Federal Regulation

Fair Housing Law Landlord Responsibilities Federal fair housing laws in the United States, primarily governed by the Fair Housing Act ( FHA ) of 1968, aim to ensure equal access to housing and prohibit discrimination in housing-related activities. The FHA applies to most housing types, including rentals, sales, and financing, with limited exceptions (e.g., certain owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units or single-family homes sold without a broker). Here’s a summary of the key points and landlord responsibilities:

There are three federal laws that regulate and define what a service dog is: The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Air Carrier Access Act. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service dogs as “trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities”. Under the ADA, individuals with a disability include someone with a physical or mental health impairment that limits their life.

Emotional Support Animals

Landlords are prohibited from requiring tenants to pay rent in excess of what is authorized by HAP contracts. The Landlord may not demand or accept any rent from the tenant in excess of the contracted.

Fair Housing: Persons with Disabilities What are Reasonable Accommodations? Source

The Fair Housing Act includes provisions that encourage people to file complaints. Plus, each year, grants are allocated to fund a program of "Testers" who pretend to be looking for housing. Watch to video.

Your tenant left your rental apartment trashed, damaged and owing you money! Your tenant lied and took advantage of you. He may have skipped or you may have evicted him. In either case, he damaged your rental and cost you money! What do you do?

A Warning To Landlords -- Remember Landlords: You have an obligation to inform rental applicants of their rights regarding consumer reports.

Hoarding is a mental disability you may encounter as you work on a property. People who suffer from hoarding are protected under fair housing law and are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the same way people with other mental or physical disabilities are.

Tenant Screening - Why Use a Telephone Script? Benefits: To stay in control of the conversation. This is a business call. Treat it that way. To make sure everything you say is accurate with no hint of any kind of discrimination. To do a little preliminary tenant screening To send a strong signal that you are a good manager and that you will conduct a through background check before renting. To keep the conversation brief but thorough presenting a professional demeanor. Remember: Callers with a track record of broken leases, evictions, criminal history, etc. carefully listen to every word. They are less likely to call you back if they learn you are a good manager and that you will do a through background check including credit history, rental history, criminal history and demand proof of sufficient income. Also remember : The best tenants are just as fearful they will end up with a bad landlord as you are of a bad tenant. Good tenants like to hear your professional, through, business like tone. They want to hear you say you will conduct a background check. Also remember : The best tenants are just as fearful they will end up with a bad landlord as you are of a bad tenant. Good tenants like to hear your professional, through, business like tone. They want to hear you say you will conduct a background check.

HUD Guidance note that racial disparities in incarcerations rates will result in certain races, like African Americans, being denied housing more often than other races because of criminal screening policies.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires landlords to tell the tenant of their decision and how the tenant can contact the company that created the background check. This obligation, known as the adverse action notice requirement, applies to any action against a tenant based on information from the background check,

Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act directs HUD and EPA to require the disclosure of known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before the sale or lease of most housing built before 1978.