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Roma is a small city in Starr County along the Texas-Mexico border, where a large share of residents are renters navigating a tight housing market with limited local legal resources. Renters in Roma most commonly ask about how much a landlord can raise rent, how quickly a landlord must return a security deposit, and what steps a landlord must take before filing for eviction. Understanding state law is essential because Roma has no local tenant protection ordinances beyond what Texas provides.
Texas provides meaningful baseline protections for renters statewide — covering security deposits, habitability and repairs, eviction procedures, anti-retaliation, and the prohibition on self-help evictions. These protections apply fully to Roma renters regardless of the size of the city. The primary statute governing the landlord-tenant relationship in Texas is the Texas Property Code, Title 8 (Chapters 91–94).
This page is intended as a general informational resource only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change and individual circumstances vary — renters with specific legal questions should consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a free legal aid organization such as Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
Roma has no rent control, and no Texas city or county is permitted to enact rent control under any circumstances. Texas Prop. Code § 214.902 expressly preempts any local ordinance, order, or regulation that would control the price of rent charged for residential property. This preemption is absolute — it applies to every municipality and county in Texas, including Roma and Starr County.
In practical terms, this means a landlord in Roma can raise the rent by any dollar amount at the end of a lease term or, on a month-to-month tenancy, with proper advance written notice (at least one month under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001). There is no cap on how high the rent can go, no requirement that the landlord justify the increase, and no local board or agency to file a rent-increase complaint with. Renters who cannot afford a rent increase have the option to negotiate with their landlord, give proper notice, and vacate — or to seek rental assistance through programs administered by Starr County or the state.
Although Roma has no local ordinances, Texas state law provides several important protections for renters:
Security Deposits (Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109): Texas law does not cap the amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit. However, after a tenant vacates, the landlord must return the deposit — along with a written, itemized list of any deductions — within 30 days. If the landlord fails to do so in bad faith, the tenant may recover the full deposit amount, a penalty of three times the deposit, and reasonable attorney fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109).
Habitability and Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Texas landlords must make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of a tenant. To trigger this obligation, a tenant must deliver written notice of the needed repair. If the landlord fails to repair within a reasonable time after receiving written notice (and after a second written notice if required), the tenant may be entitled to terminate the lease, hire a repair person and deduct the cost from rent (up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent), or pursue other legal remedies.
Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Tenancies (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001): Either a landlord or a tenant on a month-to-month lease must give at least one month's written notice before terminating the tenancy. The notice period may be modified by a written lease agreement, but cannot be shortened to less than one month by either party unilaterally.
Anti-Retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant by raising rent, reducing services, threatening eviction, or filing an eviction suit because the tenant in good faith exercised a legal right — such as requesting repairs, reporting code violations to a housing inspector, or organizing with other tenants. If retaliation is proven, the tenant may recover one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, court costs, and attorney fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333).
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081): A landlord may not change the door locks, remove doors or windows, or cut off utilities (electricity, water, gas) to force a tenant to leave without going through a court eviction proceeding. A tenant who is illegally locked out may recover actual damages, one month's rent plus $500, attorney fees, and court costs. Additionally, the tenant may call local law enforcement for immediate assistance in re-entering the unit.
Texas law does not limit how much a Roma landlord can charge as a security deposit — there is no statutory cap. The rules governing what happens to that money after move-out are found in Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101–92.109.
Return Deadline: The landlord must return the security deposit — minus any lawfully deducted amounts — within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the premises. Surrendering the premises means the tenant has vacated and returned keys or otherwise given the landlord notice of departure.
Itemized Statement Required: If any portion of the deposit is withheld, the landlord must provide a written, itemized description of each deduction and the reason for it. The landlord is not required to itemize deductions if the tenant owes rent that is not disputed and the landlord in good faith believes the tenant is responsible for damage exceeding the deposit amount.
Penalty for Bad-Faith Withholding: Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109, a landlord who in bad faith retains a security deposit or fails to provide the required itemized statement is liable to the tenant for an amount equal to three times the portion wrongfully withheld, plus $100, plus the tenant's reasonable attorney fees in a suit to recover the deposit. To protect your rights, document your move-out condition with photos and video, get a forwarding address confirmation in writing, and send a written demand for the deposit return if it is not received within 30 days.
Texas law sets out a specific, court-supervised eviction process that landlords in Roma must follow. Self-help eviction — any attempt by a landlord to remove a tenant without a court order — is illegal under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081 and Tex. Prop. Code § 24.001 et seq.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005): Before filing an eviction lawsuit, the landlord must deliver a written notice to vacate. For nonpayment of rent, the minimum notice period is 3 days unless the lease specifies a different period. For holdover tenancy or lease violations, the default is also 3 days unless the lease states otherwise. The notice may be delivered in person to the tenant or any household member aged 16 or older, by affixing it to the inside of the main entry door, or by regular mail combined with certified mail.
Step 2 — Filing an Eviction Suit (Forcible Entry and Detainer): If the tenant does not vacate after the notice period expires, the landlord may file an eviction lawsuit (called a Forcible Entry and Detainer suit) in the Justice of the Peace Court for Starr County Precinct 4 (which covers Roma). The court will set a hearing date, typically within 10–21 days of filing.
Step 3 — Hearing and Judgment: Both the landlord and tenant may appear and present evidence at the hearing. If the judge rules in favor of the landlord, a judgment for possession is entered. The tenant has 5 days to appeal to the County Court at Law before a Writ of Possession can be issued (Tex. Rule of Civil Procedure 510.9).
Step 4 — Writ of Possession: If no appeal is filed (or the appeal is unsuccessful), the landlord may request a Writ of Possession. A constable or sheriff will then post a 24-hour notice on the door and return to physically remove the tenant and their belongings if necessary.
No Just Cause Requirement: Texas does not require landlords to have a specific reason (just cause) to end a month-to-month tenancy or decline to renew a lease. However, a landlord cannot evict in retaliation for a tenant exercising a legal right (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331).
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: A landlord who changes locks, removes doors, cuts utilities, or physically removes a tenant's property without a court order commits an illegal lockout. The tenant can recover damages, one month's rent plus $500, and attorney fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081).
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws and local ordinances can change, and how the law applies depends on your specific facts and circumstances. Renters in Roma, Texas with individual legal questions should consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a free legal aid organization such as Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. RentCheckMe makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or currentness of the information presented here.
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