Managing your own property can be hard. You may have only recently learned that certain behavior standards must be adhered to in order to accommodate those with disabilities. The Fair Housing Act may be violated by refusing to make a reasonable accommodation. Even if it’s inadvertent, committing that sort of infringement can lead to years in court and money you’d rather not spend on costly lawyers. Familiarizing yourself with this topic can spare you a great deal of trouble.
What is a Reasonable Request?
Of course, as a landlord with a place to rent, you want to make every effort to accommodate each and every one of your tenants, regardless of their unique situation. But how can you tell whether a potential tenant is disabled? It’s like navigating a minefield to manage a situation like this and thus requires caution to proceed.
If a person’s disability is evident and their request is appropriate for their condition, you should immediately grant their request. If it isn’t clear how the request relates to their handicap, only then can you ask for further details about it. If a person’s disability is NOT obvious, you can request supplementary documentation that the requested accommodation is related to the person’s disability. One can get this from several trustworthy sources, including medical professionals, peer support groups, non-medical service agencies, and others. Requesting medical documents is improper, so don’t do it.
Not all people who have impairments will ask for reasonable accommodation. However, anyone with a disability has the right to request or receive a reasonable modification or accommodation at any time.
What Information Can You Ask Your Tenants to Provide?
You might be interested to learn more about your accommodation when you get a request for a reasonable adjustment or accommodation. You must make sure that you abide by all applicable disability laws and standards as a property manager. When collecting details from a person with a disability, only request the information necessary to provide a reasonable accommodation or to ensure the safety and accessibility of the property.
You are limited to asking for information about the individual’s disability-related necessities in order to offer them a reasonable accommodation, such as a wheelchair ramp or an accessible parking location. You also have the option to ask for emergency contact information. You may inquire about the breed and training of an assistance animal owned by a person with a disability.
You may even request proof of the person’s disability from a medical expert if—and only if—it is unclear how the request is connected to their condition.
It is crucial to keep in mind to show those with disabilities respect and dignity and to refrain from prying or making needless inquiries. In addition, all data should be kept private and shared only with those who truly need to know.
Are Your Properties Exempt?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the majority of properties in the United States, including commercial properties, rental properties, and public accommodations, are required to accede to requests for reasonable accommodations from people with disabilities. However, the ADA’s requirements for reasonable accommodations do not apply to all buildings.
Owner-occupied private properties with no more than four units, including single-family homes, apartments, and condominiums, are often exempt from the ADA’s reasonable accommodation requirements. However, under certain circumstances, state and local fair housing laws may still oblige landlords to make reasonable modifications.
We’re Here to Help
The educated crew at Real Property Management SuiteLife is glad to assist you in comprehending the procedure for responding to accommodation requests. To guarantee that renters with disabilities are properly accommodated, we offer resources, carry out assessments, and engage with tenants. For more information, contact us or call us directly at 678-552-1915.
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.
