Are landlords required to honor existing leases in accordance with Fair Housing Law?
In Texas, landlords are required to follow the Fair Housing Law, which ensures that rental housing is available to all without discrimination. This includes honoring existing leases regardless of the tenant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. The law applies to all dwellings that are advertised and available for rent, including single-family homes, condominiums, apartment buildings, and mobile homes. Under Fair Housing Law, landlords are required to provide all parties to an existing lease with the same terms and conditions as they did when they originally signed the lease agreement. This applies regardless of a tenant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Landlords must also exempt certain classes of tenants from lease termination, such as families with children, pregnant women, and victims of domestic violence. Landlords must not single out certain tenants for different or less favorable terms in their lease agreements. If they do, they are in violation of the Fair Housing Law and may be subject to fines or legal action. It is the responsibility of landlords to become familiar with and abide by the Fair Housing Law, as failure to do so could result in a violation and consequences.
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