As a Sandy landlord with a single-family residence, you must yield with the Federal Fair Housing Act’s provision to authorize ‘reasonable accommodations’ not only to disabled tenants but also to tenants who stay with or are bound with disabled individuals. However, what is ‘reasonable accommodation’ and what would ‘unreasonable’ be?
Originally, ‘reasonable accommodation’ may be for the physical features of the rental home, and might include basic adaptations, such as lowering towel bars and light switches, or a smoke alarm that has flashing lights in addition to an audible alarm. Besides, the tenant would give you a fee for both the installation and removal of these accommodations.
Aside from accommodations to the physical aspects of the residence, you may be asked to permit ‘reasonable accommodation’ on the administrative side. For example, you might have a tenant with a mental disability that affects their memory. This tenant might beseech that you call each month to prod them to pay the rent. This would be determined to be reasonable.
Now let’s study an example of what might be judged ‘unreasonable.’ One of the key considerations in this respect is whether the accommodation would impose hardship on you as a housing provider. For example, suppose you own a two-story single-family rental house and receive a request that you install an elevator for a person with a physical disability. This could be contradicted as it would require considerable construction and costs add up to a great deal.
An unreasonable accommodation entreaty could turn up on the administrative side as well. Suppose you own a single-family residence and receive a request from a plausible tenant with a mental impairment to call them each morning and evening to remind them to turn the exterior lights on at night and off in the morning. This could be judged unreasonable and you as a landlord could decline this request.
Real Property Management Wasatch is well-acquainted with the Fair Housing Act requirements and how they prove operative to you as a Sandy landlord with a single-family residence. We can help you negotiate these requirements to ensure that you are in conformance when renting to individuals with disabilities. Would you like to learn more? Please contact us online or call us at 801-418-9835 for more information.
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.
