Sherman, TX Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Habitability in the City of Sherman, Texas is set by the inspection standards in § 3.11.003 of the Sherman Code of Ordinances, which a multifamily dwelling complex of five or more units must satisfy to pass inspection. The complex must be structurally sound and meet the applicable construction codes. Floors, walls, ceilings and supporting members must be free of holes, breaks and loose surface materials, and exterior surfaces must be painted, waterproofed or repaired to prevent deterioration, with roof leaks, rotted boards and sagging steps and balconies named as examples. Every dwelling unit needs safe and unobstructed egress to ground level, and every bedroom needs at least one window or opening to the outdoors that any occupant can easily open. Windows used for ventilation need insect-proof screens.

The utility standards are specific. Each unit needs a kitchen sink on municipal water and an approved sewer system, a cooking appliance and refrigerator in safe operating condition, a flush toilet, a lavatory basin and a bathtub or shower. Every kitchen sink, lavatory and bathtub or shower needs both hot and cold water lines. Water-heating equipment must deliver at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit at every required fixture. Sewage cannot back up into the building or accumulate on the property.

The grounds rules add pest inspection and extermination a minimum of twice a year by a licensed pest control operator, graffiti-free buildings, rodent-proof garbage containers with intact lids, drainage sufficient to prevent standing water, and removal of dead trees and limbs that pose a hazard. Battery powered smoke detectors must be maintained with adequately charged batteries. A landlord must repair inoperable exterior lighting within a reasonable period, and in no instance more than seven days. Occupants carry their own duties under § 3.11.007 to keep the unit clean and sanitary.

Separately, § 3.03.011 adopts the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code with local amendments. It defines residential to include single-family and other units rented or offered for rent, and it requires that mechanical equipment and appliances provided by the landlord be maintained in working order by the landlord for tenants.