Every tenant, no matter where they live, has the right to a livable dwelling. The landlord has a duty to provide for the upkeep and maintenance of his or her property, and if this duty is not upheld, the tenant may have a right to legal recourse. In addition, if you’ve been denied housing or unfairly treated because of unlawful discrimination, we can aggressively argue your case.
If your application to rent an apartment is rejected, you have a right to know why. It is illegal for a landlord to refuse your rental application for discriminatory reasons. Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- National origin
- Sex
- Age
- Familial status (including not
- allowing children, discrimination
- against pregnant women)
- Physical disability
- Mental disability (including
- alcoholism and past drug addiction)
States and many cities have similar housing laws, and yours may prohibit other kinds of discrimination, including:
Marital status
Sexual orientation
A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you because of a “no pets” policy if you have a trained helper animal, such as a seeing-eye dog, or a dog that helps you negotiate with a physical or mental disability. If the landlord does refuse, he or she has violated federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.