Texas starts with a 30-day rule, but the move-out file still needs the forwarding address, surrender date, lease, deposit ledger, and any itemized statement. Those facts determine whether the dates and documents can be compared cleanly with the statute.
What does section 92.103 say?
Texas Property Code section 92.103 says a landlord shall refund the security deposit on or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises, subject to section 92.107. Section 92.104 permits deductions for damages and charges for which the tenant is legally liable under the lease or from breach, while excluding normal wear and tear.
Why does the forwarding address matter?
Section 92.107 says the landlord is not obligated to return the deposit or provide the written description and itemized list until the tenant gives a written forwarding address. It also says the tenant does not forfeit the right to the refund or description by failing to give the address. The date and proof of delivery therefore belong in the packet.
What can a court find for bad faith?
Section 92.109 states remedies that can include $100, three times the portion wrongfully withheld, and reasonable attorney's fees when a court finds bad-faith retention. That is a statutory possibility, not an automatic amount. Reality Contact reports the text and letter dates but does not decide bad faith or tell a tenant whether to sue.
What can the Reality Contact check provide?
The free check compares the supplied state and move-out date with the current published deadline and replies by email, including when the deadline has not passed. The $29 tenant packet organizes deductions and a draft letter. The $79 version adds a county-specific court-source list, evidence index, and one revised letter. The $29 landlord version formats the landlord's chosen disposition. Paid packets are not available in California.
Where does the operator boundary sit?
Reality Contact, LLC provides document preparation and a statute-to-letter comparison. This is not legal advice. We do not decide whether a deduction is unlawful, tell anyone whether to sue, file a case, contact the other party, or represent anyone. Paid packets are not available in California. The deadline check is a real reading of the published state rule against the date supplied. Reality Contact is sampling demand for the document packet. We reply by email even when the landlord is still inside the stated period. The current source check starts with this published record.