Family portrait with leasing application? (Austin: apartment, HOA, crime)

[DejaBlue]

Is this standard or new or odd?


So, Mr. DejaBlue looked at a house yesterday with our realtor. We want to buy but are looking into leasing leasing for a year or so until we can be in agreement on a specific area (we'll he is..I'm kind of not).



Apparently a family portrait with our pets is part of the application process. Leasing is new to me so I don't know if this is common. A picture to me sees sketchy. I mean I get a picture of our licenses or whatever but even in an apartment it's an interview with the dog and/or just a picture of the dog.


Why do we need to be on a potrait? Driver's license with the application isn't enough? We need to cheese and look like a happy family and be with the dog?



Is this a new things or standard protocol for leasing?

[K12144]

That seems odd. Since this would give away race, sex, sexual orientation, number of children, etc., is it even legal? The only thing I can think of is that they don't want nonrelated people claiming to be a family, and figure such people wouldn't go so far as to have a "family portrait" on hand?

I was pretty skeeved out when I applied to my current place and they asked you to check a box: are you single, a couple, two female roommates, two male roommates, etc. To me it seemed like it was none of their business what my relationship status was and possibly an attempt to weed out gay couples. All they needed to know was names of all applicants. Then again, this was also the place that asked where I went to high school but not where I'd lived in the past or for references from former landlords, so...

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by K12144

That seems odd. Since this would give away race, sex, sexual orientation, number of children, etc., is it even legal? The only thing I can think of is that they don't want nonrelated people claiming to be a family, and figure such people wouldn't go so far as to have a "family portrait" on hand?

I was pretty skeeved out when I applied to my current place and they asked you to check a box: are you single, a couple, two female roommates, two male roommates, etc. To me it seemed like it was none of their business what my relationship status was and possibly an attempt to weed out gay couples. All they needed to know was names of all applicants. Then again, this was also the place that asked where I went to high school but not where I'd lived in the past or for references from former landlords, so...

's


That's what I was wondering too. CD realtors can you chime in? Is this standard now or has this always been the case? Or does it depend on the owners?



Your application questions are definitely odd IMO. So with leasing, the owners can ask for anything? It's really that much of a seller's/owner's market?


Are you two men? Two women? Wow!

[thenewtexan]

Definitely seems like a loophole to discriminate. Find another place.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by K12144

That seems odd. Since this would give away race, sex, sexual orientation, number of children, etc., is it even legal? The only thing I can think of is that they don't want nonrelated people claiming to be a family, and figure such people wouldn't go so far as to have a "family portrait" on hand?

I was pretty skeeved out when I applied to my current place and they asked you to check a box: are you single, a couple, two female roommates, two male roommates, etc. To me it seemed like it was none of their business what my relationship status was and possibly an attempt to weed out gay couples. All they needed to know was names of all applicants. Then again, this was also the place that asked where I went to high school but not where I'd lived in the past or for references from former landlords, so...

My guess is it's to know who will be on the lease, and what the relationship is if one of the signers moves out or dies before the lease is up. Married couples have a different legal responsibility with contracts that co-habitating/non married folks or just roommates.

[imback]

I don't know if requiring a photo the humans is standard or legal.


But animals are not a "protected class" (as far as I know), so landlords can set whatever restrictions they please: no pets(especially dogs) over a certain weight; total number of pets; only certain species (so non-dog/cat species like minipigs; rabbits, etc..); no dogs of "dangerous breeds" (pit bulls: Rottweilers and so on). Also, there may HOA or property restrictions on pets that the landlord must insure that renters comply with.


So I can understand requiring a photo of the pets so the landlord knows what they will be getting....

[K12144]

Originally Posted by yukon

My guess is it's to know who will be on the lease, and what the relationship is if one of the signers moves out or dies before the lease is up. Married couples have a different legal responsibility with contracts that co-habitating/non married folks or just roommates.

That's why they ask for names of who will be on the lease.

And they don't ask if you're married, they ask if you're a couple. So, they don't care about the legalities of marriage or not.

I have never seen a leasing application ask for this specific of information before. They can certainly ask these questions once the person signs a lease if they're that concerned about the legalities of it (though the sex of the roommates shouldn't matter)... what need do they have to know before they even know if they're going to approve the person to enter into a legal contract?

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

's


That's what I was wondering too. CD realtors can you chime in? Is this standard now or has this always been the case? Or does it depend on the owners?



Your application questions are definitely odd IMO. So with leasing, the owners can ask for anything? It's really that much of a seller's/owner's market?


Are you two men? Two women? Wow!

Apparently so. In my case, I didn't have much choice because I had just inherited a cat and they were one of the few leasing companies that had a reasonable pet policy. I would've had a lot more leeway to rent elsewhere without a pet. But, since this area keeps getting more and more expensive (as does everywhere in the area that is a place you actually want to live, like without a lot of crime and such), landlords are starting to have people who can't pay a ton over a barrel for the places that are actually affordable.

Originally Posted by imback

I don't know if requiring a photo the humans is standard or legal.


But animals are not a "protected class" (as far as I know), so landlords can set whatever restrictions they please: no pets(especially dogs) over a certain weight; total number of pets; only certain species (so non-dog/cat species like minipigs; rabbits, etc..); no dogs of "dangerous breeds" (pit bulls: Rottweilers and so on). Also, there may HOA or property restrictions on pets that the landlord must insure that renters comply with.


So I can understand requiring a photo of the pets so the landlord knows what they will be getting....

Or they could just ask?

[marksmu]

I've never heard of it before. Owners with fewer than the threshold number of units can do basically anything they want though. Realtors on the other hand are prohibited from helping a homeowner who may be violating the law.

If you, or the landlord, are represented by an agent - I would ask specifically why they want that photo. If a legitimate non-discriminatory reason is not given, then I would find another place, or let the agent know that they are in violation of the rules if they support this request.

[timtemtym]

I would think asking for a photo would be a direct violation of FAIR housing laws. It reminds me of that reality show they filmed where families were competing to win a home and the neighbors voted on it. This was filmed in the Circle C neighborhood of South Austin.

I knew the gay couple who won. They have adopted children and the neighbors picked them. The show couldn't air because it was clearly a violation of FAIR housing. I would assume attaching a photo of prospective renters is an equally illegal move. If it states this in writing then I would contact the Harris County DA office and ask about it. It'll probably ruin the leasing opportunity for you, but it sounds like a violation.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

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That's what I was wondering too. CD realtors can you chime in? Is this standard now or has this always been the case? Or does it depend on the owners?

No, it's weird. Not all that rare to ask for a picture of the pet, but only a driver's license for the adults. Never heard of asking for the kids. Something is off. I would pick another place.