Do this today
- Keep the increase letter.
- Check whether your lease is still in term.
- Ask Houston 311 whether a local ordinance covers this address.
Does Houston cap rent increases?
Not as a national rule, and not as a rumor. Coverage is an address-and-housing-type question. There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case. Ask Houston 311. Then read Texas Property Code — residential tenancies for the Texas floor.
What if I am still in a lease term?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. The letter in your hand may be a renewal offer, a notice, or something that does not apply yet. Keep it. Do not treat a blog percentage as the law.
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.
The Houston layer
There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case.
Texas Property Code — residential tenancies (Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92) is the Texas floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Houston questions
Can my landlord in Houston raise the rent whenever they want?
Not while a fixed term is running, in most places — and some Houston units have extra local rules. There is no Houston rent board. Code enforcement and 311 are the City doors. Possession is a justice-court case. Confirm coverage with Houston 311.
Where do I check if my building is covered?
Houston 311. Coverage is an address question. A neighbor’s building is not your building. Texas Property Code — residential tenancies is still the Texas floor.
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.
What number should I call in Houston?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. 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