Publish objective criteria
Use the same written standards for income, rental history, credit, criminal history, occupancy, deposits, and required documents for every applicant.
Landlord growth center
How to screen Texas rental applicants fairly
A written, consistent screening process can reduce risk while supporting fair-housing and consumer-reporting compliance.
Build a better rental workflow →Verify with permission
Obtain appropriate authorization before ordering consumer reports and follow required adverse-action procedures when a report affects the decision.
- ✓ Identity and income verification
- ✓ Rental-history references
- ✓ Consistent credit criteria
- ✓ Documented adverse-action process
Avoid discriminatory shortcuts
Review federal, state, and local fair-housing requirements. Neutral criteria can still create risk if applied inconsistently or without a legitimate business reason.
Research and legal resources
Verify the rules before acting.
Eviction rules can change and special housing programs may require additional notice. These independent resources explain the process from both landlord and tenant perspectives.
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