Recently got a disabled rental applicant who applied for my house on Zillow. I specifically mentioned on my listing no pets. They also wrote no pets on their application. They are a marine veteran couple who moved from the east coast to California. They were very eager to rent my house. Even though we never meet each other. They only send a relative to my open house to a video showing my house. They have 600+ credit scores and a decent income. They claimed that they can work remotely and live close to their family. So their company on file is in Maryland. Once I send them the lease contract to sign, the guy finally told me he actually has a service dog because he is disabled at the last moment before he sign the lease, and asked if I can change my contract since I wrote no pets on my contract.
I have a bad feeling. It is very obvious that they used a trick to set me up. Because both my listing and their application indicate no pets. I declined their application and canceled the lease signing. He got mad right away. He said I discriminate against a disabled veteran. His service dog is not a pet and he doesn't have to mention that. Now he is threatening me with a fair housing lawsuit.
Does anyone have a similar experience? The fair housing department can't just take his word for this. They need to have evidence to prove that. I didn't even ask about his disability and gave him the lease to sign after he shows me his disability income from the military. I just don't like that he hid the dog's information till the last moment. He planned this and clearly knows what he is doing.
Now I rented my rental to another family with no animals and a better credit score.
What should I prepare if the fair housing department reaches out to me later?
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
I'd be extremely worried about this. This is especially true depending on what was said in writing. The FHA will likely take his side. As we all are, you are an evil landlord that preys on innocent tenants and the FHA needs to protect tenants.
The guy is a disabled Marine? It's highly likely that he has an actual service animal which is not a pet.
I'd say your best bet is to tell them that after they failed to sign the contract as presented, you offered the unit to another qualified applicant and they immediately signed. Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets" and you are fully aware that a service animal is not a pet. Use the "sorry, but demand is crazy here in CA and if you don't complete everything immediately, there are others that are waiting and that is what happened here. "
Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
3y
@Thomas Balielan welcome to BP! I would not worry about it too much. Make notes including dates so you have it all recorded and documented. The applicant was not truthful on their application. The animal may not even be a 'Service dog'. Or he would have been up front. And you have rented the place to a better applicant. BTW 600 credit is lousy 700 is average. I wonder what else they did not tell you? All the best!
Flipper/Rehabber · IL · Member since 2021 · 100 posts · 49 votes
3y
@Thomas Balielan sounds like he wasn’t being honest when submitting his application. Like said above, if he hid it from you until signing, it may not have been a service dog… that’s besides the fact… if you had the rules clearly outlined, and he didn’t follow or he isn’t abiding by your rules, I really think there’s nothing u should be worried about. Keep track of all events that occurred. I’m not an attorney but I don’t see any issues on your end.
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
I'd be extremely worried about this. This is especially true depending on what was said in writing. The FHA will likely take his side. As we all are, you are an evil landlord that preys on innocent tenants and the FHA needs to protect tenants.
The guy is a disabled Marine? It's highly likely that he has an actual service animal which is not a pet.
I'd say your best bet is to tell them that after they failed to sign the contract as presented, you offered the unit to another qualified applicant and they immediately signed. Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets" and you are fully aware that a service animal is not a pet. Use the "sorry, but demand is crazy here in CA and if you don't complete everything immediately, there are others that are waiting and that is what happened here. "
If it is a true service animal, it is not a pet; but most people would be up front with that as well as the disability (not what it is, but if access is an issue). If they are trying to hide something or cause problems, they won't say anything until the last minute.
Greg's response is really good "Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets" and you are fully aware that a service animal is not a pet. Use the "sorry, but demand is crazy here in CA and if you don't complete everything immediately, there are others that are waiting and that is what happened here.""
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
3y
This tenant clearly intended to deceive you however you rescinding your approval is exactly why he needed to. He is technically right assuming it is a legit service animal that he does not need to disclose it since the dog is a medical device vs. a pet. There are plenty of places out there that allow dogs and in a perfect world those with assistance animals would stick to those rentals however this is not the reality of life. Your lease could have probably stood as is since the dog was not a pet and I guess your best argument is that you didn't decline based on the service animal but based on the refusal to sign the lease but I wouldn't count on this holding up in court. What is done is done but remember that they can file these cases for free while you are going to need to fight it and I would be surprised if they don't. While I feel for you for the deception in my eyes you did discriminate against him and the fact that you mentioned specifically that you rented to someone else without pets doesn't help your case. Also keep in mind that I am assuming you used your real full name on a public forum which is easily searchable by opposing attorneys so that is something to think about. I don't like the rules but they are what they are and it appears that you broke them. I wouldn't respond to anything else from this applicant and see if it blows over so as not to further incriminate yourself but I'd be nervous going to the mailbox. I just re-read your post before I posted and saw that you are in California so good luck with that but I don't see this going well for you.
@Thomas Balielan welcome to BP! I would not worry about it too much. Make notes including dates so you have it all recorded and documented. The applicant was not truthful on their application. The animal may not even be a 'Service dog'. Or he would have been up front. And you have rented the place to a better applicant. BTW 600 credit is lousy 700 is average. I wonder what else they did not tell you? All the best!
Thank you for your advice. This is the first time I used the Zillow platform by myself looking for a new tenant. Now I saved their Zillow application page including "no pet" information and their 600+ credit report detail with all the late payments. I keep our text messages on my phone. Once he started to threaten me. I stop replying anymore.
Once I canceled our contract, he got mad immediately and claimed that Zillow doesn't require to disclose the animal if it's a service dog. I didn't look into the regulation detail of Zillow. But he sure does. He definitely well-prepared for this show. So this scares me away. I don't know what other agenda he has. His wife even wanted to sign the contract before seeing the house when they were still in Maryland. He wanted to use the lawsuit to force me to sign the contract with them. Thank Goodness I have a better candidate.
@Thomas Balielan sounds like he wasn’t being honest when submitting his application. Like said above, if he hid it from you until signing, it may not have been a service dog… that’s besides the fact… if you had the rules clearly outlined, and he didn’t follow or he isn’t abiding by your rules, I really think there’s nothing u should be worried about. Keep track of all events that occurred. I’m not an attorney but I don’t see any issues on your end.
Thank you for your advice. This is the first time I have had this type of problem. I saved some important web pages on Zillow. Don't know how long those records could last on Zillow. Also, first time using Zillow to search for new tenants. I don't know what else evidence I should keep. I learned that the fair housing department will investigate me and collect evidence to support his allegation. When he threatened me, it feels like no one can set any rules for the disabled person. Disabled people can do whatever they want to me...
I'd be extremely worried about this. This is especially true depending on what was said in writing. The FHA will likely take his side. As we all are, you are an evil landlord that preys on innocent tenants and the FHA needs to protect tenants.
The guy is a disabled Marine? It's highly likely that he has an actual service animal which is not a pet.
I'd say your best bet is to tell them that after they failed to sign the contract as presented, you offered the unit to another qualified applicant and they immediately signed. Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets" and you are fully aware that a service animal is not a pet. Use the "sorry, but demand is crazy here in CA and if you don't complete everything immediately, there are others that are waiting and that is what happened here. "
Thank you for your advice. From what I know, I didn't ask anything or even mention his disability, he is working for a defense contractor as an IT engineer. He also just drove to California from Maryland. In fact, I sent him the contract after knowing he is disabled. But he mentioned his dog first time before signing the contract. He wanted me to change the contract's pet clause for him at the last moment. I was caught off guard. He told me at the end his service dog will alarm him whenever he is about to have an episode...Don't know what he means...
I just signed the lease contract and delivered the key to another family with no animals today. Their credit scores are higher than the veteran.
Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
3y
Aloha,
When you are not familiar with the laws that apply to the business of being a Landlord, you set yourself up for some hard lessons. Fair Housing laws (Federal AND State) are some of the most important, yet easily violated. It costs nothing for a Tenant to file a complaint, but will often cost thousands for you to defend. Fortunately, a high percentage of people that are actually discriminated against choose not to spend the time to pursue it. Maybe you will get lucky.
Going forward, you should develop, with the assistance of a local RE Attorney, an Assistance Animal Policy that will help to discourage renters that want to abuse the law. Used in conjunction with a no pet policy prominently noted in advertising, on application, and in the Rental Agreement you should be able to minimize undesirable situations. Also, there is no way I am renting to anyone I have not met AND has not personally viewed the property.
I am not familiar with the online company application processes. If you are going to rely on others to approve your tenants, you should have significant details about just how they do so. A credit score alone is completely inadequate for making a credit decision.
If it is a true service animal, it is not a pet; but most people would be up front with that as well as the disability (not what it is, but if access is an issue). If they are trying to hide something or cause problems, they won't say anything until the last minute.
Greg's response is really good "Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets" and you are fully aware that a service animal is not a pet. Use the "sorry, but demand is crazy here in CA and if you don't complete everything immediately, there are others that are waiting and that is what happened here.""
Thank you for your advice. They know I wrote no pets on my rental listing. Their application on Zillow shows no pets as well. I didn't even bother to ask about animals. They didn't mention a thing about animals until I sent them the contract. There are landlords who allow animals. Why do they have to apply for my rental? Now I feel like they may have other agendas for me once I sign the contract with them and let them move into my house.
He may argue that the service dog is not a pet therefore they wrote no pet on their application. He was not hiding anything from me. If the landlord is not aware that a service animal is not a pet, will that make FHA decides the landlord discriminates against the disabled rental applicant?
I don't quite understand that part "Point out that the original contract was valid as it said "no pets". I canceled the contract before they sign anything on it. At least I didn't sign anything. I sent them a blank contract, he mentioned his dog before signing, and I canceled it.
This tenant clearly intended to deceive you however you rescinding your approval is exactly why he needed to. He is technically right assuming it is a legit service animal that he does not need to disclose it since the dog is a medical device vs. a pet. There are plenty of places out there that allow dogs and in a perfect world those with assistance animals would stick to those rentals however this is not the reality of life. Your lease could have probably stood as is since the dog was not a pet and I guess your best argument is that you didn't decline based on the service animal but based on the refusal to sign the lease but I wouldn't count on this holding up in court. What is done is done but remember that they can file these cases for free while you are going to need to fight it and I would be surprised if they don't. While I feel for you for the deception in my eyes you did discriminate against him and the fact that you mentioned specifically that you rented to someone else without pets doesn't help your case. Also keep in mind that I am assuming you used your real full name on a public forum which is easily searchable by opposing attorneys so that is something to think about. I don't like the rules but they are what they are and it appears that you broke them. I wouldn't respond to anything else from this applicant and see if it blows over so as not to further incriminate yourself but I'd be nervous going to the mailbox. I just re-read your post before I posted and saw that you are in California so good luck with that but I don't see this going well for you.
Thank you for your advice. I didn't respond a thing to this applicant after he threatened me with a lawsuit. What should I prepare for this? I definitely can't rent my house to him.
When you are not familiar with the laws that apply to the business of being a Landlord, you set yourself up for some hard lessons. Fair Housing laws (Federal AND State) are some of the most important, yet easily violated. It costs nothing for a Tenant to file a complaint, but will often cost thousands for you to defend. Fortunately, a high percentage of people that are actually discriminated against choose not to spend the time to pursue it. Maybe you will get lucky.
Going forward, you should develop, with the assistance of a local RE Attorney, an Assistance Animal Policy that will help to discourage renters that want to abuse the law. Used in conjunction with a no pet policy prominently noted in advertising, on application, and in the Rental Agreement you should be able to minimize undesirable situations. Also, there is no way I am renting to anyone I have not met AND has not personally viewed the property.
I am not familiar with the online company application processes. If you are going to rely on others to approve your tenants, you should have significant details about just how they do so. A credit score alone is completely inadequate for making a credit decision.
Thank you for your advice. From what I learned the FHA will investigate and collect the evidence first before this case goes to court. This applicant is very suspicious. I thought something is gonna surprises me. Watching a few youtube videos is not enough for finding a good tenant.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
3y
The best thing you can do to prepare is to educate yourself on the law which you clearly broke and don’t understand especially since you are in a very tenant friendly state. It doesn’t matter that you have a no pets policy a service animal is not a pet so the rules don’t apply to them, same with an esa. This is not fair but the the law is very clear that declining someone with a registered animal is discrimination. Had the guy came in obviously blind with a seeing eye dog would you also have turned him down because not all disabilities are visible. What is done is done and hopefully he cools off and doesn’t follow through but this is an easy payday for him with no risk as it is free to file.
When we say the original contract was valid because it says no pets as your defense we mean there is no reason to strike it because a pet is not a service animal. You would have wanted to keep that there to stop him from adding non service animals so by him not signing unless you remove it is your best defense. Where it gets tricky is you rescinding your offer after finding out about the dog and I don’t see a way to win this one. If you get served just hand it over to an attorney and let them handle it.
I don’t mean to sound harsh and I don’t agree with what I wrote but rules are rules and not following them can be costly. Animals cause additional ware and tare and a decent amount of the pet fee is soaked up by it. Personally I can see us having to accept them but still being allowed to charge our regular fee would be fair.
This tenant clearly intended to deceive you however you rescinding your approval is exactly why he needed to. He is technically right assuming it is a legit service animal that he does not need to disclose it since the dog is a medical device vs. a pet. There are plenty of places out there that allow dogs and in a perfect world those with assistance animals would stick to those rentals however this is not the reality of life. Your lease could have probably stood as is since the dog was not a pet and I guess your best argument is that you didn't decline based on the service animal but based on the refusal to sign the lease but I wouldn't count on this holding up in court. What is done is done but remember that they can file these cases for free while you are going to need to fight it and I would be surprised if they don't. While I feel for you for the deception in my eyes you did discriminate against him and the fact that you mentioned specifically that you rented to someone else without pets doesn't help your case. Also keep in mind that I am assuming you used your real full name on a public forum which is easily searchable by opposing attorneys so that is something to think about. I don't like the rules but they are what they are and it appears that you broke them. I wouldn't respond to anything else from this applicant and see if it blows over so as not to further incriminate yourself but I'd be nervous going to the mailbox. I just re-read your post before I posted and saw that you are in California so good luck with that but I don't see this going well for you.
Thank you for your advice. I didn't respond a thing to this applicant after he threatened me with a lawsuit. What should I prepare for this? I definitely can't rent my house to him.
Personally, I would cut all communication with this individual. There's very little chance they'll file a complaint and very little chance they would win even if they did.
He is required to disclose the animal. He has to make a request for a "reasonable accommodation" and then you have the right to verify his disability and that the animal was prescribed to help with that disability.
Real Estate Agent · Houston, TX · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 715 votes
3y
It's important to follow fair housing laws and avoid discrimination against applicants based on protected characteristics such as disability. However, it's also important to ensure that applicants provide accurate and complete information during the application process.
In this situation, it's understandable that you would feel concerned about the applicant's honesty and their intention to keep a service animal in the rental property despite your "no pets" policy. It's important to note that service animals are not considered pets under fair housing laws and must be accommodated for individuals with disabilities.
If the fair housing department reaches out to you later, you should be prepared to provide evidence of your non-discriminatory practices and decision-making process. This can include documentation of the applicant's incomplete application and communication regarding their service animal, as well as any other relevant information related to your rental process.
It's also a good idea to consult with a real estate attorney or fair housing specialist to ensure that you are following all applicable laws and regulations and to help you prepare for any potential legal action. Overall, it's important to approach this situation with caution and a focus on fairness and compliance with fair housing laws.
Double check fair housing but if you have under 4 rental properties you should be exempt. I would definitely recommend following fair housing in the future to avoid these issues and if you intend to keep growing your portfolio. Your best case of action is to cut off communication and keep a record of everything. Nothing you will say at this point will make the situation better. I would also recommend changing your lease to state "no animals" instead of pets. You are fully within your rights for denying them for dishonesty especially if you had other qualified candidates lined up.
Rental Property Investor · Laurel, MD · Member since 2016 · 378 posts · 382 votes
3y
@Thomas Balielan First thing first, take a deep breath. This is fairly simple, you didn't deny him because he has a service animal. You denied him because he misrepresented himself on the application.
You have the right to ask any tenant or applicant to provide a letter from their doctor stating that they have a disability that benefits from a service animal. You also have the right to ask, what the service animal does if it's not apparent as to what their disability is.
Here is a link to HUD, you need to arm yourself this knowledge.
Here is a service that will do the screening process for you that will cover any all situation. Just remember, once you start this service, you have to use it for everyone as not to discriminate.
Recently got a disabled rental applicant who applied for my house on Zillow. I specifically mentioned on my listing no pets. They also wrote no pets on their application. They are a marine veteran couple who moved from the east coast to California. They were very eager to rent my house. Even though we never meet each other. They only send a relative to my open house to a video showing my house. They have 600+ credit scores and a decent income. They claimed that they can work remotely and live close to their family. So their company on file is in Maryland. Once I send them the lease contract to sign, the guy finally told me he actually has a service dog because he is disabled at the last moment before he sign the lease, and asked if I can change my contract since I wrote no pets on my contract.
I have a bad feeling. It is very obvious that they used a trick to set me up. Because both my listing and their application indicate no pets. I declined their application and canceled the lease signing. He got mad right away. He said I discriminate against a disabled veteran. His service dog is not a pet and he doesn't have to mention that. Now he is threatening me with a fair housing lawsuit.
Does anyone have a similar experience? The fair housing department can't just take his word for this. They need to have evidence to prove that. I didn't even ask about his disability and gave him the lease to sign after he shows me his disability income from the military. I just don't like that he hid the dog's information till the last moment. He planned this and clearly knows what he is doing.
Now I rented my rental to another family with no animals and a better credit score.
What should I prepare if the fair housing department reaches out to me later?
Thank you all.
If you denied them housing because of their service animal, you are in violation of The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. First time fine is up to $16,000 federally, plus any local fines and your civil liability to the applicant.
Youve also illustrated exactly why the disabled will hide their service animals, because they are often the victims of illegal housing discrimination. The #1 class discriminated against today is the disabled.
Recently got a disabled rental applicant who applied for my house on Zillow. I specifically mentioned on my listing no pets. They also wrote no pets on their application. They are a marine veteran couple who moved from the east coast to California. They were very eager to rent my house. Even though we never meet each other. They only send a relative to my open house to a video showing my house. They have 600+ credit scores and a decent income. They claimed that they can work remotely and live close to their family. So their company on file is in Maryland. Once I send them the lease contract to sign, the guy finally told me he actually has a service dog because he is disabled at the last moment before he sign the lease, and asked if I can change my contract since I wrote no pets on my contract.
I have a bad feeling. It is very obvious that they used a trick to set me up. Because both my listing and their application indicate no pets. I declined their application and canceled the lease signing. He got mad right away. He said I discriminate against a disabled veteran. His service dog is not a pet and he doesn't have to mention that. Now he is threatening me with a fair housing lawsuit.
Does anyone have a similar experience? The fair housing department can't just take his word for this. They need to have evidence to prove that. I didn't even ask about his disability and gave him the lease to sign after he shows me his disability income from the military. I just don't like that he hid the dog's information till the last moment. He planned this and clearly knows what he is doing.
Now I rented my rental to another family with no animals and a better credit score.
What should I prepare if the fair housing department reaches out to me later?
Thank you all.
If you had rejected him on the grounds he has a service animal, you may have difficulty fighting this as you can not reject someone because of service animals. However, as he did not list the animal on the application, I would say you rejected him because of lying on the application. if he does bring suit against you, definitely consult an attorney though.
Recently got a disabled rental applicant who applied for my house on Zillow. I specifically mentioned on my listing no pets. They also wrote no pets on their application. They are a marine veteran couple who moved from the east coast to California. They were very eager to rent my house. Even though we never meet each other. They only send a relative to my open house to a video showing my house. They have 600+ credit scores and a decent income. They claimed that they can work remotely and live close to their family. So their company on file is in Maryland. Once I send them the lease contract to sign, the guy finally told me he actually has a service dog because he is disabled at the last moment before he sign the lease, and asked if I can change my contract since I wrote no pets on my contract.
I have a bad feeling. It is very obvious that they used a trick to set me up. Because both my listing and their application indicate no pets. I declined their application and canceled the lease signing. He got mad right away. He said I discriminate against a disabled veteran. His service dog is not a pet and he doesn't have to mention that. Now he is threatening me with a fair housing lawsuit.
Does anyone have a similar experience? The fair housing department can't just take his word for this. They need to have evidence to prove that. I didn't even ask about his disability and gave him the lease to sign after he shows me his disability income from the military. I just don't like that he hid the dog's information till the last moment. He planned this and clearly knows what he is doing.
Now I rented my rental to another family with no animals and a better credit score.
What should I prepare if the fair housing department reaches out to me later?
Thank you all.
I have no idea where any of the others replying get-off saying your ok, don't worry etc., they are DEAD FLAT WRONG! This is SERIOUS!
Going off your narrative here, yes your 100% in trouble and guilty of violating Fair Housing regulations. Here is the thing, your going to probably plea ignorance of the regulations, and guess what your going to find; Ignorance is NOT a defense. As a Landlord you have a legal requirement and duty to know the laws and regulations, full-stop.
yes, tenant should have disclosed a service animal earlier on BUT tenant is correct that you can-not cancel an approval and deny an applicant solely on there having a service animal, and correct they are NOT pet's. And what you did cooked-your-goose, you approved and then denied based solely on this animal. That was bad enough but you had a chance to learn something, honor that approval and get there doc's to CONFIRM the legitimacy of said service animal.
Someone says they have a service animal or ESA, yes you can CONFIRM the legitimacy of it but you CAN'T demand 411 on their disability, no, that's overstepping, there diagnoses has nothing to do with confirming a ESA or Service Animal.
But then you went and made it so much worse leasing to someone else......
So your F'd, plain n simple. Your only hope is to get informed, REPENT and show absolute truck-loads of apologetic expressions, and to do anything and everything possible to try make amends. So yeah, that means calling this disabled veteran, leaping on your sword, saying your an ignorant moron who really F'd up and just was being dumb, but please-please-please is there anyway you can try to help make things right INCLUDING trying to help find them another place.
If you try to fight this, yeah, it's going to be a painful education experience let's put it that way.
This is just 1 more great example why people NEED property management UNTIL they know what the heck they are doing. A PM would have protected you from such self-inflicted injury. Ever hear what the Judge said to the guy in court representing himself? That he had an idiot for a client.
It is LAW that you CAN'T deny or refuse a Service Animal FULL-STOP, weather or not listing "no pets" does NOTHING, no protections. Those trying to say BS advice STOP IT, you obviously have NO clue what your talking about and your gonna hurt this guy. STOP making stuff up, guessing your ways through SERIOUS regulations and laws. This stuff is NO JOKING MATTER.
Recently got a disabled rental applicant who applied for my house on Zillow. I specifically mentioned on my listing no pets. They also wrote no pets on their application. They are a marine veteran couple who moved from the east coast to California. They were very eager to rent my house. Even though we never meet each other. They only send a relative to my open house to a video showing my house. They have 600+ credit scores and a decent income. They claimed that they can work remotely and live close to their family. So their company on file is in Maryland. Once I send them the lease contract to sign, the guy finally told me he actually has a service dog because he is disabled at the last moment before he sign the lease, and asked if I can change my contract since I wrote no pets on my contract.
I have a bad feeling. It is very obvious that they used a trick to set me up. Because both my listing and their application indicate no pets. I declined their application and canceled the lease signing. He got mad right away. He said I discriminate against a disabled veteran. His service dog is not a pet and he doesn't have to mention that. Now he is threatening me with a fair housing lawsuit.
Does anyone have a similar experience? The fair housing department can't just take his word for this. They need to have evidence to prove that. I didn't even ask about his disability and gave him the lease to sign after he shows me his disability income from the military. I just don't like that he hid the dog's information till the last moment. He planned this and clearly knows what he is doing.
Now I rented my rental to another family with no animals and a better credit score.
What should I prepare if the fair housing department reaches out to me later?
Thank you all.
If you had rejected him on the grounds he has a service animal, you may have difficulty fighting this as you can not reject someone because of service animals. However, as he did not list the animal on the application, I would say you rejected him because of lying on the application. if he does bring suit against you, definitely consult an attorney though.
You should know better as a PM Curtis, a Service Animal is NOT a pet. The listing spoke to Pet's.
A person CAN apply without notice up-front of a service animal as long as due process of confirming legitimacy of certification as service animal is provided/allowed.
One legal opinion I read argued that a potential tenant has no obligation to disclose a service animal during the screening process as that violates the potential tenant's right to privacy.
Real Estate Broker · New York, NY · Member since 2020 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
3y
Hey @Thomas Balielan - don't stress too much about it. I once had a potential tenant threaten to sue me because I denied him, he claimed it was because I wanted him to pay rent via my online portal and not cash/check... actually it was because he started to talk about all the projects he would do to the apartment once he moved in - LOL.
In a nutshell, the guy lied to you, and is now upset that he got caught. Brush your shoulders off and move on, good luck!
