Bill > SB882

This bill comprehensively reforms Texas residential tenant and landlord rights, focusing on several key areas: eviction procedures, rental payments, tenant protections, and criminal background screening. The bill introduces significant changes, including requiring landlords to provide tenants with a 10-day notice to cure rent defaults before issuing a notice to vacate, and mandating that landlords apply tenant payments to unpaid rent first. It establishes new rules for criminal background screening, preventing landlords from considering arrests that didn't result in convictions, limiting consideration of criminal convictions older than three years, and requiring individualized assessments of an applicant's criminal history. The bill also increases civil penalties for landlord retaliation, raising penalties from $500 to $2,000, and adds protections for tenants who establish or participate in tenant organizations. Additionally, the bill requires landlords to inspect premises and complete necessary repairs before lease execution, gives tenants more robust repair and rent withholding rights, and restricts landlords from charging separate fees for mandatory services. These changes aim to provide more balanced protections for both tenants and landlords, with most provisions taking effect on January 1, 2026.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB882