Accommodating the Disabled Tenant
Do the Right Thing and Stay Within the Law
Fair Housing laws, both federal and state, cover most rental situations. The Americans with Disabilities Act further obligates landlords to accommodate the disabled so that everyone has access to equal housing opportunities. Here’s what you can do to accommodate disabled tenants and potential tenants:
Make your rental office accessible to those using wheelchairs.
Provide ample parking for the disabled, both for tenants, close to their units, and for visitors.
Provide sight-impaired tenants with large-print documents.
Allow disabled tenants to make necessary modifications to the rental unit, such as lowering countertops, changing door handles to easily operated versions, installing grab bars or ramps; at the end of the lease, you may choose to keep the modifications in place (perhaps for future disabled tenant use), or have the unit returned to its previous condition at the tenant’s expense.
Allow service animals when tenants need them. If you have a “no pets allowed” policy, it does not apply to service animals, which are not considered pets.
Make common areas, such as playgrounds, picnic areas and clubhouse facilities wheelchair-friendly.
Give latitude regarding visitors’ use of tenant-only facilities, such as laundry rooms, when they are doing so to help a disabled tenant.
Supply a sign-language interpreter when conducting meetings with hearing impaired tenants.
Release a tenant from their rental agreement or lease if they become disabled or impaired during the term of the lease and cannot, because of their disability, inhabit the rental unit or uphold the terms of the agreement.