AptFindCriminal

This Apartment Locating service is for Texans who have criminal issues on their background. I feel everyone deserves a nice place to live. This is a FREE service for the 70% of Texans living in Houston, DFW, San Antonio, and Austin metro areas. This is low cost FEE service ($100) for the people, 30%, that want to live in the other 35 cities including: Midland/Odessa, Corpus Christi, Victoria, The Rio Valley, Tyler, Laredo, Beaumont, Lubbock, Amarillo, Brownsville, Killeen, and Waco.

Sunday, April 21, 2024

In Texas, is rent due on the 1st or do I have a grace period? When can late feels be charged?

Photo 212994758 © Jon Anders Wiken | Dreamstime.com

The law in Texas gives renters a two-day grace time across the whole state. It means that if rent is due on the first of the month, the owner can't charge extra until the third day1.

People usually think rent is late if it's not paid by the fifth of the month². It's important to look over your lease carefully because it may have different rules about when rent is due. Remember that it's always best to pay your rent on time, even if you're within the grace period. This will help you keep a good relationship with your owner and avoid any problems that might come up.

Saturday, April 20, 2024

In Texas, an apartment manager or landlord cannot refuse to accept rent

An apartment manager or landlord cannot refuse to accept rent as a pretext to start an eviction process. The only legal way to evict a tenant is for the landlord to win an eviction lawsuit in court¹. Even after winning the lawsuit, it is illegal for the landlord to take self-help measures to remove the tenant¹.

If a tenant does not pay rent or violates the lease, the landlord must first give the tenant a written notice to vacate as required by state law. If the tenant does not move out after receiving this notice, then the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit¹. It’s important to note that specific rules and procedures must be followed to carry out an eviction legally, and refusing rent is not one of them.

For more detailed information or assistance with a specific situation, it’s advisable to consult with a legal professional who specializes in Texas rental laws.

Friday, April 19, 2024

How many Apartments are in the Top 4 Texas Metros?

The number of units in the Houston metro, DFW Metroplex, San Antonio metro and Austin metro are ASTOUNDING!

Houston has over 750,000 units
DFW has over 870,000
San Antonio has over 232,000
Austin has over 318,000

Or a total of 2,170,000. Over 2 MILLION UNITS!

Thursday, April 18, 2024

I'm an Expert at Finding Apartments, but there is a "pet" in the image that I don't think would be accepted

Illustration above 289348498 © Mykola Syvak | Dreamstime.com

I’m an Expert at Finding Apartments, but I think I could find an apartment for all these except 1. Guess which one!

In In Texas, the rules regarding pets in apartments can vary, but here’s what you need to know about keeping unusual pets like snakes and rodents rental properties:

Common Household Pets Allowed:
In general public housing, common household pets are allowed. (No farm animals). These typically include:

Dogs
Cats
Birds
Rodents (including rabbits)
Fish
Turtles (but not snakes, lizards, or other reptiles)

Elderly and Disabled Public Housing:
or elderly and disabled public housing, which has its own regulations, the list of common household pets includes the same animals as above.

State and Local Rules Apply:
If state or local rules specifically ban certain animals as pets, those rules take precedence. So, if there are restrictions on snakes or other reptiles in your area, those restrictions would apply.

Dangerous Dog Breeds:
Public housing cannot ban entire dog breeds as dangerous in Texas. State law prohibits this practice as of May 2023.

Dogs are designated as dangerous on an individual basis. To be considered dangerous, a dog must: Injure someone unprovoked and outside of a secured area. Act in a way that causes a reasonable belief that the dog will injure someone.

Pet Deposits and Fees:
Public housing facilities can charge both a non-refundable pet fee and a refundable pet deposit for pets.

Assistance Animals:
Assistance animals, which include service animals and emotional support animals, are not considered pets. They have special protections under the Fair Housing Act.

Landlords must generally make an exception for assistance animals as a reasonable accommodation. Assistance animals do not require specialized training or certification. A note from a doctor verifying the disability is usually sufficient.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests:
Tenants with disabilities can request a reasonable accommodation to use and enjoy the rental property just like everyone else. Requests can be verbal or written and may include exceptions related to assistance animals, such as not paying a pet deposit or fee

.
Remember to check your specific lease agreement and communicate with your landlord to understand the pet policies for the apartment you’re interested in. If you have any doubts, consult local authorities or legal resources to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

By the way, the pig was the animal in the illustration that I can’t place. Same with a cow, horse, chicken or rooster. But no one has asked either.

Key Information about Texas and Pets in Apartments

Here are some key points related to pets in Texas apartments

Illustration below: 176753147 © Yodke67 | Dreamstime.com

In Texas, landlords have the flexibility to create their own rules regarding pets and include them in the lease agreement.

Pet Policies in Leases:
Texas does not have specific tenant pet laws. Landlords can establish their own rules for pets and outline them in the lease.

The lease might:
Completely prohibit pets. Allow tenants to have pets, but only certain types or breeds. Permit pets after registering them with management and paying a pet deposit. Not mention anything about pets (no pet restrictions)¹.

Eviction and Pet Violations:
Yes, you can be evicted for violating your lease’s pet policy unless your pet is an assistance animal. An assistance animal is either a service animal (trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities) or an emotional support animal (providing companionship to individuals with mental or psychiatric disabilities). Landlords must generally allow assistance animals as a “reasonable accommodation” under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). They cannot deny an assistance animal unless it would cause significant costs or property alterations1.

Proposed Legislation, which in my opinion, I don’t believe it will pass:
If passed, landlords could: Cap monthly pet fees at $20 or collect a one-time refundable pet deposit at the beginning of the lease. However, they would not be allowed to do both. The goal is to place “reasonable limits” on pet-related costs to prevent families from being priced out of their homes².

Public Housing and Pets:
Public housing authorities must allow common household pets. However, they can create reasonable policies to limit pet ownership based on available space, such as size restrictions and limits on the number of pets³.

Remember that while landlords can set their own pet policies, assistance animals are protected by federal law, and reasonable accommodations should be made for tenants with disabilities. Always check your lease and understand the specific rules regarding pets in your rental property!

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

What Apartments Typically Require when they accept a Broken Lease?

Money & Promises that it won’t happen again

To get past a broken lease, many apartments will require additional:

·      Non-refundable deposits, I have seen this as high as 1 month’s rent
·      Refundable deposits, usually ranging from $500 to $1000
·      Additional Month paid, one or two month’s rent
·      Co-Signer making 5x the rent
·      Only with 1-or2-years good rental history reestablished

It can, in some circumstances, be less expensive to pay off a broken lease than to “get around it”. It’s hard to compute the amount of additional interest rates you will end up paying for the next seven years and even items like car insurance may be higher due to a damaged credit rating; so it is best to settle this.

I think many people think the amount of the broken lease is the Rental Amount X the months you left early – and that is what the apartment or the collection agency may tell you too. But in Texas, the amount of the broken lease is:

DAMAGES + MONTH(S) VACANT = Broken Lease Amount*

*In the example of a $1000/m apartment with $200 damages, that was leased again after 1 ½ months would be: $200 damages + 1.5 vacant months (1000 rent per month) or $1700.

If the apartment is charging you more DISPUTE THE AMOUNT on your credit report. To find out when your old apartment was rented either call the complex or the energy line provider. Either should tell you.

How long does an Apartment have to either Accept or Reject my Apartment Application?

In Texas, the law stipulates that unless notified of acceptance, a rental applicant will be presumed to be rejected at the end of the seventh day after the owner receives a completed rental application.

If the seventh day falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline for notifying an applicant of acceptance is extended until the end of the next business day.

It’s important for applicants to be aware of this timeline to manage their expectations and plan accordingly.