If you’re a property owner or manager in any state, you should always stay abreast of any laws that could potentially affect you, your tenants, or the property and business. As an investment property owner, having a basic knowledge of Texas landlord-tenant law, tenant’s rights, and pending legislation, is essential to your investment success. Here are three Texas laws every property owner and manager should know.
1. All Bills Paid
If your property has an all-bills-paid promise, this one is for you. This law states that tenants have the right to know if their utilities will be disconnected due to unpaid bills by the owner or manager. In other words, you are accountable to your tenants for keeping payments up-to-date. If you fail to make payments, the utility company you owe money to has the right to notify your tenants.
2. Breaking a Lease
In Texas laws, there is little leniency for tenants to break a lease; but there is a law that allows just that, and for good reason. According to this mandate, victims of domestic violence are now allowed to break their lease if they feel they are at risk. It’s not broken down, but it’s probably safe to say that the property owner or manager must be notified of the possibility from the beginning.
3. Pet Allowance
An updated law now gives disabled Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, who have a service animal, the same access as others with service animals for other reasons. This law also applies to your property’s pet policy. You may not prevent someone with a service animal from living on your property, even if you have a policy against pets. In addition to an exception to the pet policy, the property cannot charge a pet deposit for a service animal.
Navigating Texas Laws
Do you need help navigating Texas laws to help ensure your property is always in compliance? We can help. Class A Management offers an extensive range of services that covers all property investment and management processes. It’s our job to monitor changes in laws and advise you on how this impacts your properties. We also work with tenants through the lease management process to ensure every aspect of their occupancy is within state-mandated requirements.
Contact us today with any of your property management questions. You will connect with an expert member of our team who will assist you in finding the answers you need.