As a landlord of a single-family residence, you are, as a matter of fact, required to comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes mandatory that you give assent to “reasonable accommodations” for not only disabled residents but, absolutely, also for those who live with or are explicitly related to individuals with disabilities. Be that as it may, what, without doubt, can be accounted for as a “reasonable accommodation,” and how can you tell apart what would be considered “unreasonable”?
What is considered a reasonable accommodation?
To get started, “reasonable accommodation” can signify any physical changes made to a rental home. This might include basic modifications, such as lowering towel bars and light switches or properly putting up a smoke alarm with flashing lights along with an audible alarm. Aside from that, the resident is typically responsible for the costs linked to integrating and taking out these accommodations.
Other than making physical accommodations to the residence, you may likewise be obliged to provide “reasonable accommodations” on the administrative side. Such as, for example, if you have a resident with a mental disability that significantly affects their memory, they might request that you call them each month to aptly remind them to pay their rent. This request would be considered reasonable.
What is considered an unreasonable accommodation?
Let’s ponder on an example of what might be deemed ‘unreasonable.’ An indispensable factor in this deliberation is whether the requested accommodation would cause significant hardship for you as a housing provider. For instance, easily imagine you own a two-story single-family rental home and receive a request to install an elevator for a tenant with a physical disability. You could reasonably deny this request, as it would require significant construction work and be costly.
An unreasonable accommodation request can also start on the administrative side. For instance, if you own a single-family residence and take in a request from a potential resident with a mental impairment demanding for you to call them each morning and evening to carefully remind them to turn the exterior lights on at night and off in the morning, this request could be deemed unreasonable. As a landlord, you would have the right to deny this request.
Landlords must discern the difference between reasonable and unreasonable accommodations under the Federal Fair Housing Act. Firmly supporting residents with disabilities is relevant, but landlords should also fathom their limits when it comes to requests that may impose huge burdens. By communicating openly and resolutely accommodating within reasonable limits, landlords can create an inclusive environment while alertly safeguarding their interests.
Real Property Management TradeWinds firmly understands the Fair Housing Act and how it truly affects you as a single-family homeowner in St Petersburg and nearby. We can immeasurably help you take in and understand well these rules to ensure compliance when renting to individuals with disabilities. If you want to get more essential info, please contact us online or at 727-400-4722.
Originally Published on May 11, 2018
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
