Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Texas?
Yes, within limits. In Texas, once a landlord is liable for failing to repair a condition that materially affects health or safety after the notices the Property Code requires, the tenant may in the listed situations have it repaired and deduct the cost from a later rent payment, up to one month’s rent or $500, whichever is greater, in any one month. The tenant must not have been behind on rent when notice was given, and the lease must describe these remedies in underlined or bold print. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.056, 92.0561.
| What | Texas |
|---|---|
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by statute, within a cap |
| Limit | Up to one month’s rent or $500, whichever is greater |
Source
Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.056, 92.0561
Read the statute in the Texas Statutes (Texas Legislature): statutes.capitol.texas.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.
Guides on this rule
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Make Repairs? Deadlines by State — Repair deadlines after a tenant’s notice in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, California and Florida, and what a tenant may do if the landlord misses one.
Compare this rule in every state
More Texas rules
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Texas?
- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Texas?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Texas?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Texas?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late rent fee in Texas?
- Is there a grace period for paying rent in Texas?
- Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Texas?
- How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Texas?
- What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Texas?
- Is there rent control in Texas?
- Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Texas?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Texas?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Texas?
- Is appliance repair taxable in Texas?
- Is contractor labor taxable in Texas?
- Every Texas rule on one page