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It looks there are a lot of people who don't understand the difference between service dog and assistance dog and how the rules are different between the two and the laws about then. Probably why I run into so many landlords who are horrifically discriminatory against the disabled. Those of us with service dogs absolutely know the laws.
I guess what I'm being told here is to be upfront so that landlords can have the chance to discriminate. No thanks.
And it appears that even you don't want to follow your own "rules."
If the federal government backs your right to rent with a service animal (which it does), then why are you not walking in to leasing offices with the full confidence? Why are you even considering lying?
Know the law, follow the law, and treat landlords the way you would want them to treat you - fairly and honestly.
Being refused has to do with not allowing dogs; it is not discrimination against people with disabilities.
Your posts continue to show a victim and antagonist attitude. Wouldn’t you be happier finding a landlord who accepts dogs willingly? I can predict the tone of your answer, but for everyone’s sake, including your dog’s, ditching the antagonist attitude and finding a dog-accepting place is the only longterm solution. Hiding important facts and planning to sue will make you even more bitter, and even less likely to find a new landlord afterward.
Yes, it is discrimination against people with disabilities. Would you be saying the same thing if someone said they didn't allow wheelchairs in their place and that they needed to go elsewhere? What about canes? Insulin pumps? Hearing aid? Chances are for most people the answer would be no. They'd understand that to be discrimination against the disabled.
I do not have an antagonistic attitude. I walk into a place, polite and respectful and identify the dog as a service animal. When told to leave I walk out. I will begin filing complaints and following up on these people because I'm sick of it. I have spent years paying the dog fees and letting slumlords treat my dog as if he's some pet instead of a service dog. Enough is enough. I'm tired of the discrimination. Slumlords seem to think that I woke up one day and happily decided to join the military so I could become disabled and live a ****ty life after. Screw them. I can't do anything to change the system, but I can make a slumlord's life at least the teeniest bit uncomfortable if s/he chooses to discriminate against the disabled.
Yes, it is discrimination against people with disabilities. Would you be saying the same thing if someone said they didn't allow wheelchairs in their place and that they needed to go elsewhere? What about canes? Insulin pumps? Hearing aid? Chances are for most people the answer would be no. They'd understand that to be discrimination against the disabled.
I do not have an antagonistic attitude. I walk into a place, polite and respectful and identify the dog as a service animal. When told to leave I walk out. I will begin filing complaints and following up on these people because I'm sick of it. I have spent years paying the dog fees and letting slumlords treat my dog as if he's some pet instead of a service dog. Enough is enough. I'm tired of the discrimination. Slumlords seem to think that I woke up one day and happily decided to join the military so I could become disabled and live a ****ty life after. Screw them. I can't do anything to change the system, but I can make a slumlord's life at least the teeniest bit uncomfortable if s/he chooses to discriminate against the disabled.
Filing a formal complaint is exactly what you should do.
And it appears that even you don't want to follow your own "rules."
If the federal government backs your right to rent with a service animal (which it does), then why are you not walking in to leasing offices with the full confidence? Why are you even considering lying?
Know the law, follow the law, and treat landlords the way you would want them to treat you - fairly and honestly.
Because when I do that, then I'm not treated fairly or honestly. I'm discriminated against. Slumlords get away with anything because they can, because they are the ones in a position of power and they know that renters -especially those at the very bottom of the bracket - can't afford to hold them accountable for their actions.
Yes, I'm angry.
Also, this isn't about lying. It's about not telling a landlord everything about myself. I don't tell them when I poo or what I cook or how many doctor's appointments I have each month. He doesn't need to know about my disability until I can be certain that I'll have a place to live.
Because when I do that, then I'm not treated fairly or honestly. I'm discriminated against. Slumlords get away with anything because they can, because they are the ones in a position of power and they know that renters -especially those at the very bottom of the bracket - can't afford to hold them accountable for their actions.
Yes, I'm angry.
Also, this isn't about lying. It's about not telling a landlord everything about myself. I don't tell them when I poo or what I cook or how many doctor's appointments I have each month. He doesn't need to know about my disability until I can be certain that I'll have a place to live.
So it would be OK if he didn't tell you when he wanted to enter your place with his key? Sure, there is a law that addresses it, but crappy tenants get away with stuff because they can. So why should he bother with informing you ahead of time? You don't want to call it lying? It's still deception. It's dishonest.
I understand your frustration. I really do. But you're being a victim. YOU have the position of power, if you know how to wield it.
Yes, it is discrimination against people with disabilities. Would you be saying the same thing if someone said they didn't allow wheelchairs in their place and that they needed to go elsewhere? What about canes? Insulin pumps? Hearing aid? Chances are for most people the answer would be no. They'd understand that to be discrimination against the disabled.
I do not have an antagonistic attitude. I walk into a place, polite and respectful and identify the dog as a service animal. When told to leave I walk out. I will begin filing complaints and following up on these people because I'm sick of it. I have spent years paying the dog fees and letting slumlords treat my dog as if he's some pet instead of a service dog. Enough is enough. I'm tired of the discrimination. Slumlords seem to think that I woke up one day and happily decided to join the military so I could become disabled and live a ****ty life after. Screw them. I can't do anything to change the system, but I can make a slumlord's life at least the teeniest bit uncomfortable if s/he chooses to discriminate against the disabled.
That sums up your attitude perfectly. You can’t change the system, so you have the choice of working within it or adding more work for yourself. Is it more important to find a good living situation or to prove you are “right”? You can file a complaint against what you consider a discriminating landlord, but you are also wasting time and energy that would be better spent looking for a place that accepts you and your dog.
It looks there are a lot of people who don't understand the difference between service dog and assistance dog and how the rules are different between the two and the laws about then. Probably why I run into so many landlords who are horrifically discriminatory against the disabled. Those of us with service dogs absolutely know the laws.
I guess what I'm being told here is to be upfront so that landlords can have the chance to discriminate. No thanks.
Nope. You don't know what you are talking about in the slightest so stop being so smug and self righteous already. Under the FHA all service and emotional support animal are assistance animals. From HUD:
Quote:
An assistance animal is not a pet. It is an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. Assistance animals perform many disability-related functions, including but not limited to, guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds, providing protection or rescue assistance, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items, alerting persons to impending seizures, or providing emotional support to persons with disabilities who have a disability-related need for such support.
Quote:
Originally Posted by raisins99
Because when I do that, then I'm not treated fairly or honestly. I'm discriminated against. Slumlords get away with anything because they can, because they are the ones in a position of power and they know that renters -especially those at the very bottom of the bracket - can't afford to hold them accountable for their actions.
Yes, I'm angry.
Also, this isn't about lying. It's about not telling a landlord everything about myself. I don't tell them when I poo or what I cook or how many doctor's appointments I have each month. He doesn't need to know about my disability until I can be certain that I'll have a place to live.
Reporting them is free, get a grip. Link below to report the ******* you mentioned earlier. You need to learn more before you go spouting off bs though.
So it would be OK if he didn't tell you when he wanted to enter your place with his key? Sure, there is a law that addresses it, but crappy tenants get away with stuff because they can. So why should he bother with informing you ahead of time? You don't want to call it lying? It's still deception. It's dishonest.
I understand your frustration. I really do. But you're being a victim. YOU have the position of power, if you know how to wield it.
You're comparing apples to sand here. They aren't even in the same class of things.
There is no deception about not telling a landlord that I'm disabled. Not even a little. Is there a deception if I don't mention my race? Or perhaps my sexuality? Or what I cook? I mean, this is ridiculous to suggest I'm being deceptive if I don't give the landlord an opportunity to discriminate.
Yes, I'm a victim here. This isn't in dispute. I absolutely do not have the position of power. I'm someone living in my van or on a friend's couch. I need a place to live and until I find it I'm at the mercy of these slumlords.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pikabike
That sums up your attitude perfectly. You can’t change the system, so you have the choice of working within it or adding more work for yourself. Is it more important to find a good living situation or to prove you are “right”? You can file a complaint against what you consider a discriminating landlord, but you are also wasting time and energy that would be better spent looking for a place that accepts you and your dog.
It's important to do both. I obviously need to find housing for myself but landlords need to be held accountable for their actions. My time and energy geared towards that efforts will help the next person who comes along looking for housing as a disabled person.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pikabike
No wonder landlords refuse dogs. It isn’t always what the dog might do, but what the chip-on-shoulder tenant might do.
Lol, yeah, because filing a complaint against slumlords who discriminate against the disabled is really about 'having a child on my shoulder'.
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