Reimburse Tenant for Furniture Anchors?

[Rachel H.]

I have a tenant in Portland, OR in a house that needs the carpet restretched. During restretching, we may need to move some of the tenant’s furniture, though we will work around it if we can. This tenant has a 9-month-old and uses adhesive furniture wall anchors. She is requesting I reimburse her for the $150 she spent on these very specific particular wall anchors, if she needs to replace them. I can get equally safe wall anchors for under $20. It’s not a lot of $$$, but on principle I don’t feel like I should have to reimburse her for using those very specific anchors, right? If it’s a safety issue, I’ll of course make sure the premises are as safe as they were before any required maintenance was done, but she is now suggesting that if I don’t reimburse her for those specific anchors, I am violating fair housing laws for familial status and/or tenants rights regarding not incurring costs for required repairs. I will of course comply with any required laws here, but am I required to pay for specifically her chosen wall anchors? I can’t find anything on this, so hoping the forum knows. Thanks, everyone. 

[Greg Scott]

Ironically, you are violating fair housing if you reimburse her for the wall anchors because she has a child, but you wouldn't do the same for a 50-year old adult. You either reimburse everyone or reimburse nobody and then you are in compliance with fair housing.

Unless you rented a furnished apartment, I don't see how you could be responsible for wall anchors, either financially or for liability.   She chose the furniture and also chose to use expensive adhesive anchors. 

I would tell her nicely to go pound sand.