As an Orem landlord for a single-family home, you must comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act’s requirement to give ‘reasonable accommodations’ to both tenants with disabilities and tenants who reside with or are involved with disabled individuals. However, what is ‘reasonable accommodation’ and what would be ‘unreasonable’?
To start with, ‘reasonable accommodation’ may be for the physical components of the rental home and might include simple modifications, such as lowering light switches and towel bars or a smoke alarm equipped with flashing lights together with an audible alarm. Moreover, the tenant would pay for both the setting up and removing of these accommodations.
Together with accommodations to the physical aspects of the home, your tenant might request for ‘reasonable accommodation’ on the administrative side. For example, you might have a tenant with a mental disability involving their memory. This tenant might request a monthly call to remind them to pay the rent. This would be regarded as reasonable.
Now, let’s explore an example of what might be thought of as ‘unreasonable.’ In this respect, one of the main concerns is whether the accommodation will impose hardship on you as a housing provider. For example, suppose you have a two-story single-family rental property and a tenant with a physical disability, requests that you install an elevator. This could be denied as it necessitates major construction and can cost a lost.
An unreasonable accommodation request could appear on the administrative aspect too. Suppose you own a single-family home and get a request from a possible 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 can be regarded as unreasonable and you as a landlord can deny this request.
Real Property Management Utah County knows the Fair Housing Act requirements very well and how they apply to you as an Orem landlord with a single-family home. We can help you navigate these requirements to make sure that you are in compliance when renting to people with disabilities. Do you want to know more? Please contact us online or call us at 801-224-0033 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.
