Discrimination or not?

Question

Hi all, I'm advertising an appartment for rent and I do not accept pets. But I got a person interested in renting...he is deaf and is on disability ...and he has a dog that helps him with his disability. Anyways...since I do not accept pets....is this dog considered a  pet or would I be discriminating?
Thanks !

Account Closed · Answer

Not only are service animals not pets, but you are not allowed to charge extra deposit for them.

Steve Nicewarner · Answer

Standard Disclaimer: Consult a lawyer.

I believe you would be violating the Americans With Disabilities Act if you denied someone based solely on them owning a guide dog. Service animals are generally not considered "pets" in the same way many other animals are.

If it makes you feel any better about it. Service animals are also generally better trained than other dogs, so you might not have quite the same issues with them as you would with a bulldog or a Rotweiler.

Bill Gulley · Answer

Hi, sounds like a good deal to me, if he otherwise checks out, the dog is not an issue! The fact that he has a guaranteed income is a plus, but you'll still need to collect rents as with anyone else. You might be lucky to have that dog on the property! A fire in the middle of the night might not be noticed by other tenants. Dogs know when something is not right before we notice them, such as peeping toms, vandels or some guy trying to steal the neighbors car. As mentioned above, check for the documents. A good service dog will probably be an asset. Bill

Timothy W. · Answer

Definitely sounds like a service animal.  These dogs assist in alerting their disabled owners of sound based warnings (alarms, sirens, firemen beating on the door, etc....).  Like Steve said, these animals are selected for their disposition and more time and money is spent training them than most adult tenants I run across in this business.

Josh Green · Answer

Some great advice here. I've been to many places where animals are not allowed and then u see the asterix saying *unless service animal

also, there is the benefit of guaranteed income through the disability payment.

that dog will be a better tenant than most humans and i can guarantee that guy won't be throwing massive parties or trashing the place.

Discrimination or not?

Most Popular Reply