Each Dallas guide answers one question — eviction, deposit, repairs, rent, entry, habitability — with the local office and the Texas chapter. We do not invent a local deadline.
State code, City inspectors
Repair, deposit, and lock rules are Chapter 92. Dallas Code Compliance inspects some conditions. That inspection is not an eviction defense by itself — bring the paper to legal aid if a court is named.
What if I got a notice in Dallas?
Read it for a court name, a case number, or an appearance date. A landlord notice is usually a step. Court papers mean a case has been filed in Dallas County justice court. Date it, photograph every page, and call legal aid the same day if a court is named. Do not guess the deadline from a national chart.
What if the unit is not livable?
Write the problem, date it, and keep photos. Open a request with Dallas 311 or dial 311. An inspector’s dated notice is often worth more later than unanswered texts. Rent withholding and repair-and-deduct are Texas questions — ask legal aid before you skip a payment.
What if the deposit did not come back?
The clock, the cap, and the itemization rules live mainly in Texas law. No rent board. Code compliance and justice court. Gather the lease, move-out photos, the forwarding address you gave, and any deduction list, then open the Texas deposit page.
What if the rent went up?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. Whether Dallas adds a local cap or just-cause rule is a coverage question — No rent board. Code compliance and justice court. Keep the letter. Confirm the Texas chapter and the City office before you treat a percentage you saw online as the law.
What if they keep coming in without notice?
Entry rules in Dallas start with Texas law and the lease. Emergencies, repairs, and showings are not always the same notice. Write the date and time. Dallas 311 may take a complaint. This desk does not invent an hour-count.
What if heat, water, or the structure fails?
That is a habitability problem. Photograph it, write the date, and open a request with Dallas 311 or 311. If it is dangerous tonight — a gas leak, no heat in winter, a collapsed ceiling — treat it as an emergency. Do not skip rent on a rumor.
Is Dallas different from Fort Worth for renters?
Same Texas Property Code. Different code shops and different justice courts. Dallas 311 and Dallas County are the doors for a Dallas address. Do not file a Tarrant County process on a Dallas unit.
Official Dallas offices
No rent board. Code compliance and justice court. The Texas chapter is Texas Property Code — residential tenancies (Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92). We name it. We do not paraphrase a number out of it.
Dallas renter questions
Can my landlord in Dallas evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or dumping belongings is not how possession is completed. Dallas County justice court is where those cases are heard. If the paper names a court, a case number, or an appearance date, call legal aid the same day. No rent board. Code compliance and justice court.
How do I get my security deposit back in Dallas?
Deposit caps, itemization, and return deadlines are usually Texas questions — sometimes with a city overlay. Photograph the unit, return keys the way the lease requires, and keep a forwarding address. Confirm the chapter on the Texas page. This desk does not reprint a dollar cap or a day-count.
Who inspects repairs in Dallas?
Dallas 311 is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. Put the repair in writing first and keep photos. Do not skip rent on a rumor — ask legal aid before you change what you pay. No rent board. Code compliance and justice court.
Does Dallas have local rent rules on top of Texas?
No rent board. Code compliance and justice court.
Is Dallas different from Fort Worth for renters?
Same Texas Property Code. Different code shops and different justice courts. Dallas 311 and Dallas County are the doors for a Dallas address. Do not file a Tarrant County process on a Dallas unit.
What number should I call in Dallas?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. Local City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Dallas 311 does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org