Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Are there laws that entitle a potential renter to enter a lease for a property? The reason I ask is we are considering leasing a house for a few years, but want to be extremely selective in who ends up in the house so we feel assured that the property is protected.
Can an owner say "sorry, no" if someone deemed less than desireable to us wants to rent the property, or are there discrimination laws?
I don't mean to imply any specific race, gender, religious discrimination, but we would just want general ability to say no to someone who we might be wary for a variety of reasons and wouldn't want to get stuck in a situation where a potential renter had "rights." I know it can be extremely difficult to evict, so we want to be picky on the front end.
TIA for advice for those who know about home leasing.
Are there laws that entitle a potential renter to enter a lease for a property? The reason I ask is we are considering leasing a house for a few years, but want to be extremely selective in who ends up in the house so we feel assured that the property is protected.
Can an owner say "sorry, no" if someone deemed less than desireable to us wants to rent the property, or are there discrimination laws?
I don't mean to imply any specific race, gender, religious discrimination, but we would just want general ability to say no to someone who we might be wary for a variety of reasons and wouldn't want to get stuck in a situation where a potential renter had "rights." I know it can be extremely difficult to evict, so we want to be picky on the front end.
TIA for advice for those who know about home leasing.
There are obviously federal laws in place that make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of various traits when it comes to renting, BUT it does not cover everything. There are in fact perfectly legal reasons for not renting to a particular individual, mainly these would be credit history and income/ability to pay. Obviously, if a potential renter doesn't have the financial means to afford the place, you don't have to rent to them.
There are also state and local laws that vary, so you will need to look into that as well.
But, the only way to be able to discriminate 100%, including race, sexual preference, gender, age etc. would be if you were renting out a ROOM in your home. Otherwise, you better follow the law very carefully and if you don't like someone, find a legal excuse not to rent to them.
A prospective renter is not entitled to a lease. You should be selective and check their references, credit, work history. You should become familiar with your local tenant laws.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
