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Webster is a small city in Harris County, Texas, situated along the NASA/Clear Lake corridor between Houston and Galveston. Like many suburban communities in the Houston metro area, Webster has a significant renter population drawn by proximity to NASA's Johnson Space Center, the Bay Area medical district, and major employment corridors along Interstate 45. Renters here most commonly ask about their rights when a landlord refuses to make repairs, how much notice they are owed before a lease ends, and what protections exist for their security deposit.
Webster has enacted no local tenant protection ordinances beyond what Texas state law provides. That means the Texas Property Code is the primary body of law governing your rights as a renter in Webster — covering habitability, deposits, anti-retaliation, and the eviction process. Notably, Texas state law prohibits any city or county from adopting rent control, so landlords in Webster may raise rent by any amount with proper advance notice.
This article explains the key tenant rights that apply to Webster renters under Texas law, including specific statutes you can reference. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a specific legal problem, consult a licensed Texas attorney or contact a local legal aid organization.
Webster has no rent control, and Texas law makes it illegal for any city or county to enact one. Texas Property Code § 214.902 expressly prohibits municipalities and counties from adopting any ordinance that controls the price at which residential rental housing is offered. This is a blanket statewide preemption — it does not matter how high rents rise or how severe local housing conditions become; Webster (and every other Texas city) is legally barred from capping rent increases.
In practical terms, this means your landlord in Webster can raise your rent to any amount at the end of your current lease term, or — on a month-to-month tenancy — with at least one month's advance written notice under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001. There are no percentage caps, no annual limits, and no requirement that the landlord justify the increase. Your only protections are the notice requirement and the anti-retaliation statute: a landlord cannot raise your rent specifically in retaliation for you exercising a legal right, such as requesting repairs or reporting a code violation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331).
Although Webster has no local tenant ordinances, Texas state law provides several meaningful protections for renters.
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 how deposits must be handled. Landlords must return the deposit — along with a written, itemized list of any deductions — within 30 days of the tenant vacating and surrendering possession. A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of a deposit in bad faith may be liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109).
Habitability & Repairs (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056): Landlords in Webster must make repairs that materially affect the health or safety of an ordinary tenant. After a tenant gives written notice of a needed repair, the landlord must respond within a reasonable time (courts generally treat seven days as a benchmark). If the landlord fails to act, a tenant may have the right to repair the problem and deduct the cost from rent — up to the lesser of $500 or one month's rent — or to terminate the lease, depending on the circumstances. The tenant must have paid all rent owed and must not be in default to use these remedies.
Notice to Terminate (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. Similarly, a month-to-month tenant who wishes to vacate must give the landlord the same notice period, unless the lease provides otherwise.
Anti-Retaliation (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331): A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for in good faith requesting repairs, reporting housing code violations to a government agency, participating in a tenant organization, or exercising any other legal right. Prohibited retaliatory acts include rent increases, service reductions, eviction attempts, and threats. If retaliation occurs within six months of the protected activity, the law presumes it is retaliatory. A tenant who prevails on a retaliation claim may recover one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, court costs, and attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333).
Lockout & 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 a tenant out — even if the tenant is behind on rent. A tenant who is illegally locked out may recover possession, one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, court costs, and attorney's fees.
Texas law governs security deposits for Webster renters under Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101 through 92.109. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may charge — the deposit is set by the lease agreement. However, the rules on returning the deposit are strict.
Return deadline: The landlord must return your security deposit (or the remaining balance after lawful deductions) within 30 days after you vacate and surrender possession of the unit (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103). The clock starts when the tenant actually moves out and returns keys or otherwise relinquishes the unit — not from the date the lease technically ends.
Itemized statement: If any deductions are made, the landlord must provide a written, itemized description of each deduction along with the remaining balance. Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted. Landlords must retain receipts for repairs charged to the deposit and must make them available on request (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.104).
Penalty for wrongful withholding: If a landlord retains all or part of the deposit in bad faith — meaning without a good-faith belief that the deductions are valid — the tenant may sue and recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109). To preserve this right, the tenant must provide a written forwarding address after vacating. A landlord who does not receive a forwarding address has 30 days from receiving it to return the deposit.
Evictions in Webster follow the Texas eviction process set out in the Texas Property Code and the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. There is no just-cause eviction requirement in Webster or anywhere in Texas outside of federally subsidized housing; a landlord may choose not to renew a lease for any non-discriminatory, non-retaliatory reason.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Vacate: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice to vacate. For nonpayment of rent, the minimum notice period is 3 days unless the lease specifies a longer period (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005). For lease violations or end of tenancy, the notice period is also typically 3 days unless the lease provides otherwise. Month-to-month tenants must receive at least one month's notice to terminate the tenancy itself (Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001), separate from an eviction notice. Notice may be delivered in person, by posting on the inside of the main entry door, or by certified mail.
Step 2 — Filing an Eviction Suit (Forcible Detainer): If the tenant does not vacate by the deadline, the landlord may file an eviction suit (called a forcible detainer action) in the Justice of the Peace Court for Harris County Precinct 8, which covers Webster. The filing fee is modest, and a hearing is typically set within 10–21 days.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both the landlord and tenant have the right to appear and present their case. Tenants may raise defenses such as the landlord's failure to make repairs, retaliation, or improper notice. If the judge rules in the landlord's favor, a judgment for possession is entered.
Step 4 — Writ of Possession: If the tenant does not appeal within 5 days and does not vacate, the landlord may request a writ of possession. A constable will post a 24-hour notice before physically removing the tenant and their belongings (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.0061).
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: A landlord in Webster cannot lock you out, remove doors or windows, or shut off utilities to force you out — regardless of how much rent is owed. Doing so violates Tex. Prop. Code § 92.0081 and entitles the tenant to recover one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, court costs, and attorney's fees.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information on this page reflects Texas law as of April 2026 and is intended to give renters in Webster a general understanding of their rights. Laws change, and individual circumstances vary — nothing here should be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a licensed Texas attorney. If you are facing an eviction, a deposit dispute, or any other housing legal matter, contact a qualified attorney or a legal aid organization in your area to get advice specific to your situation.
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