Access control has one rule and several consequences: a person sees only the properties and documents they need for their role, and one owner’s files are never visible to another. The consequences are legal. Consumer reports may be used only for the purpose obtained and must be disposed of securely (FTC); a tenant’s file contains identifiers and health-related accommodation notes; a co-owner of one property has no business in another; and a manager who leaves takes no credentials with them. The scheme below fits a private landlord workspace and scales to a small manager — and it protects the records Texas law requires a landlord to keep, from deposit records under Property Code §92.106 to the lease copy due under §92.024.
Roles
| Role | Properties | Documents | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Own properties only | Everything for those properties | Decide; approve; delete (with log) |
| Co-owner | The co-owned property only | Everything for that property | Decide jointly as agreed |
| Manager / agent | Assigned properties | Leases, ledgers, work orders, applications; consumer reports only while screening | Operate; no deletion; no export of reports |
| Bookkeeper / accountant | Assigned properties | Ledgers, receipts, year folders; no applications, no consumer reports | Read; categorise |
| Contractor | None | The work order for the job | None |
| Tenant | Own unit | Own lease, ledger, receipts, notices | Pay; report repairs |
Mechanics
- One account per person; no shared logins; two-factor authentication on every account that can see identifiers.
- Permissions granted per property, not per person — a manager assigned three properties sees three.
- Links with expiry for anything shared outside the workspace; no attachments of leases or reports by e-mail.
- An access log: who granted what, when, and the date it was revoked; review it quarterly.
- Offboarding the same day a manager or bookkeeper leaves: credentials revoked, smart-lock admin transferred, portal roles removed.
The one-owner rule
Where several owners use one workspace, the system must make it impossible — not merely improper — for one to browse another’s properties. If the tool cannot enforce that, separate workspaces are the answer. The document vault guide gives the folder structure the permissions attach to.
Frequently asked questions
Who should be able to see tenant screening reports?
Only the person screening, only while the decision is pending; the report is used for that purpose alone and disposed of securely afterwards (FTC).
Should a bookkeeper see applications?
No — a bookkeeper needs ledgers, receipts and year folders, not applications, identifiers or consumer reports.
What happens when a manager leaves?
Same-day revocation of every credential, transfer of smart-lock and portal administration, and a line in the access log.
Sources
Rules change and the right answer can depend on the home, the city, the lease and the timing. These are the official pages this guide relies on; check them before signing, charging a fee, sending a notice or making a legal decision.
- FTC — Using consumer reports: what landlords need to know ↗
- FTC — Cybersecurity for small business ↗
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 92 — Residential Tenancies ↗
General information for U.S. landlords, with a Texas focus. This guide is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Consult a qualified professional for your situation. Written by the rentalfreelease.com Editorial Team; last reviewed September 19, 2026.