Payment history is only as good as the three fields it rests on: the due date, the date the payment was actually received, and the rule by which a payment was allocated to a period. A landlord who reports rent payments — to a tenant on request, to a screening service, or to a credit bureau through a furnisher — is making a statement about a person’s conduct, and the statement must match the ledger. Texas creates the first duty itself: on request, a landlord must give a written statement of whether a late fee is owed and how much (Property Code §92.0191). Federal law adds accuracy duties for anyone who furnishes information to a consumer reporting agency; the CFPB explains what a tenant screening report contains and how disputes work.
The three fields
| Field | Rule | Failure mode |
|---|---|---|
| Due date | One per lease, unchanged unless amended in writing | A “first business day” rule that drifts month to month |
| Received date | Date the funds arrived by the lease’s definition, not the posting date | Batch posting on the 5th makes every tenant look late |
| Allocation rule | Payments applied to the oldest rent first, or as the lease states, and never to fees before rent unless the lease says so | A fee absorbed a payment and the rent shows short |
Before you report anything
- Reconcile the ledger to the bank for the period reported.
- Check that every late mark corresponds to a rent unpaid two full days after the due date — the §92.019 threshold — not to a portal delay.
- Remove fees, deposits and utility charges from the “rent paid on time” calculation unless the report format asks for them.
- Keep the tenant’s written consent where the reporting service requires it, and the notice the service requires you to give.
- Keep a copy of what was reported, by month, so a dispute can be answered from your own file.
Answering a dispute
A tenant who disputes a reported late payment is entitled to a correction if the ledger does not support the mark. Answer from the receipt and the bank entry, correct the report if the mark was wrong, and record the correction. A landlord who cannot find the receipt should assume the tenant is right.
Frequently asked questions
Must a Texas landlord tell a tenant whether a late fee is owed?
Yes, on request — a written statement of whether a late fee is owed and its amount, by any established means of written communication (Property Code §92.0191).
What makes a late mark defensible?
A rent unpaid two full days after the lease’s due date, shown by a ledger reconciled to the bank, with the payment allocated under the lease’s stated rule (Property Code §92.019).
What if a tenant disputes a reported payment?
Check the receipt and bank entry; correct the report if the ledger does not support the mark, and keep the correction on file (CFPB).
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.
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 92 — Residential Tenancies ↗
- CFPB — Tenant screening reports (key terms) ↗
- Texas State Law Library — Rent ↗
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.