Texas Landlord-Tenant Law Updates for 2026: What Sugar Land Property Owners Need to Know

Texas landlord-tenant law is governed primarily by the Texas Property Code, and while the fundamentals don't change often, enforcement and local court practices continue to evolve — especially around notice requirements and security deposit timelines.

Security deposits must be returned, or an itemized deduction list provided, within 30 days of a tenant vacating and providing a forwarding address. Failing to do so in bad faith can expose an owner to statutory damages plus the tenant's attorney's fees.

Notice to vacate for nonpayment of rent generally requires at least three days' written notice unless the lease specifies otherwise, and eviction can only proceed through the Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace courts — self-help eviction (changing locks, removing belongings, shutting off utilities) is illegal in Texas.

Working with a property manager who documents every notice, deposit deduction, and habitability repair in writing is the single best protection against costly disputes.