Tenant Disclosure Attorney in Dallas & Fort Worth, TX
Landlords put in a lot of time, effort, and money towards their rental properties to make them habitable. Even after that, they still have certain responsibilities to their tenants as required by law. One such requirement is to inform their renters about rules, facts, and policies about the property. Such information given to the tenants are called “disclosures.”
Failing to properly inform your tenants about these disclosures can spell trouble for you down the road. This is why you should speak to our experienced Dallas and Fort Worth tenant disclosure attorneys for landlords at Girling Law to ensure you get a return on your investment.
Do you need to make sure your lease agreement protects you from personal liability? Do you need to tell a problem tenant to vacate the premises? Are you unsure how to start the eviction process? For any questions about tenant disclosures, call our Dallas Fort Worth, North Richland Hills and Frisco real estate attorney today!
Why do I need a Tenant Disclosure Attorney in Dallas, TX?
Our mission is to provide comprehensive legal representation to Texas real estate investors. Our aim is to become a one-shop for investors where they can get legal counsel for anything from property evictions to lease agreements, and more!
If you hire an attorney from Girling Law, you can expect the following:
- We Specialize Our Services For You: Our firm focuses specifically on Texas real estate investors. With such a niche segment of consumers, we offer a broad spectrum of legal services that caters specifically to them. From eviction services to tenant background checks, you can be sure that our legal assistance is right for you!
- We Practice What We Preach: Our tenant disclosure attorneys are property investors themselves. Their knowledge and experience in both the legal-side and business-side of real estate provides them with unique insight when defending landlords and maximizing their ROIs. We bring this valuable experience to the table whether defending landlords in small claims court or when negotiating with other parties involved.
- We Simplify Complicated Situations: Landlord-Tenant law can be complicated. One small mistake can drastically affect your investment. Our tenant disclosure attorneys can translate the legal jargon into language that you can easily understand, thus ensuring you can make the best possible decision.
If you need legal help, call our skilled tenant disclosure attorneys in Dallas / Fort Worth!
What is Tenant Disclosure?
Federal and state laws require Texas landlords to disclose certain information to potential tenants prior to signing their lease.
Federal Disclosure Rules
According to federal law, if you own a property that was built before 1978, you have to include a warning about lead-based paint and the potential dangers it may cause. Aside from a warning statement, you also have to give potential renters a pamphlet about lead-based paint.
Texas Disclosure Rules
State law only requires a handful of information to be disclosed to would-be tenants
- Selection criteria and eligibility requirements: A Texas landlord has to make details about the screening process publicly available even before collecting information from possible tenants. The applicants must have a printed notice of the criteria and possible reasons for rejection. Afterwards, potential renters must sign an acknowledgment stating they’ve received the criteria.
- Contact details of the property owner/manager: Prospective tenants should be given the name and address of the owner of the property or the property manager. If you fail to disclose this information, the court can order you to compensate your tenant financially.
- Late fees: If you plan on charging late fees, you have to clearly state that in the lease agreement. The maximum limit of the late fees you can charge is 10-12% of the monthly rental payment amount, depending on the number of units on the property.
- Parking and towing rules: Tenants must receive a copy of parking rules or vehicle towing policies before the lease is executed. The copy must be entitled “Parking” or “Parking Rules” written in capitals, underlined, or bolded font. The tenant also has to sign this copy.
- Security deposit refund: You have the option to require your tenants to give a 30-day notice of moving out to receive their security deposit back. If so, you have to put it in the lease agreement either underlined or in bold.
- Transfer of ownership: If there is a change in the ownership of the Texas property, then the new owner assumes the responsibility of the security deposit. They have to inform the tenant of the change, the transfer of the deposit and its amount.
- Written security device requests: If tenants want to ask for security devices – like sliding door security bars or deadbolts – you can require that they make such requests in writing. If you plan to do so, you have to add it to the lease agreement in underlined or bolded font.
- Utilities interruption: Some properties require tenants to pay landlords their utility bills. If they fail to make payments, the landlord can interrupt service. If you want to practice this, you must include it in the lease agreement.
- Right to repairs: Tenant rights include the right to request repairs. The lease agreement should also have options when landlords do not make necessary repairs, such as deducting repair costs from the rental payments or termination of the lease. This information must be written in bold or underlined.
- Special Circumstances: Under circumstances such as domestic violence, abuse, or assault, the tenant may break the lease agreement. You can require your tenants to provide proof of such circumstances before releasing the tenant from the lease so they can move out.
Landlords have plenty of legally-required disclosures to give to their tenants. If you miss one or make any of them unclear, it can be trouble down the road. It’s important to consult our experienced tenant disclosure attorneys in Dallas / Fort Worth to make sure that you have all these disclosures properly and clearly stated. Call us today for sound legal advice!
Call our Dallas Fort Worth Tenant Disclosure Attorneys For Landlords Now!
Landlord and tenant laws can be complicated. Our experienced tenant disclosure attorneys at Girling Law are here for you! We have handled hundreds of cases for landlords, including tenant issues, eviction notice problems, or defense against retaliatory eviction accusations. Our knowledge for rental investors combined with our experience being investors ourselves, gives us the edge to ensure you get the maximum ROI.
We also offer services for evicting a tenant, and forcible detainer on a nuisance occupant, among many others. For any legal information about landlord tenant laws, call our Dallas Fort Worth tenant disclosure attorneys now!