Did you know... July 9, 2018

FAIR HOUSING – BETWEEN THE LINES

You know that fair housing laws require you to treat everyone the same, but that that means you must treat all rental applicants and tenants the same in even the subtle aspect of the rental process.  Examples include:

–          If one tenant moves in mid-month and you allow him/her to pay pro-rated rent rather than a full month’s rent, then you must do the same for everyone.

–          If you require photo I.D. from one applicant, you must do so from all applicants.

–          If you ask one applicant if s/he is a legal resident, you must ask all applicants if they are legal residents.  (There is no requirement to verify proof of legal residency when providing housing in Washington State.)

We are here to help you and your clients with all aspects of the rental market. Please contact us for further assistance!

Nothing found herein should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a legal opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of law. You should not rely solely on this information. We encourage our clients to work with a lawyer experienced in commercial and/or residential real estate matters as they can be complicated and confusing.