When Can a Landlord Increase My Rent in Texas?
Landlords in Texas can increase the rent by however much they want just as long as they wait for your lease agreement to end.
Many states and cities have some form of rent regulation—that is, they have created subsets of apartments that, for one legal reason or another, can only be rented out at certain prices. Texas, on the other hand, has no rent control or rent stabilization laws at all. With one extremely limited exception, landlords from Austin to Dallas are free to set monthly rents as high as they choose.
How much can my landlord raise my rent in Texas?
Unfortunately for tenants, there are no rent control laws in Texas. That means that your landlord can raise your rent by as much as they want when your lease is up. But remember: if you have a fixed-term lease, your landlord can’t increase the rent until your lease expires. If you’re on a month-to-month lease, then your landlord can increase your rent any time (as long as they give you 30 days’ notice).
What about the exception you mentioned?
Let’s get the limited exception out of the way, because it almost certainly doesn’t apply to you. According to Section 214.902 of the Texas Property Code, localities in Texas are allowed to create some form of rent control only in the wake of a “disaster,” as that term is defined in Texas law. A disaster includes things like fires, floods, earthquakes, oil spills, and storms. The proposed rent regulations must be approved by the governor, and terminate when the natural disaster is abated. To put into perspective how rarely used this law is, no municipalities in Texas established temporary rent control even after Hurricane Harvey.
Does my landlord have to tell me in advance about a rent hike?
It depends on what kind of lease you have. If you have a year-long lease with a set end date, then no—unlike most other states, Texas doesn't require landlord to give advance notice before they raise the rent at the end of a lease term. If you have a month-to-month lease, then your landlord has to notify you in writing at least a month before they want to raise the rent.
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The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.