Use this Texas residential lease agreement template when leasing your Property to another party in Texas. Our free agreement sample ensures you follow the laws of Texas and help you miss nothing when you’re drawing one up.
Property: (Property.Name)
Address: (Property.Street) (Property.City) (Property.State) (Property.Zip)
[Landlord.FirstName] [Landlord.LastName] ("Landlord") agrees to rent the (Property.Name)
("Property") to [Tenant.FirstName] [Tenant.LastName] ("Tenant") under the following terms of this Lease Agreement.
This lease agreement template is made to comply with the laws of Texas. However, it’s entirely customizable so you can adjust the terms as needed.
This lease term begins on [(Start.Date) ("Start Date") and operates on a lease basis for one calendar year or until (End.Date) ("End Date"). Any holdover on the Property thereafter will be on a month-to-month basis until the parties renew the contract.
Upon the termination of this contract, the terms require the Tenant to vacate the premises unless the Landlord renews the residential lease agreement or willingly accepts Rent on a month-to-month basis
When you state the rental amount, you should also mention the payment methods you accept and the address where you receive it. If it’s only online payments, then addresses aren’t always needed, but eCheck and some other methods require it.
The Tenant agrees to pay the monthly rental amount of $ (Rent.Amount) ("Rent") to lease the Property by the 1st of each month. If the Landlord doesn't receive payment by the 1st of each month, then the Landlord is entitled to charge a late fee, according to the late fee section below.
If the Start Date isn't on the 1st of the month, the Rent payment remitted on the 1st shall be prorated based on 30 days.
The Tenant must make payments using (Payment.Method1) or (Payment.Method2) to [Landlord.StreetAddress] [Landlord.State] [Landlord.City] [Landlord.PostalCode] . The Tenant is responsible for delivering the Rent, whether made online or mailed, to the Landlord before or on the 1st of the month.
State the security deposit when writing this Texas residential lease agreement template. The state doesn’t place any limits on the security deposit amount but on when you must return it. According to the Texas state laws, the security deposit, less what you require for cleaning and repairs, must be paid within 30 days of the lease termination, along with an itemized statement.
Upon execution of this agreement, the Tenant shall make a refundable security deposit of $(Deposit.Amount). The Landlord isn't required to keep the security deposit in a trust account or incur/pay interest on the amount.
Within 30 days of the lease's termination and the Tenant vacating the Property, the Landlord must refund the security deposit and provide the Tenant with an itemized statement showing any deductions to this amount.
The Landlord is allowed to return a partial security deposit under the following circumstances:
Repairing or cleaning of Property beyond the usual wear and tear. To repay any of the Tenant's unpaid fees. Any other sums due to the Landlord under the terms of this contract.The Tenant can't treat this security deposit as payment of any Rent payment.
The Landlord has the right to charge a daily late fee of $ (Late.Fee) if they haven't received the Tenant's payment by the 5th of each month. Any payments returned for inefficient funds, a "stop payment" or any other reason will incur a charge of $ (Charge.Amount).
While you’re leasing the Property to renters in Texas, you want to ensure you know who’ll be staying in your Property. As such, you must state who you approve as renters.
The Landlord acknowledges and approves the following occupants at the Property while the Tenant rents it. The Tenant agrees that no other occupants will stay on the premises for longer than fourteen (14) days without the prior written consent of the Landlord.
This section must clearly state which maintenance responsibilities are yours compared to the renter’s ones.
The Tenant will maintain the Property in a clean and sanitary condition inside and outside the residence and Notify the Landlord of any problem, malfunction, or damages in writing. Should the problem or damage be caused by the Tenant's negligence, fault, or guests, the Landlord may require the Tenant to bear the costs of fixing it.
The Landlord is responsible for mechanical damages, like plumbing or HVAC breakages.
The Tenant is not permitted to modify the Property, such as painting it, nails in the walls, or other modifications that might affect the Property beyond the normal wear and tear.
Both parties agree to adhere to the below terms.
The Landlord and Landlord's agents are permitted to enter the premises in the case of an emergency without prior notice. For previously agreed upon repairs or inspections, the Landlord must give (Days) days notice to the Tenant in writing.
The Tenant cannot sublet or assign this residential lease agreement to any other party without the prior written consent of the Landlord. However, the Landlord can hand over this contract to the new Property Owner should they sell it during the lease's term.
The Tenant agrees to respect the Property's neighbors and community and not to be excessively noisy or create nuisances. Commission of criminal conduct on the premises will be grounds for immediate termination of this contract.
Both parties agree to take responsibility for utilities as per the following terms:
Landlord provides for the following utilities: (Landlord.Utilities) Tenant arranges and makes payments for the following utilities: (Tenant.Utilities) Both parties prove for the following utilities: (BothParties.Utilities)The Landlord owns all keys to the Property, and the Tenant isn't allowed to make any copies thereof. If the keys are lost, then the Tenant must arrange with the Landlord for new ones at the Tenant's cost. At the termination of this lease, the Tenant must return all keys to the Landlord.
This section is where you can add any additional terms not covered in this Texas rental lease agreement form or which don’t require a dedicated section. It could be terms about a specific feature of the Property or any aspects about the deal important to you.
This agreement will terminate by 11:59 pm on (End.Date) and the Tenant must vacate the premises immediately. If the Tenant doesn't leave the premises, the lease will convert to a month-to-month contract, and all other terms of this residential lease agreement will remain in full force and effect.
If the Tenant fails to comply with the contract's terms or misrepresents any material fact on their rental application, the Landlord can terminate the agreement. However, appropriate notice to the Tenant and procedures required by the laws of Texas is required.
While this Texas residential lease agreement template mentions all of these payments, it’s best to duplicate them at the agreement’s conclusion, so tenants don’t misunderstand the amount they must pay when starting to rent.
The following payments are due upon the date of signing the lease and before the Tenant moves into the Property:
First Month's Prorated Rent: $ (ProratedRent.Amount) Last Month's Rent: $ (Rent.Amount) Security Deposit: $ (Deposit.Amount) Other: $ (Other.Amount) Total: $ (Total.Amount)This Texas lease agreement form suggests owners to disclose certain information. An example is if they built the residence before 1978, then you can add a warning about lead-based paint in the contract.
Landlord Contact Information: [Landlord.FirstName] [Landlord.LastName] / [Landlord.StreetAddress] [Landlord.State] [Landlord.City] [Landlord.PostalCode]
Parking and Towing Rules: This contract comes with (Number) parking space(s), and these are the rules regarding parking spots and towing: (ParkingTowing.Rules).
Electric Service Interruptions: If the Tenant is required to pay the electricity bill to the Landlord, then the Landlord can interrupt their service until it's paid.
Written Security Device Request: Should the Tenant request security devices, such as deadbolts or security bars, they must deliver them to the Landlord in writing.
This section ensures the agreement is under Texas law so any potential lawsuit occurs in the state. You may also add that mediation will be the first action to avoid expensive law suites. Lastly, ensure that only this contract is valid so that any conversations aren’t part of the agreement.
This agreement will be interpreted and governed by the laws of Texas. The venue of any dispute over this agreement will be in the county of (County) in Texas. In the event of a dispute over this agreement arising, both parties will make good-faith efforts to discuss the disagreement in person and attempt to resolve it.
This agreement and all its attachments, if any, constitute the entire agreement between both parties. It supersedes all previous negotiations, commitments, and agreements, whether written or oral, concerning this tenancy.
All modifications to this agreement must be in writing and signed by each party. Both parties acknowledge and understand all the terms in this contract, and rights are granted except as expressly set forth herein.