Austin / Inspection guide

Inspecting an Austin rental and getting repairs made

By Homzora Team · September 26, 2026

A careful viewing is the cheapest protection a renter has. In Austin, that means paying close attention to cooling, flood risk and a property's code history, and knowing the exact steps Texas law requires when something needs repair.

Research before you visit

Austin publishes useful records that most renters never check. The city's Repeat Offender Program dashboard shows rental properties that have been required to register because of repeated uncorrected code violations, and its Citizen Connect tool shows code complaints by address.^[1] Look up every property on your shortlist. A long list of complaints about the same kind of problem, such as broken air conditioning or water leaks, tells you how the property is likely to be managed.

Check flood risk too. The city publishes floodplain maps that let you search by address^[2], and the FEMA Flood Map Service Center shows federal flood zones.^[3] Thousands of Austin properties sit in areas prone to flooding^[4], so this is worth a few minutes before any viewing.

Cooling comes first

Since July 10, 2025, Austin has required homes, including rentals, to have air conditioning able to cool habitable rooms to 15 degrees below the outdoor temperature while keeping indoor temperatures at or below 85 degrees.^[5] During a viewing, turn on the cooling and check that cool air reaches every habitable room, including bedrooms at the far end of the unit. Ask the age of the system and when it was last serviced, and look at the condition of the filter. If the unit uses window units rather than central air, which the ordinance allows^[5], check that there is one in each room that needs it and that each works. Ask the manager how quickly the property responds to cooling failures in summer.

Water, plumbing and hot water

Run the hot water in the kitchen and bathroom until it is hot. Texas law requires a landlord to repair a failure to provide hot water of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit once the tenant gives proper notice.^[6] Flush the toilets, check under sinks for leaks or stains, and look at ceilings for water marks, especially in lower units and below bathrooms. Ask whether the property had burst pipes during past winter freezes and what it has done to protect pipes since.

Signs of past flooding

Ask directly whether the unit, the building or the parking area has flooded. Texas requires the landlord to disclose in writing, at or before lease signing, whether it knows the home is in a 100 year floodplain and whether it has flooded in the past five years.^[7] Compare what you are told with what you see: water lines or swelling at the bottom of walls and cabinets, new baseboards or flooring in only some rooms, rust near the floor on appliances or door hinges, and a musty smell. Ground floor units near creeks deserve particular care.

Security devices the law requires

Texas requires specific security devices at the landlord's expense, and they must work throughout your tenancy.^[8] Check that each is present and working.

A window latch on each exterior window.
A keyed deadbolt or doorknob lock on each exterior door.
A keyless bolting device and a door viewer on each exterior door.
A pin lock and either a handle latch or a security bar on each exterior sliding glass door.

The landlord must rekey key, card and combination locks no later than the seventh day after each tenant turnover.^[9] Ask for the date your unit was, or will be, rekeyed.

Smoke alarms, electrical and appliances

Check for a smoke alarm in each bedroom, in the hallway serving bedrooms, and on each level of the unit, as Texas requires.^[10] The landlord must test the alarms when your tenancy begins.^[11] Look for scorched outlets, missing cover plates and extension cords used as permanent wiring. Test the stove, oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and garbage disposal, and ask which appliances the landlord repairs and which, if any, the lease makes your responsibility.

Pests and building condition

Look inside cabinets and under sinks for droppings, dead insects or bait stations, and ask how often the property is treated. In a larger complex, check the condition of stairways, walkways, laundry rooms and trash areas, which often reflect how well the property is managed overall. Walk the parking area at night if you can to judge lighting.

How to get a repair made under Texas law

Texas has a specific repair procedure, and the steps matter. A landlord must make a diligent effort to repair or remedy a condition when three things are true: you give notice to the person or place where you normally pay rent, you are current on rent at the time of the notice, and the condition materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant. The landlord does not have to repair damage caused by you, a household member or a guest, other than normal wear and tear. If your lease is written and requires written notice, your notice must be in writing.^[6]

To make the landlord liable for failing to repair, you generally must either send a second written notice after a reasonable time has passed or send the first notice by certified mail with return receipt requested, registered mail or another trackable form of mail. The law presumes that seven days is a reasonable time to make a repair, although severity and the availability of materials and labor can change that.^[12]

If the landlord still does not act, Texas remedies include ending the lease, repairing and deducting in limited situations, or going to court.^[12] A court, including a justice court, can order the repair, reduce the rent, and award a civil penalty of one month's rent plus $500, actual damages and attorney's fees.^[13] Repair and deduct applies only in specific circumstances, such as a sewage backup or flooding inside the home from broken pipes, a total loss of water service the landlord agreed to provide, or a condition that a local housing, building or health official has certified in writing, and the deduction in a month is generally limited to the greater of one month's rent or $500.^[14]

Do not simply stop paying rent, because withholding outside these procedures can expose you to eviction. A landlord may not retaliate against you for requesting repairs or complaining to a government agency in good faith, and retaliation within six months can make the landlord liable for one month's rent plus $500, actual damages and attorney's fees.^[15][16] In Austin, you can also report code violations, including a lack of adequate cooling, through 311.^[1][5]

Writing a repair request that works

Because the Texas repair process depends on notice, the way you ask matters. Send the request to the place where you normally pay rent, in writing, and keep a copy.^[6] Describe the problem plainly, say where it is and when it started, and explain how it affects your health or safety, for example "no cooling in either bedroom since Saturday afternoon, with indoor temperatures above 90 degrees." Attach photographs. If the problem is not fixed within a reasonable time, send a second written notice, or send your first notice by certified or other trackable mail, so that the landlord's liability is clear.^[12] Keep the tone factual. A calm, dated, specific request is the most persuasive document you can have if the dispute later reaches an inspector or a judge.

Accessibility and parking

If anyone in your household has a disability, check the route from parking to the front door, including steps, ramps and door widths, and ask whether elevators have backup power. Landlords must consider reasonable accommodations and modifications under fair housing law.^[17] Ask whether parking is assigned, covered or sold separately, and walk the lot after dark to judge lighting.

Staying safe while a cooling repair is pending

A cooling failure in an Austin summer is a health issue, not just an inconvenience. While you wait for a repair, report the problem in writing right away, ask the manager whether a portable unit is available, and keep a temperature log with photographs so the timeline is clear.^[5] Close blinds on sunny windows, use fans where they help, and spend the hottest hours somewhere cool if the indoor temperature climbs. Check on older relatives, young children and pets, who are more vulnerable to heat. If the landlord does not respond, report the condition to 311 so the city can inspect.^[1]

Questions to ask the manager

How do residents request repairs, and how fast are cooling failures handled in summer?
Is there a 24 hour emergency number?
Has the unit, building or parking area ever flooded?
When was the unit last treated for pests?
On what date were the locks rekeyed after the last resident?
Will promised repairs be finished before move in, and will you put that in the lease?

After the viewing

Write a short summary of each viewing the same day, listing what worked, what did not, what you could not check and what the manager promised. If a promise matters to your decision, such as servicing the air conditioning or replacing water damaged flooring before move in, ask for it in writing, ideally as a special provision in the lease. A written commitment is far easier to enforce than a verbal promise.

Your completion record

Code history and dashboard checked
Floodplain maps checked
Cooling tested in every room
Hot water and plumbing checked
Security devices present and working
Smoke alarms located and tested
Repair reporting method confirmed

Keep dated photographs with this record. The evidence guide explains how to keep records that hold up in a dispute.

Sources and official resources

Use the planning tools · All Austin guides