Sooner or later, a property manager is going to come across a disabled tenant who may demand certain accommodations in order to make the property more accessible. Do property managers have to comply with these types of requests? If so, who pays for them? Because disabled tenants are protected under the Fair Housing Act, reasonable accommodations must be provided. Here are some things to keep in mind so that you do not violate any fair housing laws.
What Protections Do Disabled Tenants Have?
The Fair Housing Amendments Act protects disabled residents in two main ways. It requires that housing built after March 13, 1991 is equipped with some accessibility features. In addition, disabled individuals who rent a property are allowed to make reasonable accommodations to the home to make it more user friendly. These changes include installing grab bars, widening doorways, installing a wheelchair ramp, and lowering sinks and countertops inside the rental.
Property Manager’s Responsibilities
For the most part, the accommodations must be paid for by the disabled resident. He or she is also responsible for hiring someone to do the work. An exception to this would be project housing or subsidized housing in which property managers would be responsible for paying for the modifications. Also, if the property was first built after March 13, 1991 and was designed without handicap accessibility, then the property manager will be required to pay for any reasonable accommodations.
What Happens When the Disabled Tenant Moves Out?
When the disabled tenant moves out, this can be an additional burden to property managers. Daytona Beach managers may not know how to handle the accommodations that were made. Can they be restored to their original condition in case a non-disabled tenant moves in? Yes, the property can be restored to its original condition if the modifications make the unit impossible to rent. The disabled tenants would be required to, for instance, pay for a contractor to adjust the sinks and countertops back to their original height.
It can be difficult to understand what laws apply regarding fair housing for tenants. Let RPM Solutions of Volusia-Flagler handle your rentals and take care of these issues for you.
