As a landlord of a single-family residence, you are, literally, required to comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act, which directs that you accede to “reasonable accommodations” for not only disabled residents but, additionally, for those who live with or are directly related to individuals with disabilities. All the same, what, without question, can be thought of as a “reasonable accommodation,” and how can you point out what would be considered “unreasonable”?
What is considered a reasonable accommodation?
To begin the ball rolling, “reasonable accommodation” can denote whatever physical changes made to a rental home. This might include basic modifications, such as lowering towel bars and light switches or properly setting up a smoke alarm with flashing lights along with an audible alarm. Together with that, the resident is typically responsible for the costs related to putting up and stripping away these accommodations.
Not to mention making physical accommodations to the residence, you might likewise be asked to provide “reasonable accommodations” on the administrative side. Such as, if you have a resident with a mental disability that awfully affects their memory, they might request that you call them each month to rightly remind them to pay their rent. This request would be considered reasonable.
What is considered an unreasonable accommodation?
Let’s examine an example of what might be deemed ‘unreasonable.’ A very important factor in this analysis is whether the requested accommodation would cause significant hardship for you as a housing provider. For instance, unmistakably 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 entail significant construction work and be costly.
An unreasonable accommodation request can also turn up on the administrative side. Like, for instance, if you own a single-family residence and encounter a request from a potential resident with a mental impairment requesting you to call them each and every morning and evening to easily 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 find out the difference between reasonable and unreasonable accommodations under the Federal Fair Housing Act. Suitably supporting residents with disabilities is significant, but landlords should also understand their limits with regard to requests that may impose extraordinary burdens. By communicating openly and carefully accommodating within reasonable limits, landlords can create an inclusive environment while properly safeguarding their interests.
Real Property Management Baton Rouge suitably understands the Fair Housing Act and how it heavily affects you as a single-family homeowner in Denham and nearby. We can truly help you be properly aware of these rules to ensure compliance when renting to individuals with disabilities. If you want to get more beneficial info, please contact us online or at 225-389-6860.
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.
