Written by Mark Kallus, Owner & Broker
RentLife® Property Management
MPM® | RMP® | TRPM® | TRLS®
Houston’s Local Property Management Experts
What is a Service Animal in Texas?
What is a Service Animal in Texas?
In Texas, a service animal is defined as a dog (or, in some cases, a miniature horse) that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The work or task that the animal performs must be directly related to the individual’s disability, such as guiding an individual who is blind, alerting an individual who is deaf, pulling a wheelchair, or assisting with seizures.
Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which is a federal law that applies to all states including Texas, landlords are required to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, including allowing them to have a service animal in their rental home, even if the landlord has a “no pets” policy.
Suppose a tenant with a disability has a service animal. In that case, the landlord cannot charge a pet deposit or pet rent for the animal, nor can the landlord refuse to rent to the tenant because of the service animal. The landlord can, however, require that the tenant provide documentation that the animal is a service animal and that it is necessary to help the individual with a disability.
It is important to note that emotional support animals (ESAs) and therapy animals are not considered service animals under the FHA. Therefore landlords are not required to make accommodations for them in rental homes.
Finding the Right Property Manager is Important.
Are you interested in finding a property management company for your investment property? If so, you’ve come to the right place. At RentLife® Property Management, we offer a full suite of property management services for people who own real estate in Houston and surrounding areas.
RentLife® Property Management CRMC® is the best choice for property management in Cypress, TX. We also offer rentals and property management in Humble, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Tomball, Conroe, Houston, Magnolia, and other surrounding areas. Contact us today at www.rentlifepm.com or call 832-562-3600.