How much security deposit should I charge for a Texas rental?

Texas law focuses more on how and when deposits are handled than on an exact amount. Landlords must return any remaining deposit within 30 days after the tenant moves out and provides a forwarding address, and they can only deduct for specific, allowed reasons.

Security deposits can generally be used for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, certain cleaning, and some unpaid utilities where the lease allows it. They are not meant to cover ordinary wear, like light traffic marks on carpet or small nail holes from hanging pictures.

Common mistakes include treating the deposit like extra income, deducting for normal wear and tear, returning deposits late, or failing to send an itemized list of deductions. Those habits are what drive complaints, bad reviews, and sometimes legal trouble.

For a typical single-family rental in 76179 at $1,900/month, one month's rent as a security deposit ($1,900) is the standard. It is enough to matter if something goes wrong and familiar enough to not scare off qualified applicants. Some landlords charge 1.5 months ($2,850) when an applicant is approved with compensating factors: credit just above the minimum, limited rental history, or no landlord reference. Charging two full months' rent or more is uncommon for standard residential rentals in this market and tends to screen out good applicants without significantly increasing your protection.

Spelling out expectations in the lease, doing a documented move-in walkthrough, and providing a move-out checklist makes it easier to justify any deposit deductions and reduces arguments after the tenant leaves.