In order to guarantee that everyone has a chance to a protected and comfortable home, fair housing laws support equality and prevent discrimination in housing. However, it can be hard for rental property managers and owners to know and comply with these rules. While fair housing policies have a simple goal, putting them in action can be a bit challenging.
Understanding fair housing laws and how they affect you is necessary to keep your rental properties compliant. Stay tuned to discover the nitty-gritty of fair housing laws, typical issues with compliance, and the best ways for rental property owners and managers.
Understanding Fair Housing Laws
The place of your rental property determines whether federal, state, and municipal laws may be applicable; thus, acquainting yourself with these laws is the initial step in understanding fair housing laws.
The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 is the first that comes to mind when talking about fair housing. At the national level, this law prohibits discrimination in housing on the grounds of race, color, national origin, spirituality, sex, impairment, or family status. The objective of the law is to ensure equal access in all housing-related transactions pertaining to housing, including sales, rents, and financing.
This regulation is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which reviews complaints and tries to uphold fair housing standards across the U.S. The principles of fair housing are upheld and strengthened by federal housing laws, which are in addition to the Fair Housing Act. Together, these procedures work toward a more equitable housing landscape across the country.
Eviction rights, security deposit limits, and discrimination based on poverty, sexual orientation, or gender identity are just a few of the topics that are regulated by state and local laws that complement federal regulations. Certain cities have rent control or stabilization laws to prevent excessive rent increases, guaranteeing housing affordability in high-demand areas. Access to habitability standards, protections against eviction during bad weather, and the necessity for transparent communication between landlords and tenants are all examples of local tenant rights. Details regarding the housing laws in your state can be found online.
Common Compliance Challenges for Property Owners
Recognizing common scenarios that may result in housing law violations and knowing how to prevent them are both important initial steps. For instance, some common challenges rental property owners and landlords face when striving to stay in line with fair housing laws are sometimes the result of implicit bias or dependence on old methods.
For example, some property managers and owners may find tenant screening problematic due to the fact that it is illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of age, familial status, or disability according to federal law. So, deciding in advance that you will only rent to adults without children, for example, or that you won’t rent to people in their 20s, would both be examples of housing discrimination.
When marketing the property, property owners and managers would want to target a specific kind of tenant, a similar problem can arise. Most state and federal housing laws also prohibit these approaches. By knowing these difficulties and adjusting your screening and marketing methods, you can better ensure fair and equitable treatment of all prospective residents.
Best Practices for Ensuring Compliance
To avoid inadvertent discrimination and make sure your property management strategies are in compliance with fair housing laws, you need to do things like creating criteria for tenant screenings and developing and adhering to a standardized application process. Other best practices to ensure compliance include:
- Use inclusive language in rental advertisements to avoid making discriminatory remarks or preferences.
- Be consistent when delivering each candidate the same information, following the same procedures, and executing the same follow-up actions for each applicant.
- Ensure that your lease terms, rules, and policies are equally fair to all tenants.
- Stay informed about reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities, and respond to such requests promptly and appropriately.
- Keep detailed records of all applications, communications, and decisions, recording your reasons for approvals and denials in case of future disputes or inquiries.
- When making regulations or dealing with difficult issues, consult an attorney or legal expert.
Developing and maintaining a written non-discrimination policy that states your devotion to Fair Housing compliance is a great way to keep things consistent.
Property Management Companies in Fair Housing Compliance
All applicable municipal, state, and federal regulations should be understood by experienced property managers. Furthermore, they have procedures in place to guarantee that your tenant relations, screening, documentation, and other operations comply with these regulations because they are trained professionals. This can alleviate your worry and significantly reduce the risk of discrimination claims.
Building a Fair Housing Culture
Because of the risks involved in an investment property, it is important to know the laws governing rental properties, housing, and associated matters to keep away from any potential legal issues. Property owners can help guarantee equitable treatment for all tenants by grasping and observing fair housing laws.
The complexities of Hampton and neighboring fair housing rules can be better navigated with the help of an experienced property management company, such as Real Property Management Tidal. Contact us today or call 757-206-2071 to find out more about ensuring housing law compliance and other quality management services.
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.
