DIY Landlord FAQs

Use the GDAA Property Management Free Rental Analysis on our web site to get complimentary rental analysis.

Tenant Selection Criteria is required under the Texas Property Code (92.3515). The code states that at the time of application a landlord makes available a printed notice of the tenant’s selection criteria and grounds for which the application may be denied. It must include (1) criminal history; (2) previous rental history; (3) current income; (4) credit history; and (5) failure to provide accurate or complete information on the application form. To see a sample of a Tenant Selection Criteria, go to our DIY Owner page and feel free to download our unbranded form.

Yes, you may but I would advise against it. Texas Property Code states you must rekey in-between exiting and entering new tenants. Here’s the catch, if you re-key prior to the new tenant occupying the property (and are challenged) you must prove no one had access to the new key. That means no realtor to show the property and no maintenance person to do repairs. GDAA highly recommends no rekeying prior to a new tenant taking possession.

Texas Property Code states you, the landlord or the landlord’s agent has up to 7 calendar days to re-key the property. Our office schedules all rekeying within the first 48 hours of a new entering tenant. The tenants are usually unpacking at the time the re-key is taking place and they have the full assurance they will be in a safe and secure home.

Under Texas Property Code, a vacating tenant may not be charged a rekey fee unless they are breaking the lease.

This is a tough one as we have a lot of variables. First, interpretation changes Justice court to Justice court, some are more reasonable than others. Second, if you are a neurosurgeon you may not charge your neurosurgeon hourly rate to mow a lawn. Also, it is very hard to prove in court how long a repair actually took to complete. The best advice if you are going to charge and decide you want to actually do the repairs is to have an overwhelming number of photos and every receipt you can provide for all of your materials. Don’t be surprised if the judge reduces the amount of labor you charge. Unfortunately, I have seen it many times in court.

Heck yes, you can increase the rent. You just can not increase it in the middle of the lease terms. Any rent increase must occur with 30-day notice with a tenant on a month to month basis or at the end of a fixed-term lease.

The short answer is no you can not make them move early. The tenant and the landlord have a binding contract and it protects both parties. If you need to sell with an existing tenant, you may visit with the tenant and ask them if they are open to vacating the property early (this usually involves a financial inducement from the landlord). You may also list the property for sale and market the property as a great investment opportunity with the existing tenant already in place.

It is a general rule of thumb to hold a property for no more than two weeks after full lease approval until the time of tenant move-in.

Absolutely, please review our pricing page for specific details on our Lease Only Service.

Tenants may legally break a lease under three provisions per law. 1) Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, in plain English it means the service member received orders to relocate. 2). Victims of sexual assault or stalking (Texas Property Code 92.0161), 3)

No, you do not have to accept applicants with a pet. Be aware that between 70 and 80% of all applicants have at least one pet. Deciding not to accept pets limits your pool of prospective applicants. Additionally, studies have shown that tenants that have pets have a longer tenancy at the properties they rent.

You do not have to accept a section 8 or government-assisted applicant.

Smokers are not a protected class under HUD regulations. Yes, you may turn down smokers or a least require them to smoke out of doors.