Can a Texas landlord charge for carpet replacement?

Not for ordinary wear. Texas law bars keeping deposit money for normal wear and tear. A tenant-caused stain or other abnormal damage may be treated differently, depending on the condition, lease, evidence, and reasonable cost.

Reviewed September 27, 2026 · Texas Property Code §§ 92.104 and 92.109

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Worn carpet and damaged carpet are different facts

The Texas Attorney General gives a direct example: carpet becoming more worn because people walked on it for a year is normal wear, so the landlord may not charge for new carpet. It contrasts that with mildew after a leaking waterbed, which may support a charge. The difference is the cause and condition; a “carpet replacement” label alone does not settle it.

Texas Property Code § 92.104 allows deductions for damages and charges the tenant is legally liable for under the lease or because of a lease breach, but prohibits deductions for normal wear and tear. If the landlord keeps any deposit, the law generally requires a written description and itemized list. The Texas Attorney General’s Renters’ Rights page summarizes the carpet example and deposit process.

Example: a $1,900 carpet charge

Suppose a $2,000 deposit comes back with $1,900 withheld for carpet. The arithmetic leaves $100 returned and $1,900 disputed; it does not decide whether the charge is lawful. Compare move-in and move-out photos, how long the carpet was in use, the exact affected area, the stated cause, and any repair description or invoice. Ordinary walking wear and a specific stain are not the same condition. Texas law does not set one standard carpet lifespan or a universal replacement-price formula.

Check the statement and your records

Save the move-in condition form and dated carpet photos, including wide room views.
Ask which rooms or areas were repaired or replaced and what condition required the work.
Compare the itemized description with your own records and any estimate or receipt provided.
Keep the move-out date and proof you gave the landlord a written forwarding address.

Texas generally gives a landlord 30 days after surrender to return the deposit, but the landlord is not obligated to refund it or provide the damage description until you give a written forwarding address. Read the Texas 30-day deadline guide, review every line with the deduction checklist, or compare your dates and withheld amount in the free Texas deposit checker.

Keep the amount in context

When a landlord in bad faith retains part of a deposit in violation of the subchapter, § 92.109 describes potential statutory liability: $100 plus three times the portion wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney’s fees in a suit. If the full $1,900 were ultimately found wrongfully withheld and bad faith were proved, the arithmetic would be $100 + (3 × $1,900) = $5,800, before any attorney’s fees. Those conditions are legal questions for the facts and a court; this is not an estimate of what a renter will recover.

This is general legal information, not legal advice. Whether carpet wear is ordinary, whether a charge is reasonable, and whether a statutory remedy applies depend on the evidence and legal findings. Recoup does not promise recovery.