The hour before you sign is your last leverage point as a Houston renter. Once your name is on the page, you are inside the landlord's framework. Use the time well.
The Document
- Confirm the property address matches the listing exactly.
- Confirm the landlord on the lease is the owner of record on HCAD (or a verified property manager).
- Confirm the lease term, rent amount, and due date in writing.
- Confirm what utilities are included and what are tenant-paid.
- Confirm the late-fee schedule. Texas caps late fees at "reasonable" — escalating daily fees beyond ~10% of rent are vulnerable to challenge.
- Confirm pet policies in writing if relevant. "No pets" verbally and "pets allowed" in lease is the lease.
- Confirm the renewal terms and the notice period required.
The Unit
- Test every faucet, every toilet, every burner.
- Run the AC and heat. Both. Even in summer.
- Open every window. Confirm they all open and close.
- Check every electrical outlet (a $5 outlet tester does this in 60 seconds).
- Look under every sink for water damage.
- Smell. Mold has a smell. Sewage has a smell. Trust your nose.
- Photograph every room and every existing damage spot. Email the photos to the landlord and yourself dated.
The Money
- Confirm the security deposit amount and the move-out inspection process. Texas requires return within 30 days of move-out plus an itemized list of any deductions.
- Never wire a deposit. Pay by check, ACH from your bank, or via the property's official tenant portal — anything that creates a paper trail.
- Get a signed receipt the same day.
- Keep a complete copy of the signed lease before you leave the office.
One Final Move
If a landlord pressures you to sign without time to read the lease — that is the warning. Real landlords expect you to read.