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Anna, Texas is one of Collin County's fastest-growing communities, situated along U.S. Highway 75 north of McKinney in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. As new apartment complexes and single-family rental homes continue to appear alongside the city's rapid population growth, more residents are renting — and many are asking questions about what their landlords can and cannot legally do.
Renters in Anna are governed entirely by Texas state law. The Texas Property Code provides meaningful protections around security deposits, habitability and repairs, eviction procedures, and retaliation — but it does not cap rent increases or require landlords to show cause before ending a lease. Understanding these rules can help you protect your home and your money when disputes arise.
This page is a plain-language summary of the tenant rights laws that apply to Anna renters as of April 2026. It is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws can change, and individual situations vary — if you need guidance on a specific problem, contact a licensed attorney or a free legal aid organization in your area.
Anna has no rent control, and Texas law makes it illegal for any city or county to create one. Texas Property Code § 214.902 expressly preempts local governments from enacting rent control ordinances, except in cases of a declared public emergency under specific state-authorized conditions. No such emergency ordinance is in effect in Anna or Collin County.
In practical terms, this means your landlord in Anna can raise your rent by any amount — there is no cap, no percentage limit, and no requirement to justify the increase. The only requirement is that the landlord give you proper advance notice before the new rent takes effect. For month-to-month tenants, that means at least one month's written notice under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001. For fixed-term leases, the rent cannot change until the lease term ends unless your lease contract specifically allows mid-lease increases.
If you receive a rent increase notice, review your lease carefully. If you are on a fixed-term lease and the increase is not permitted by the lease language, you may have grounds to push back. If you are month-to-month, you can choose to accept the new rate or give your own notice to vacate before it takes effect.
Texas state law provides several important protections for renters in Anna. Each is described below with the controlling statute.
Habitability and Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Landlords in Texas are legally required to make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant. To trigger this obligation, you must give your landlord written notice of the problem and allow a reasonable time to fix it. If the landlord fails to act, you may have the right to repair-and-deduct (up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent), terminate the lease, or pursue other remedies. Your lease cannot waive these rights except in very limited circumstances.
Security Deposit Rules (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): Landlords must return your security deposit — along with a written, itemized list of any deductions — within 30 days of you vacating the unit and surrendering possession. Wrongful withholding can result in liability for the landlord of three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus $100, plus attorney's fees.
Notice to Terminate (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): For month-to-month tenancies, either party must give at least one month's written notice before terminating the rental agreement. Your lease may specify a longer notice period, which is enforceable if you agreed to it in writing.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord may not retaliate against you — by raising your rent, reducing services, filing an eviction, or threatening any of these actions — because you exercised a legal right. Protected activities include requesting repairs, complaining to a housing inspector, filing suit against the landlord, or participating in a tenant organization. Retaliation is presumed if the landlord acts within six months of a protected activity.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): Self-help eviction is illegal in Texas. Your landlord cannot change your locks, remove your doors or windows, or shut off your electricity, water, or gas to force you out. Violations allow you to recover possession of the unit, one month's rent plus $500, attorney's fees, and actual damages. If a landlord changes your locks without a court order, you can contact local law enforcement and seek emergency relief from a justice court.
Texas law does not cap the amount a landlord may charge for a security deposit in Anna — landlords may set any amount, which is typically negotiated at lease signing. However, once collected, the deposit is governed by strict rules under Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109.
Return deadline: Your landlord must return your security deposit within 30 days after you vacate the dwelling and surrender possession. If the landlord makes deductions, they must provide a written, itemized statement of those deductions at the same time they return the remaining balance.
Allowable deductions: Landlords may deduct for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges specifically authorized in your lease. They may not deduct for ordinary wear and tear — meaning routine aging of the property that occurs through normal use.
Penalty for wrongful withholding: If your landlord withholds your deposit in bad faith — meaning without a legitimate basis and without providing the required itemized statement — you may be entitled to three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus $100, plus reasonable attorney's fees, under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109. Courts determine bad faith based on the totality of the circumstances.
Forwarding address: To protect your right to get your deposit back, provide your landlord with a written forwarding address when you move out. Under § 92.107, a landlord is not required to return the deposit until they have received your forwarding address in writing. Keep a copy of that notice for your records.
Evictions in Anna follow the Texas eviction process established under Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 24 (the Forcible Entry and Detainer statute) and the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. A landlord must follow every step — there are no shortcuts, and self-help eviction (lockout, utility shutoff, removing belongings) is illegal under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing in court, the landlord must give you a written notice to vacate. The required notice period depends on the situation:
Step 2 — Filing in Justice Court: If you do not vacate by the deadline in the notice, the landlord may file an eviction suit (forcible detainer action) in the Justice of the Peace Court for Collin County Precinct covering Anna. You will receive a citation and a hearing date — typically set within 10 to 21 days of filing.
Step 3 — Hearing: Both parties appear before the Justice of the Peace. You have the right to present your defense. Common defenses include improper notice, retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331), the landlord's failure to make required repairs, or factual disputes about the alleged violation.
Step 4 — Judgment and Writ of Possession: If the landlord wins, the judge issues a judgment for possession. You have 5 days to appeal to the County Court at Law. If no appeal is filed, the landlord may obtain a writ of possession after 6 days, and a constable may enforce removal.
No Just Cause Requirement: Texas does not require landlords to show just cause to evict a tenant whose lease has expired or who is on a month-to-month tenancy. Proper notice is sufficient. However, a landlord cannot evict you in retaliation for exercising a legal right (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331).
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws can change, and the application of any law depends on the specific facts of your situation. RentCheckMe makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or current applicability of the information presented here. If you are facing an eviction, a dispute with your landlord, or any other housing legal matter, you should consult a licensed attorney in Texas or contact a free legal aid organization in your area. Do not rely solely on this page to make legal decisions.
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