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Jul 27, 2026
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Table of Contents

Tenant Resources

Disasters

Resources on tenant rights and what to do when a disaster damages your home or disrupts your tenancy.

Discrimination

Guidance on fair housing rights, including protections against criminal background, immigration status, and domestic violence-related discrimination.

Eviction

Covers the eviction process itself, how to appeal one, lockouts, and what happens to your belongings and credit afterward.

Fees & Fines

Information on late fees and other charges landlords can impose.

Finding Housing

Tips and resources for searching for a rental, including subsidized housing and what to know about deposits before applying.

General

A catch-all of broad renter information.

Leases

Explains lease agreements, changes, subleasing, and how to properly end a lease.

Legal Support

Where to get legal help, file a claim, or sue a landlord, plus how to use Austin's 311 system.

Maintenance & Repairs

Renter rights and processes for requesting repairs, addressing mold/pests, and understanding the relevant property code sections.

Moving Out

Resources for ending a lease early or properly, including sample letters and forms.

Parking

Covers landlord towing practices and what to do if your car gets towed.

Security Deposit

How to get your deposit back and understand your rights under Texas Property Code Subchapter C.

Tenant Organizing

Resources for organizing fellow tenants, including eviction data and your right to organize.

Tenants' Rights

Broad overview of tenant protections, including retaliation, privacy rights, and health/safety conditions.

Sources

BASTA

BASTA, founded in 2016, is a project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, which is a large non-profit legal aid organization. They have professional tenant organizers on staff who help Travis County residents organize tenant associations.

Texas Law Help "House & Apartment" Section

Texas Law Help is a non-profit “dedicated to providing free, reliable legal information to low-income Texans.” They have an assortment of useful guides on all areas of law, including landlord/tenant law.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)

TRLA is a large non-profit legal aid organization. BASTA is a project of TRLA, but the site presents some information differently than does the BASTA site.

Texas State Law Library "Landlord/Tenant Law Guide"

Texas State Law Library is a public library that serves certain state courts. It also provides extensive information to the public on Texas law. Extensive and authoritative information is provided, though in a “neutral” way meaning it is less likely than housing advocacy organizations to convey the differences between what the law says and how things work in practice. 

Texas Tenant Advisor

Texas Tenant Advisor is a project of Texas Housers, which is a low-income housing advocacy group. Texas Tenant Advisor is an exceptionally good resource on tenant rights. Information is sorted by topic and mostly written in a Q&A format. 

Texas Young Lawyers Association and State Bar of Texas: "Tenants' Rights Handbook"

This is an extensive and authoritative guide published in the form of a 43 page PDF document (2019 version). It is aimed at tenants and covers almost all aspects of Texas landlord/tenant law. It is a good resource for viewing all the essential points of a given issue.

University Tenants Union Resources

University Tenants Union focuses on tenant organizing and housing policy in the area around UT. Their resources are geared towards students.