What is a security deposit?

While it is not necessarily a requirement, most residential leases and rental agreements in Texas require a security deposit. A security deposit is a dollar amount paid in advance by the tenant to the landlord. This payment is beside a rental application deposit or advance payment of rent, and is primarily intended to account for damages and other charges for which the tenant is responsible for under the lease.

Because this dollar unit is a provisional deposit, it cannot be used for other purposes and the unused amount is returnable to the tenant after the contract ends.