Fair housing law overrides lease terms

[Ralph Spears]

Just had a tenant say she is getting an emotional support animal and there is nothing i can do about it. Lease says no pets now i will be stuck with animal odor

[big gear head]

I don't know how anyone can own rental property. I'd be in prison for murder if I owned any.

[bilede]

I've never had that happen but someone wanting to add a pet I would be adding a $2500 pet deposit for any damage and a $500 additional cleaning fee would not be unreasonable.

[Too Many Projects]

Require she provide a document from a Dr. prescribing she needs a support animal. Anyone can make up that stuff and if you don't question it, they get away with it.
Along with the damage deposits already mentioned, requesting proof is also reasonable, I sure as hell would.
Also, when her lease expires, don't renew it. Claim the apartment now needs renovation and it will take many months along with a significant raise in rent when it's done, and she needs to find different, permanent, housing.

[napa68]

I've never had that happen but someone wanting to add a pet I would be adding a $2500 pet deposit for any damage and a $500 additional cleaning fee would not be unreasonable.

That would be considered a discriminatory practice. The problems could be much larger than pet damage.

[Ralph Spears]

She already sent a letter from her therapist good thing she is moving out 8/31 when her lease expires, if it is a new tenant, you ask for a pet deposit but if they are already there and a doctor says the need a therapy animal you cannot ask for it.

[Ralph Spears]

Just found out she is getting a 6-month-old male shepard mix from a dog rescue and she is going to get it trained

[jeffschevelle]

All the ideas above sound appealing off the cuff, but some of them could get you sued, and the tenant (or FHA) would win.

You can't charge a pet fee for a service animal or assistance animal, and you can't demand a doctor's note to prove the need except under certain specific circumstances.

It is complicated and painful reading, but any landlord needs to read the publication below before responding to one of these requests or asking for any "proof" of need:

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUDAsstAnimalNC1-28-2020.pdf

Here's some additional info that briefly touches on service animals:

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/huddojstatement.pdf

And if in doubt, hire a lawyer to give you legal advice!

Don't shoot the messenger. I don't agree with these rules because they are too easy for scammers to abuse. But no one asked for my input when they wrote the rules! So .....

[Ralph Spears]

President Trump needs to abolish this law

[Tenney]

Just found out she is getting a 6-month-old male shepard mix from a dog rescue and she is going to get it trained

Interim, maybe suggest a comfort dirt bike - doesn't have a mind of its own and lives in the garage?

By August her NOS quadruped will be trained and they can high-tail it to a new pad?

[lbnaz]

Had two rentals and sold them both. Renters know the law better than you do. Get rid of it.