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Your Rights as a Renter with a Service Animal

Disabled Weber County Renter in Wheelchair with Service DogIf you are a Weber County renter and possess a service or emotional support animal, it is vital to determine your rights. Most renters are not informed that they can keep a service or emotional support animal in their rental homes, despite the property owner’s rules. This blog post will analyze the laws that protect renters who have service or emotional support animals. We will also offer tips on communicating with your property owner if there is an issue with keeping your service or emotional support animal in your home.

What is a service or emotional support animal, and what rights do you have under the law?

Service animals are defined as animals trained to perform tasks for persons with disabilities. These obligations can include but are not limited to guiding people who are blind, informing people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alarming and caring for a person who is having a seizure, or comforting a person with post-traumatic stress disorder.

An emotional support animal doesn’t have to be trained to perform a specific service to provide benefits to its owners. Most companion animals can qualify as emotional support animals on the condition that you have a letter from your medical provider or therapist saying that you need the animal.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are permitted in public places, including rental homes. Emotional support animals are not protected under the ADA but are allowed in rental homes, even if a landlord has a “no pet” policy. Service and emotional support animals are not viewed as pets under the law, and therefore, property owners cannot charge pet fees or deposits for them.

How to handle deposits, fees, and other costs associated with having a service or emotional support animal.

If you own a service or emotional support animal, you are not obliged to pay any pet fees or deposits. Yet, you may be obligated for damages caused by your animal. For instance, if your animal chews on furniture or urinates on the flooring, or if you neglect to throw away the animal’s waste, you will likely be charged for those repairs. It is crucial to have a conversation with your property owner about your service or emotional support animal before signing a lease. This will help lessen misunderstandings about your rights and responsibilities as a renter.

Some landlords may request that you show proof of insurance for your service or emotional support animal. This is not required by law, but it is something you should be prepared to tackle with your Weber County property manager.

What to do if your landlord tries to evict you for having a service or emotional support animal.

Suppose your landlord intends to evict you (or refuses to rent to you) for having a service or emotional support animal. As a result, you may have grounds to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which restricts discrimination in housing based on disability.

You can also file a complaint with your state’s attorney general’s office or the human rights commission. These agencies can review your complaint and take legal action against your landlord if they decide that you have been discriminated against.

If you are facing eviction due to your service or emotional support animal, you must seek legal help as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can assist you in understanding your rights and options under the law.

Resources for further information on renters’ rights and service or emotional support animals.

For more information on your rights as a renter, you can contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD enforces the Fair Housing Act and can investigate complaints of discrimination in housing.

You can also obtain more information on service and emotional support animals at the ADA National Network website. The ADA National Network is a resource for information and technical emotional support on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

By recognizing your rights, you and your service or emotional support animal can live comfortably in your rental home. But if your landlord is interfering with your rights, it might be time to move to a location managed by professionals who understand and follow the law. Browse our listings for service animal-friendly rental homes in your area.

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.

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