\n<\/p>\n
Several years ago, many property managers had policies such as \u201cone bedroom for every child.\u201d\u00a0 If a single parent and a child shared a bedroom, for example, the property management would require them to lease a two-bedroom unit instead of a one-bedroom. Unfortunately, you can\u2019t do this anymore, as it has since been ruled as discriminatory.<\/p>\n
However, do not confuse this with local occupancy regulations. For example, some towns allow landlords to limit a two-bedroom apartment to four occupants.<\/strong><\/p>\n Likewise, property managers can\u2019t put families on one side of the apartment complex and people without children on the other.\u00a0 Pets?\u00a0 Sure.\u00a0 Children?\u00a0 No.<\/strong><\/p>\n HUD has been aggressively pursuing discrimination cases for the last five years. In 2013, they launched a mobile app to help people report Fair Housing violations<\/a>. They want to make an example of landlords and property managers, gain publicity for these cases, and win money in court.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Six situational tips won\u2019t cut it. As a landlord, it\u2019s your job to cover your behind as well as you can, and there are other things you can do to avoid a Fair Housing lawsuit, like:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a solo landlord, you must stay on top of fair housing law developments to avoid ugly surprises like lawsuits and complaints.\u00a0 (Sidenote: You might also want to make life easier by using Spark Rental\u2019s landlord app<\/a>.)<\/p>\n If you have people on payroll, it\u2019s also important to keep them in the loop. Remember, one mistake from one person can land your whole operation in hot water.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The first order of business in renting out is to get your policies in order and accordance with state and federal laws. The second order of business is applying them consistently across all tenants and applicants\u2014no exemptions.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n This way, even if you are sued for Fair Housing discrimination, you can easily state that your policies are uniformly applied to everyone you deal with. However\u2026<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nOther Things You Can Do To Avoid A Hefty Fair Housing Lawsuit<\/h2>\n
Educate Yourself (And Your People)<\/h3>\n
Have Your Policies Lined Up <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Always Consider Reasonable Accommodations<\/h3>\n