Texas Rental Application Form
A Texas rental application form is a document that an applicant for tenancy must complete to be considered by the landlord. It contains crucial information about the prospective tenant that the landlord can check to determine if they will be a good fit for the property.
The rental application form is essential on both sides. On the part of the landlord, they will have basic personal information about the applicants, who will have a chance to decide whether they want to move forward to become residents of the property.
The application form comes with a non-refundable application fee. It is up to the applicant whether the fee is worth paying.
The most basic questions on the form are:
- the applicant’s personal and contact information
- employment details
- residential history
- personal references
- other occupants, including pets
The employment information will help the landlord assess if the applicant has the capacity to pay the monthly rent. The residential history will describe the applicant’s living patterns and if their previous landlords have experienced issues with their occupancies.
Rental Application Fee
Texas rental application forms come with a non-refundable application fee. Most application fees range from $15 to $50. The landlord must provide the applicant with a notice of eligibility requirements and a list of grounds that will lead to a rejection of an application.
The most common reasons for rejection are criminal history, previous rental history, current income, and credit history. If the landlord did not provide notice, a rejected tenant can get their payment back.
In Texas, an applicant must also give the landlord an application deposit. This is a refundable good-faith deposit where the applicant makes an assurance to move into the apartment if the application is approved. If the applicant is rejected, they can get the application deposit back (TX Prop § 92.351-355 (2021)).
Security Deposits
Texas law does not mandate a limit on residential security deposits. However, some cities and counties may have their own ordinances limiting the amount for which landlords can ask.
Security deposits are refundable and must be returned to the tenant within 30 days after moving out. The landlord may deduct certain charges on the security deposit if there was damage to the property, if the tenant has a rent balance, or if the tenant breached the lease (TX Prop § 92 (2021)).
Texas Tenants’ Rights Handbook
Tenants or people applying to be tenants will do well to obtain a copy of the Texas Tenants’ Rights Handbook. It is a helpful guide that explains the relationship between the landlord and the tenant and the tenant’s rights during the occupancy of the subject property.