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Celina, Texas, located in Collin County north of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, has been among the fastest-growing cities in the United States for several consecutive years. That explosive growth has brought a surge of new rental housing — apartments, single-family homes, and townhomes — and with it an increasing number of renters who need to understand their legal rights before signing a lease or dealing with a landlord dispute.
Because Celina has no local tenant-protection ordinances, renters here rely entirely on the protections written into Texas state law, primarily the Texas Property Code. Those protections cover security deposits, habitability and repairs, retaliation, and the eviction process. While Texas does not have rent control, it does provide meaningful safeguards that every Celina renter should know before a problem arises.
This page summarizes the tenant rights laws most relevant to Celina renters. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change, and your individual situation may require guidance from a licensed attorney or a free legal-aid organization.
Celina has no rent control, and Texas state law makes it illegal for any Texas city or county to enact one. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 214.902, a municipality or county may not adopt an ordinance that controls the price at which private residential rental housing is offered. This preemption applies statewide, meaning no Texas city — including Celina — can legally cap rents or limit how much a landlord charges new or renewing tenants.
In practical terms, your Celina landlord may raise your rent by any amount, at any time, as long as proper written notice is given. For month-to-month tenants, that means at least one month's advance written notice before a rent increase takes effect (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001). If your lease has a fixed term, your landlord generally cannot raise rent until the lease expires unless the lease itself allows for mid-term increases. The only hard legal limit on rent increases is the anti-retaliation statute: a landlord cannot raise your rent specifically to punish you for exercising a legal right, such as requesting repairs or filing a housing complaint (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331).
Although Celina has no local tenant ordinances, the Texas Property Code provides several important protections that apply to every renter in the city.
Security Deposits (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): Texas law does not cap the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit, but it strictly governs its return. After you vacate, your landlord has 30 days to return your deposit along with a written, itemized accounting of any lawful deductions. If the landlord withholds the deposit in bad faith — without a legitimate reason — you may be entitled to recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus your attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109).
Habitability and Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Your landlord is legally required to make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant. To trigger this duty, you must give written notice of the needed repair. If the landlord fails to act within a reasonable time (typically 7 days for most conditions), you may have the right to repair-and-deduct — hiring a contractor and deducting the cost from rent, up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent — or to terminate the lease without penalty. These remedies require following specific statutory procedures.
Notice to Terminate a Month-to-Month Tenancy (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): A landlord must give a month-to-month tenant at least one month's written notice before terminating the tenancy. Tenants must provide the same notice to their landlord. A lease may specify a longer notice period, and if so, that longer period controls.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for requesting repairs, contacting a code-enforcement or housing authority, or organizing with other tenants. Retaliatory conduct includes raising rent, reducing services, filing an eviction, or threatening any of these actions within six months of a protected act. A tenant who prevails on a retaliation claim may recover one month's rent plus $500, attorney's fees, and court costs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333).
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): Self-help eviction is illegal in Texas. A landlord cannot change the locks, remove exterior doors or windows, or interrupt utility service to force you out without first obtaining a court order. If your landlord does any of these things, you have the right to recover possession of your unit, one month's rent plus $500 in damages, attorney's fees, and court costs.
Texas law does not set a maximum amount a landlord in Celina may charge as a security deposit, so deposits can vary widely depending on the property and the landlord. What the law does regulate carefully is what happens to your deposit after you move out.
Return Deadline: Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103, your landlord must return your security deposit — along with a written, itemized list of any deductions — within 30 days after you surrender possession of the unit. The clock starts when you actually vacate and return the keys, not when your lease term ends on paper.
Permitted Deductions: A landlord may lawfully deduct for unpaid rent and for damage to the unit beyond normal wear and tear (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.102). Routine cleaning and ordinary deterioration from everyday use cannot be charged against your deposit.
Penalty for Bad-Faith Withholding: If your landlord retains all or part of your deposit in bad faith — that is, without a legitimate basis or without providing the required written itemization — you may sue to recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus $100, plus reasonable attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109). Courts look at whether the landlord acted in good faith; failing to provide any itemization is strong evidence of bad faith.
Protect Yourself: Document the condition of your unit with photos and video at move-in and move-out, provide your landlord a written forwarding address when you vacate, and keep copies of all communications. A landlord who does not have your forwarding address has 30 days after receiving it to return the deposit (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.107).
Evictions in Celina follow the Texas eviction process established in the Texas Property Code and the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Texas law prohibits self-help eviction — your landlord must go through the courts to remove you from your home.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing an eviction lawsuit, a landlord must give the tenant a written notice to vacate. For nonpayment of rent, Texas law requires at least 3 days' written notice to vacate unless the lease specifies a different period (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). For other lease violations, the same 3-day default applies unless the lease provides otherwise. For month-to-month tenants being terminated without cause, at least one month's written notice is required (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001).
Step 2 — Filing a Forcible Detainer Suit: If you do not vacate after the notice period expires, the landlord may file a forcible detainer (eviction) lawsuit in the Justice of the Peace Court for Collin County Precinct 1 (which covers much of Celina). The filing triggers a hearing, typically scheduled within 10 to 21 days.
Step 3 — Hearing and Judgment: Both landlord and tenant may appear and present their case. If the court rules for the landlord, a judgment for possession is entered. The tenant has 5 days to appeal the judgment to the County Court at Law (Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.9).
Step 4 — Writ of Possession: If the tenant does not appeal or vacate after losing, the landlord may request a writ of possession. A constable will post a 24-hour notice before executing the writ and physically removing the tenant and their belongings.
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: At no point in this process may a landlord change your locks, remove doors, or cut off utilities to force you out. Doing so is a violation of Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081, and you may be entitled to damages of one month's rent plus $500 in addition to regaining access to your unit.
No Just-Cause Requirement: Neither Texas state law nor any Celina ordinance requires a landlord to have a specific reason (just cause) to end a tenancy at the expiration of a lease term. However, the landlord must still provide proper written notice and obtain a court order before removing a tenant.
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. For advice about your individual circumstances, please consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a free legal-aid organization such as Texas Law Help or Lone Star Legal Aid. RentCheckMe makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this page and is not responsible for actions taken in reliance on it.
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