Each Houston 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.
Texas does the heavy lifting
Deposits, repair-and-remedy, security devices, and retaliation are Chapter 92 questions. Houston does not overlay a general rent-stabilization system. Local inspectors handle housing conditions; they do not rewrite the Property Code.
What if I got a notice in Houston?
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 Harris 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 Houston 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. There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case. 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 Houston adds a local cap or just-cause rule is a coverage question — There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case. 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 Houston start with Texas law and the lease. Emergencies, repairs, and showings are not always the same notice. Write the date and time. Houston 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 Houston 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.
Does Houston have a rent board?
No city rent board sits on top of Texas Chapter 92 here. Repair, deposit, and lockout rules are statewide. Houston 311 and code enforcement handle some conditions. Harris County justice court hears possession cases. Do not import an Austin ordinance.
Can my Houston landlord lock me out?
Texas has specific rules on when a lockout is even discussed, and they are easy to get wrong. Photograph what happened. Call legal aid the same day. 911 if you are locked out tonight and unsafe. This desk does not reprint the lockout procedure.
Official Houston offices
There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case. 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.
Houston renter questions
Can my landlord in Houston evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or dumping belongings is not how possession is completed. Harris 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. There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case.
How do I get my security deposit back in Houston?
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 Houston?
Houston 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. There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case.
Does Houston have local rent rules on top of Texas?
There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case.
Does Houston have a rent board?
No city rent board sits on top of Texas Chapter 92 here. Repair, deposit, and lockout rules are statewide. Houston 311 and code enforcement handle some conditions. Harris County justice court hears possession cases. Do not import an Austin ordinance.
Can my Houston landlord lock me out?
Texas has specific rules on when a lockout is even discussed, and they are easy to get wrong. Photograph what happened. Call legal aid the same day. 911 if you are locked out tonight and unsafe. This desk does not reprint the lockout procedure.
What number should I call in Houston?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. Local City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Houston 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