The Landlord's guide to ESAs

The emerging trend to emotional support animals may have many benefits for patients with emotional or psychological disabilities. But the increasing use of ESAs brings some suffering especially, for landlords. With some exceptions, no landlord can refuse to give his property on the basis of a black mouth cur mix. This rule of the Fair Housing Act can be problematic for a landlord who does not like animals in his property. If you are a landlord who is suffering from the increasing no of ESAs, this article will present you with the basic information about your rights that you can use while dealing with ESA holder tenants. 

Your Property May Have an Exemption Under Federal Fair Housing Act 

If you own some residential units and use them for rental purposes, being a landlord you must know the rights that are given to you under the Federal Fair Housing Act. If you do not want to give your property to an ESA owner, you can refuse if your property has one or more of the following characteristics:

1. If you own a smaller residential house that has four or lesser units, you can refuse to rent out your property to an ESA holder tenant as the Fair Housing Act is not applicable to your property. But you can refuse only if you are also living in one of the residential units.
2. If you do not get the services of a professional broker to rent out your single-family house, you can deny the request of an ESA holder tenant.
3. In the same way, you are not bound to entertain the request of maltipoos holder if you are using your property for religious purposes.
4. The Fair Housing Act does not apply to your property if senior citizens are living in your property. 

You Can Demand and Varify an ESA Letter from an ESA holder Tenant

It is your basic right that you can ask for a valid ESA letter from a person who makes requests for an ESA. even you can verify the validity of an ESA letter if you required it. An ESA letter can be verified easily as it contains information about the professional therapist along with his contact information. The license no of the therapist is also mentioned on the letterhead. It is suggested that you make sure that the new tenant must have a valid ESA letter for housing and it must be issued by a licensed mental health therapist. If a person failed to produce a valid ESA letter, you do not need to rent out your property to an ESA holder. 

You can Refuse to Rent Out Your Property if You Feel ESA is Inappropriate 

Although the Fair Housing Act restricts you to make housing arrangements for a black mouth curholder and its ESA as well and you can not discriminate on the basis of the breed of an animal. But you have the right to refuse to give your property if you feel that the specific animal is not suitable and it will be difficult for you to arrange housing capacity for such an ASA. like, if your tenant has a horse ESA, you can refuse to rent out your property. 

You Can Ask for Compensation

In the same way, if the ESA of your tenant is no well behaved and it has created problems for you or other tenants, you may have the right to break the agreement. Moreover, you can demand compensation if an ESA caused financial losses to you.