Want to skip straight to checking your own building? Use the RentCheckMe address checker.
Cibolo is a rapidly expanding city in Guadalupe County, situated on the northeastern edge of the San Antonio metropolitan area. The city's population has surged in recent years as suburban growth has spread outward from San Antonio, bringing a significant renter population seeking housing in newer apartment communities and single-family rentals. Renters in Cibolo are governed entirely by Texas state law, as the city has not enacted any local tenant protections beyond what the state provides.
Texas law offers meaningful protections in key areas: security deposit returns, landlord duties to maintain habitable conditions, anti-retaliation rules, and strict prohibitions on self-help eviction. However, Texas does not have rent control, and no city in the state is permitted to enact it. That means landlords in Cibolo can raise rent by any amount, provided they give proper written notice. Understanding the full scope of your rights under state law is the most important step Cibolo renters can take.
This page provides a comprehensive overview of tenant rights applicable in Cibolo, Texas, with citations to specific statutes. This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a specific legal problem, consult a licensed attorney or a qualified legal aid organization.
There is no rent control in Cibolo, and no Texas city may enact it. Texas state law explicitly preempts local governments from adopting rent control ordinances. Tex. Prop. Code § 214.902 states that a municipality may not enact, enforce, or maintain an ordinance or policy that controls the amount of rent charged for privately owned rental property. This prohibition applies statewide, meaning neither the City of Cibolo nor Guadalupe County has any legal authority to limit how much a landlord can charge or increase for rent.
In practice, this means your landlord in Cibolo can raise your rent by any dollar amount at the end of a lease term, or with proper written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. There is no cap on annual increases, no requirement to justify the increase, and no right to appeal or challenge the amount. The only practical protection is the notice requirement: for month-to-month tenancies, at least one month's written notice is required before a rent increase takes effect (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001). Fixed-term leases cannot be changed mid-term unless both parties agree in writing.
While Cibolo has no local ordinances, Texas state law provides several important protections for all renters in the state.
Security Deposits (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): Landlords must return your security deposit within 30 days of you vacating the unit, along with a written, itemized list of any deductions. If your landlord wrongfully withholds your deposit without providing the required itemization, they may owe you three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus your actual damages, attorney's fees, and court costs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109). There is no statutory cap on the deposit amount a Texas landlord may charge.
Habitability and Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Landlords are 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 and be current on rent. If your landlord fails to repair within a reasonable time (generally 7 days for urgent issues), you may have the right to repair and deduct the cost from rent — up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent — or to terminate the lease and recover damages.
Notice to Terminate Tenancy (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): For month-to-month tenancies, either the landlord or the tenant must provide at least one month's written notice before terminating. Fixed-term leases expire at the end of the lease period unless renewed, but you are entitled to the full term of your lease before the landlord can seek possession.
Anti-Retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord cannot retaliate against you for exercising a legal right. Protected activities include requesting repairs, contacting a building inspector, filing a complaint with a government agency, or exercising any right granted by Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code. Retaliation includes unjustified rent increases, service reductions, or attempts to evict you within six months of a protected action. If a landlord retaliates, you may sue for one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, and attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333).
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): Self-help eviction is illegal in Texas. Your landlord cannot change the locks, remove doors or windows, shut off utilities, or otherwise interfere with your possession of the unit to force you out. If your landlord unlawfully locks you out, you are entitled to regain entry, and you may sue for actual damages, one month's rent plus $1,000, attorney's fees, and court costs.
Texas law governs security deposit rules for all Cibolo rentals under Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit in Texas, so the amount is determined by the lease agreement.
Return Deadline: Your landlord must return your security deposit — along with a written, itemized statement of any deductions — within 30 days after you surrender the dwelling. Surrendering means you have vacated and returned keys (or the landlord otherwise has notice you have vacated).
Itemization Requirement: If the landlord withholds any portion of the deposit, they must provide a written description of each deduction and the dollar amount. Deductions are only permitted for unpaid rent, damage to the unit beyond normal wear and tear, and other lease-defined charges. Normal wear and tear — minor scuffs, carpet worn from ordinary use, faded paint — cannot be deducted.
Penalty for Wrongful Withholding: If a landlord in bad faith fails to return your deposit or provide the required itemization within 30 days, they may be liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus your actual damages, attorney's fees, and court costs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109). To protect yourself, provide written notice of your forwarding address, document the unit's condition with photos at move-out, and keep copies of all correspondence.
Texas has a specific court-based eviction process, and no Cibolo landlord may bypass it. The legal process is called a forcible detainer action and is governed by Tex. Prop. Code §§ 24.001–24.011 and Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing in court, the landlord must provide written notice to vacate. For nonpayment of rent, the minimum notice is 3 days unless the lease specifies a longer period (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). For lease violations or end of lease term, the notice period is also at least 3 days unless the lease provides otherwise. For month-to-month tenancies being terminated (not for cause), at least 1 month's written notice is required (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001).
Step 2 — Filing in Justice Court: If you do not vacate by the deadline in the notice, the landlord may file an eviction suit in the Justice of the Peace Court (Justice Court, Precinct 1 or the applicable precinct in Guadalupe County). A hearing is typically scheduled within 10–21 days of filing.
Step 3 — The Hearing: You have the right to appear and present a defense. Common defenses include improper notice, retaliation, landlord's failure to maintain habitability, or payment of rent owed. If the judge rules for the landlord, you 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 may issue a writ of possession authorizing a constable to remove you from the property. Only a constable or sheriff may physically remove you — the landlord may not do so on their own.
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: A landlord cannot change locks, remove your belongings, shut off utilities, or physically remove you without a court order. Doing so exposes the landlord to liability for actual damages, one month's rent plus $1,000, and attorney's fees under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081.
No Just-Cause Requirement: Texas law does not require a landlord to have a specific reason to terminate a lease at the end of its term or to decline renewal. As long as proper notice is given and the court process is followed, a landlord may evict without stating a reason beyond the lease's expiration.
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws and local ordinances can change, and individual circumstances vary. If you are facing an eviction, a security deposit dispute, or any other housing legal matter in Cibolo, Texas, you should consult a licensed attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in your area. RentCheckMe makes no warranty regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and is not responsible for actions taken in reliance on it.
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.