Texas Property Code Section 92.3515 requires you to make available to a residential tenancy applicant a copy of your printed tenant selection criteria and the grounds for which a rental application may be denied.
While you do not have to provide a copy of the policy every time you receive an application, you are required to have a copy of your selection criteria available in the event an applicant requests it.
Failure to make a copy of the tenant selection criteria available to an applicant who is rejected could result in the landlord’s forfeiture of any application fee and application deposit.
Tenant Selection Criteria Form – disclosure – click here
Sec. 92.3515. NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) At the time an applicant is provided with a rental application, the landlord shall make available to the applicant printed notice of the landlord’s tenant selection criteria and the grounds for which the rental application may be denied, including the applicant’s:
(1) criminal history;
(2) previous rental history;
(3) current income;
(4) credit history; or
(5) failure to provide accurate or complete information on the application form.
(b) If the landlord makes the notice available under Subsection (a), the applicant shall sign an acknowledgment indicating the notice was made available. If the acknowledgment is not signed, there is a rebuttable presumption that the notice was not made available to the applicant.
(c) The acknowledgment required by Subsection (b) must include a statement substantively equivalent to the following: “Signing this acknowledgment indicates that you have had the opportunity to review the landlord’s tenant selection criteria. The tenant selection criteria may include factors such as criminal history, credit history, current income, and rental history. If you do not meet the selection criteria, or if you provide inaccurate or incomplete information, your application may be rejected and your application fee will not be refunded.”
(d) The acknowledgment may be part of the rental application if the notice is underlined or in bold print.
(e) If the landlord rejects an applicant and the landlord has not made the notice required by Subsection (a) available, the landlord shall return the application fee and any application deposit.
(f) If an applicant requests a landlord to mail a refund of the applicant’s application fee to the applicant, the landlord shall mail the refund check to the applicant at the address furnished by the applicant.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 917, Sec. 8, eff. January 1, 2008.
Sec. 92.352. REJECTION OF APPLICANT. (a) The applicant is deemed rejected by the landlord if the landlord does not give notice of acceptance of the applicant on or before the seventh day after the:
(1) date the applicant submits a completed rental application to the landlord on an application form furnished by the landlord; or
(2) date the landlord accepts an application deposit if the landlord does not furnish the applicant an application form.
(b) A landlord’s rejection of one co-applicant shall be deemed as a rejection of all co-applicants.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 744, Sec. 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1996. Renumbered from Property Code Sec. 92.332 by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 31.01(71), eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Sec. 92.353. PROCEDURES FOR NOTICE OR REFUND. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (b), a landlord is presumed to have given notice of an applicant’s acceptance or rejection if the notice is by:
(1) telephone to the applicant, co-applicant, or a person living with the applicant or co-applicant on or before the required date; or
(2) United States mail, addressed to the applicant and postmarked on or before the required date.
(b) If a rental applicant requests that any acceptance of the applicant or any refund of the applicant’s application deposit be mailed to the applicant, the landlord must mail the refund check to the applicant at the address furnished by the applicant.
(c) If the date of required notice of acceptance or required refund of an application deposit is a Saturday, Sunday, or state or federal holiday, the required date shall be extended to the end of the next day following the Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 744, Sec. 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1996. Renumbered from Property Code Sec. 92.333 by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 31.01(71), eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Sec. 92.354. LIABILITY OF LANDLORD. A landlord who in bad faith fails to refund an application fee or deposit in violation of this subchapter is liable for an amount equal to the sum of $100, three times the amount wrongfully retained, and the applicant’s reasonable attorney’s fees.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 744, Sec. 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1996. Renumbered from Property Code Sec. 92.334 by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 31.01(71), eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 917, Sec. 9, eff. January 1, 2008.
Sec. 92.355. WAIVER. A provision of a rental application that purports to waive a right or exempt a party from a liability or duty under this subchapter is void.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 917, Sec. 10, eff. January 1, 2008.