Visually Impaired (Blind) Tenant?

[Steeve Breton]

Anyone have experience renting to a blind tenant? I have a great candidate, seems like a good/clean tenant. As does his 20yr old daughter who will live with him. Planning to move forward with his application. My two questions are as follows.

1. How to proceed with signing lease? I'm sure he has the answer (e.g. his daughter may read it to him and then he sign it.). Any recommendations? Should I have my lawyer present at signing and have it notarized?

2. What sort of accommodations might I expect a blind tenant to request? He doesn't have a companion dog but I would certainly allow it.

Any other considerations?

PS. I self manage this unit

Steeve

[Colleen F.]

Not as a landlord but having a close friend who has gone blind I can offer a few tips. A visually impaired person you want to be sure you have handrails that are easily used on entrances and stairwells. Any other tenants you would want to be sure they don't put things on stairs. You may want a shower bar and a grab bar close to the toilet so they can easily locate it. A lot of the rest has to do with the particular functioning of the tenant. My friend is also mentally impaired so no cooking but if this person cooks etc. then you want to look at the kitchen arrangement to identify any hazards. And if there are low hanging items in any rooms they may need to be addressed. A lot his daughter is just going to do if he has been blind for any length of time.