Carrollton, TX Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

03 lays out how the Designated City Official investigates rental housing problems, including the kind that a tenant complaint or a change in who is living at a unit would surface. 03(D), the DCO may inspect a rental property on an annual or periodic basis, or whenever the renewal of a registration or 'other evidence' shows that a change of occupancy has occurred, to check compliance with state and local law. Subsection (E) authorizes entry into the structure or premises at reasonable times, or at any other time the law allows, subject to the constitutional limits on unreasonable searches; if the owner refuses entry or it cannot otherwise be obtained, the DCO can pursue whatever legal recourse is available, which under subsections (F) and (K) includes applying for a search warrant once there is probable cause to believe a fire, health or safety hazard or unsafe condition exists (a warrant cannot be based solely on an owner's refusal to allow a voluntary inspection).

Subsection (G) requires the DCO to issue all necessary notices or orders to bring a property into compliance, and subsection (H) requires the DCO to keep official records of every inspection and enforcement action taken under the chapter. Subsection (I) requires coordination among city inspectors so that owners and tenants are not hit with duplicate or conflicting orders from different departments, and directs any inspector who spots a violation outside their own authority to report it to the official who does have jurisdiction. Subsection (J) lets the DCO grant case-by-case modifications where following the code to the letter is impractical, as long as the modification does not weaken health, life or fire-safety requirements.