![]() ![]() Keeping this in mind, avoid advertising descriptions such as “bachelor pad”, “great for young people”, “just right for two people” or “walking distance to St. Certain property descriptions that welcome specific types of people often do so at the exclusion of others. ![]() When advertising a rental unit, landlords should be careful to describe property amenities, not what they desire in a renter. Here are some pointers to keep in mind throughout the rental process: Advertising: Choose Your Words CarefullyĪdvertising is the most common method for finding prospective renters. ![]() Keep yourself and your business alerted to potential discriminatory behavior-and stop it in its tracks. Proof of the different treatment is enough to move a case forward in court. The law does not require a discriminatory motive. For example: when a landlord agrees to lower the security deposit for a single mother but not for other married tenants, that landlord is risking a charge of discrimination from the other tenants-it does not matter whether the landlord intended to be discriminatory. Problems also arise when landlords give certain renters special privileges or breaks. Landlords who apply arbitrary, tougher standards for certain renters over others are also setting themselves up for a lawsuit-especially when differing standards are applied to persons of a protected class. Enforce all rules and standards in a uniform manner. Landlords who make business choices based on personal, religious or political ideology open themselves up to lawsuits. Landlords should also have written policies in place regarding fair housing laws and how to comply with them.Įxecuting logical, business-based decisions help ensure fair housing compliance. If you have employees, it’s a good idea to require anti-discrimination training. Yes, landlords and property management companies can be held legally liable for their employees’ discriminatory statements and/or conduct. This includes landlords, property management companies (PMs) and all their employees. A growing number of Michigan municipalities also offer protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.Īnyone who deals with tenants and prospective tenants must follow fair housing laws. Michigan’s Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 adds height, weight, and marital status to the list of protected classes. State and local laws expand these categories. Code § §3601-3619, 3631) prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, gender, age, familiar status, physical or mental disability (including recovering alcoholics and people with past drug additions). installation of a wheelchair ramp, grab bars, etc.) apartment rules, and more. They apply to tenant screening, occupancy standards, accommodation requests (e.g. Fair housing laws exist at the federal, state, and local levels of government. As applied to rental units, the laws ensure that a renter’s background (as opposed to financial resources) do not arbitrarily restrict access. What is the purpose of fair housing laws? Quite simply, the Fair Housing Act and its brethren attempt to provide an equal opportunity housing market. Landlords should make themselves familiar with these laws prior to renting property. Property rental practices are subject to a variety of anti-discrimination regulations under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and related laws. Fair Housing: Federal, State, and Local Anti-Discrimination Laws ![]()
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