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Module 2 – So You Want to be a Landlord… Really?
Lesson 4 – A Can of Worms
Fair Housing is the boogeyman for landlords and property managers. So you must know Fair Housing Law to protect yourself and your business.
What is Fair Housing?
Fair Housing Act of 1988 states:
It is illegal to discriminate against any person because of Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Handicap, Familial Status, or National Origin.
Examples:
- Occupancy Standards 2+1
- Single mom with kids
- Same sex couple
- Therapy dog for wheelchair renter
Why did the law come into being?
Landlords did and still do discriminate against some applicants. It may not seem like discrimination when the landlord is concerned that there are too many people for the little one bedroom, or that they want to charge extra rent for the service animal for the wheelchair renter but according to Fair Housing both of those situations could land you in a lawsuit for hundreds and thousands. So to protect these classes of people Fair Housing laws were instituted.
How does Fair Housing show up?
It shows up in everything related to being a landlord from how we advertise the property for rent, to the application process, screening the prospect, creating the lease paperwork, managing the tenancy to the move out.
Tip: always state the facts and know the law.