Disputing Admin & Turnover
Fee Deductions in Texas
Your landlord deducted $50–$500 for "administrative fee," "turnover fee," or "processing fee." These charges are often completely fabricated — they have no basis in Texas deposit law.
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Texas Law: What Can Be Deducted
§ 92.104
Landlord may only deduct for damage caused by the tenant beyond normal wear, or for breach of lease. Administrative costs are NOT tenant-caused damage.
§ 92.001(4)
Normal wear and tear is the landlord's cost, not the tenant's. Routine turnover is a cost of doing business.
§ 92.109
Bad faith withholding = $100 + 3× wrongfully withheld + attorney fees.
The Core Principle
A security deposit can only be used for specific purposes under Texas law — unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, and certain breach-of-lease costs. Landlord overhead, administrative processing, and routine turnover costs are NOT lawful deductions.
Common Admin/Turnover Charges — Are They Legal?
| Charge | Typical Amount | Legal? | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Administrative fee" or "processing fee" | $50–$200 | No | Not tenant-caused damage; landlord overhead |
| "Turnover fee" or "make-ready fee" | $100–$500 | No | Preparing unit for next tenant is landlord's cost |
| "Account closing fee" | $25–$100 | No | Administrative overhead; not damage |
| "Move-out inspection fee" | $50–$150 | No | Inspections are landlord's responsibility |
| "Lease processing fee" (at move-out) | $25–$100 | No | Administrative cost, not damage |
| "Utility transfer fee" | $25–$75 | No | Utility management is landlord's operations cost |
| "Key return processing" | $10–$25 | No | Routine turnover step |
| Re-keying fee (standard, no lost keys) | $50–$150 | Probably No | Standard re-keying between tenants is landlord's security cost |
| Re-keying fee (tenant lost keys) | $50–$150 | Maybe | If tenant failed to return all keys, may be a breach-of-lease cost |
| Early termination fee (per lease) | Varies | Maybe | If lease specifies and tenant broke the lease, may be enforceable — but must be reasonable |
What If the Lease Authorizes the Fee?
A lease clause that says "tenant agrees to pay a $200 turnover fee at move-out" does not automatically make it a lawful deduction from the security deposit. Under § 92.104, the deposit can only be used for specific purposes. A fee that doesn't represent actual damage or actual unpaid rent may be unenforceable. Vague "admin" or "turnover" fees with no connection to actual damage are almost never lawful deductions under Texas deposit law.
Real-World Scenarios
Renter Wins — Classic Admin Fee
Tenant moves out at lease end. Returns keys, leaves unit clean. Landlord returns $800 of $1,100 deposit with deductions: 'Administrative/processing fee: $150, Turnover preparation: $150.' No damage cited. Neither is tenant-caused damage. Renter recovers $300 + potential penalties.
Renter Wins — Fee Buried in Long List
Landlord sends itemized list: 'Carpet cleaning: $200, Touch-up paint: $100, Admin fee: $100, Move-out inspection: $75.' Even if the cleaning and paint charges had merit, the admin fee and inspection fee are definitely not lawful. At minimum, renter recovers $175 for those two charges.
Landlord May Have a Point — Key Replacement
Tenant lost one of two unit keys and didn't report it. Landlord charges $75 for re-keying. This may be a legitimate charge — tenant failed to return all keys, which could constitute a breach of lease. The charge should be reasonable ($75 for re-keying is within range).
Frequently Asked Questions
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