Want to skip straight to checking your own building? Use the RentCheckMe address checker.
Bay City is the county seat of Matagorda County on the Texas Gulf Coast, with a population of roughly 17,000 residents. A significant share of Bay City households are renters, and many rely on the agricultural, petrochemical, and energy industries that drive the local economy. Renters in Bay City frequently search for information on security deposit returns, repair obligations, and what happens when a landlord tries to evict without going through the courts.
All tenant protections in Bay City come from Texas state law — primarily the Texas Property Code. There is no city-level rent control, no local just-cause eviction ordinance, and no Bay City housing court. Understanding the statewide rules that apply here is the most important step any Bay City renter can take to protect their housing.
This page provides a plain-language overview of those state-law protections as they apply to Bay City renters. It is informational only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a specific dispute with your landlord, consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a legal aid organization listed in the resources section below.
Bay City has no rent control, and Texas law makes it impossible for the city to enact one. Tex. Prop. Code § 214.902 expressly prohibits any municipality or county in Texas from adopting or enforcing a rent control ordinance. This preemption applies uniformly across the entire state, including Matagorda County and Bay City.
In practice, this means a Bay City landlord may raise rent by any dollar amount at any time — as long as the increase takes effect at the start of a new lease term or, for month-to-month tenancies, after giving the required written notice under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001. There is no cap on how much rent can be increased, no percentage limit, and no requirement that the landlord justify or document the reason for an increase.
If you receive a rent increase notice, your options are to accept the new rent, negotiate with your landlord, or exercise your right to end the tenancy with proper notice. Tenants who believe a rent increase is retaliatory — for example, because they requested repairs — may have a separate claim under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331, described in the state protections section below.
Texas law provides Bay City renters with meaningful protections in several key areas, even in the absence of local ordinances.
Security Deposits (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): A landlord must return your security deposit — along with a written, itemized list of any deductions — within 30 days of you vacating the unit. If the landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit in bad faith, you may be entitled to three times the withheld amount plus reasonable attorney's fees under § 92.109. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may collect as a deposit.
Habitability and Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Landlords in Texas must make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant within a reasonable time after receiving written notice. If your landlord fails to act, you may have the right to: (1) repair the condition yourself and deduct the cost from rent (up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent), (2) terminate the lease, or (3) pursue other judicial remedies. You must typically give two written repair requests before these remedies are available.
Notice to Terminate (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): For a month-to-month tenancy, either the landlord or the tenant must give at least one month's written notice before terminating the lease. The statute allows a different notice period if the parties agree in writing. Fixed-term leases generally end at the expiration date specified in the lease without additional notice.
Anti-Retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord may not retaliate against you for exercising a legal right — such as requesting repairs, reporting a code violation to a housing inspector, or joining a tenants' organization. Prohibited retaliatory actions include raising rent, reducing services, filing an eviction, or threatening any of these actions. If retaliation occurs within six months of a protected activity, Texas law presumes it is retaliatory, shifting the burden to the landlord to prove otherwise (§ 92.333).
Lockouts and Utility Shutoffs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): Self-help eviction is illegal in Texas. A landlord cannot change your locks, remove doors or windows, or interrupt utility service to force you to leave the unit. If your landlord does any of these things, you have the right to recover possession of the unit, actual damages, one month's rent plus $500, attorney's fees, and court costs. You may also report the landlord to local law enforcement.
Texas law governs security deposits for all Bay City rentals under Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord can require as a security deposit in Texas, so the amount is set by your lease agreement.
Return Deadline: After you vacate, your landlord has 30 days to return your deposit. If the landlord makes deductions, they must provide a written, itemized statement describing each deduction and the reason for it within the same 30-day window (§ 92.103, § 92.104).
Allowable Deductions: A landlord may deduct from the deposit for unpaid rent and for damages beyond normal wear and tear. Normal wear and tear — such as minor scuffs on walls or carpet fading from regular use — cannot lawfully be charged to the tenant (§ 92.104).
Penalties for Wrongful Withholding: If a landlord withholds your deposit in bad faith or fails to provide an itemized statement within 30 days, you may sue for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (§ 92.109). To preserve this right, you must provide your landlord with a written forwarding address after move-out; a landlord is not liable for a deposit if you fail to do so (§ 92.107).
Practical Tip: Document the unit's condition with photos and video at move-in and move-out, and send your forwarding address in writing (ideally by certified mail) immediately after vacating.
A Bay City landlord must follow the Texas statutory eviction process — called a forcible detainer action — to remove a tenant. Self-help evictions are illegal under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing in court, the landlord must deliver a written notice to vacate. For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is at least 3 days unless the lease specifies a different period (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). For other lease violations or at the end of a tenancy, the notice period is typically 3 days unless the lease provides otherwise.
Step 2 — Filing in Justice Court: If you do not vacate after the notice period expires, the landlord may file a forcible detainer petition in the Matagorda County Justice of the Peace Court. The court will set a hearing, typically within 10–21 days of filing (Tex. Rules Civ. Proc. Rule 510).
Step 3 — The Hearing: Both the landlord and tenant may present evidence and witnesses at the hearing. If the judge rules in the landlord's favor, a judgment for possession is entered. You generally have 5 days to appeal to the County Court at Law before a writ of possession can be issued.
Step 4 — Writ of Possession: If you do not appeal or the appeal is unsuccessful, the court issues a writ of possession authorizing a constable to physically remove you and your belongings from the unit (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.0061).
No Just Cause Requirement: Texas and Bay City do not require a landlord to have a specific reason (just cause) to evict a tenant after a lease term ends or upon proper notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy. However, a landlord may not evict you in retaliation for exercising legal rights (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331).
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: Changing locks, removing doors, shutting off utilities, or removing your belongings without a court order are all illegal under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081. If your landlord does this, contact local law enforcement and a legal aid organization immediately.
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. Bay City renters with a landlord-tenant dispute should consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization for advice tailored to their circumstances. RentCheckMe makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or current applicability of the information presented here.
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
Use the Address Checker →We'll email you if the rent cap, coverage rules, or tenant protections change — no spam, unsubscribe any time.