with a written description and itemized list of all deductions within 30 days. The clock runs from the day you surrendered the premises (moved out and handed back possession). Your landlord does not have to refund the deposit or send the itemized list until you give them a forwarding address in writing. A court may also award $100 plus three times the portion of the deposit wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees, if the landlord retained the deposit in bad faith (a landlord who misses the 30-day deadline is presumed to have acted in bad faith).
Refunds
If a company won't refund you, send a written demand with a clear deadline. If you paid by credit card, you may also be able to dispute the charge: Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, a billing-error dispute must reach the card issuer in writing within 60 days after the first statement showing the charge.
Subscriptions
Texas has no automatic-renewal statute. For subscriptions sold online, the federal Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act requires a simple way to stop recurring charges, and Texas's general consumer protection law applies.
Small claims and complaints in Texas
- Texas consumer law
- Texas Business and Commerce Code § 17.46 (Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act)
- Where to file a complaint
- Texas Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
- Small claims limit
- $20,000 in justice court (small claims cases), not counting interest
- Filing fee
- About $54 to file in most justice courts, plus a separate fee to serve the defendant that varies by county