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Manor is one of the fastest-growing communities in Travis County, situated just east of Austin along US-290. As Austin's housing market has pushed rents upward, many renters have relocated to Manor seeking more affordable options — making an understanding of tenant rights here increasingly important. Texas state law, primarily found in the Texas Property Code, governs all rental relationships in Manor.
Manor has no local rent control ordinance, no local just-cause eviction requirement, and no city-specific tenant protections beyond what Texas law provides. That said, Texas does offer meaningful protections around security deposits, habitability and repairs, retaliation, and unlawful lockouts — protections that apply to every renter in Manor regardless of lease terms.
This article explains your rights as a Manor renter based on Texas law as of April 2026. It is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. If you have a specific dispute with your landlord, contact a licensed Texas attorney or a legal aid organization for guidance tailored to your situation.
Manor has no rent control, and Texas law prohibits it. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 214.902, no municipality or county in Texas may enact an ordinance that controls the price of rent for private residential housing. This statewide preemption means that neither Manor nor Travis County can legally adopt any form of rent stabilization or rent increase caps.
In practice, this means your landlord in Manor can raise your rent by any amount — whether 5% or 50% — as long as they provide the legally required advance notice. For month-to-month tenancies, that notice is at least one calendar month (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001). For fixed-term leases, your rent is locked in until the lease expires; your landlord cannot raise it mid-lease unless your lease explicitly allows it.
There is no pending local legislation that would change Manor's rent control status. Renters concerned about large rent increases should document all communications with their landlord, understand the notice periods in their lease, and explore legal aid resources if they believe a rent increase is being used as retaliation for exercising a legal right.
Texas law provides several important tenant protections that apply in full to Manor renters. Each is described below with the relevant statutory citation.
Security Deposits (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): Landlords must return your security deposit within 30 days after you vacate, along with a written, itemized list of any deductions. If your landlord wrongfully withholds your deposit or fails to provide the itemization, you may be entitled to recover three times the withheld amount plus attorney's fees under § 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 in Texas have a legal duty to make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant. To trigger this duty, you must give written notice to your landlord and allow a reasonable time — typically interpreted as about 7 days — for repairs to be made. 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 seek rent reduction in justice court.
Notice to Terminate a Tenancy (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): For a month-to-month rental, your landlord must give you at least one month's written notice before terminating your tenancy. You must give your landlord the same notice if you intend to vacate. Lease agreements may specify longer notice periods, but they cannot legally require less than one month for month-to-month arrangements.
Anti-Retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): Your landlord cannot retaliate against you for exercising a legal right — such as requesting repairs in good faith, contacting a building inspector, or filing a complaint with a government agency. Prohibited retaliatory acts include raising rent, reducing services, filing a retaliatory eviction, or threatening any of these actions. If retaliation occurs within 6 months of a protected action, there is a legal presumption in your favor (§ 92.333), and you may recover one month's rent plus $500 in civil penalties.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): Self-help eviction is illegal in Texas. Your landlord may not change your locks, remove doors or windows, or interrupt utility services to force you out of your home without first obtaining a court order. Violating this law entitles you to recover actual damages, one month's rent plus $1,000, attorney's fees, and court costs.
Texas law governs security deposits for all Manor renters under Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit, so your lease terms control how much you must pay upfront.
Return deadline: After you vacate your rental unit, your landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit. If the landlord intends to make any deductions, they must also provide a written, itemized list of those deductions within the same 30-day period. The 30-day clock begins when you surrender possession of the unit — meaning you have returned keys and vacated.
Permitted deductions: A landlord may only deduct for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other specific costs allowed by the lease. Normal wear and tear — such as small nail holes or minor carpet wear from regular use — cannot be charged against your deposit.
Penalty for wrongful withholding: If your landlord fails to return your deposit or provide the itemized statement within 30 days without a valid reason, and you gave a forwarding address in writing before or at the time of vacating, you may be entitled to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109). To preserve this right, always provide your new mailing address in writing before you move out.
Evictions in Manor follow the Texas eviction process governed primarily by Tex. Prop. Code §§ 24.001–24.011 and Tex. R. Civ. P. 500–510. Texas law does not require just cause to evict a tenant once a lease expires or proper notice has been given; however, landlords must strictly follow each procedural step.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing anything in court, your landlord must give you a written notice to vacate. For nonpayment of rent, the default notice period is 3 days unless your lease specifies a different period (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). For month-to-month tenancies being terminated without cause, at least 1 month's notice is required (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001). The notice must be delivered in person, posted on your door, or sent by certified mail.
Step 2 — Filing in Justice Court: If you do not vacate by the deadline in the notice, your landlord may file an eviction petition (called a "forcible detainer" suit) in Travis County Justice Court, Precinct 1 (which covers Manor). You will be served with a citation listing your hearing date, which is typically set 10–21 days after filing.
Step 3 — The Hearing: You have the right to appear at the hearing and present your defense. Common defenses include improper notice, retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331), or the landlord's failure to maintain habitable conditions. If you lose, the judge enters a judgment for possession.
Step 4 — Appeal and Writ of Possession: You have 5 days from the judgment to appeal to County Court at Law. If you do not appeal, or if you lose the appeal, the landlord can request a writ of possession, authorizing a constable to physically remove you and your belongings, typically after 24 hours' notice.
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: A landlord who changes your locks, removes your doors, cuts off utilities, or takes any action to forcibly remove you without a court order violates Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081. You may recover actual damages, one month's rent plus $1,000, and attorney's fees if this occurs.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws can change, and local enforcement practices may vary. Nothing on this page creates an attorney-client relationship. If you have a specific legal problem or dispute with your landlord, you should consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization. Always verify the current text of any statute cited here, as laws may have been amended since this page was last updated in April 2026.
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