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West Bend Landlords: What is ‘Reasonable Accommodation’ for Disabled Residents?

A Beautiful Single Level Home with Reasonable Accommodations for a Disabled Resident in WestbendAs a West Bend landlord with a single-family residence, you must observe the Federal Fair Housing Act’s charge to enable ‘reasonable accommodations’ not only to disabled residents but also to residents who take up residence with or are connected with disabled individuals. However, what is ‘reasonable accommodation’ and what would ‘unreasonable’ be?

First, ‘reasonable accommodation’ may be for the physical pieces of the rental home, and might include basic renovations, such as lowering towel bars and light switches, or a smoke alarm that has flashing lights in addition to an audible alarm. In addition, the resident would disburse you for both the installation and removal of these accommodations.

Additionally to accommodations to the physical aspects of the residence, you may be asked to accord ‘reasonable accommodation’ on the administrative side. For example, you might have a resident with a mental disability that affects their memory. This resident might implore that you call each month to help them to remember to pay the rent. This would be determined as reasonable.

Now let’s check an example of what might be regarded as ‘unreasonable’. One of the key considerations in this respect is whether the accommodation would impose hardship on you as a housing provider. For example, suppose you own a two-story single-family rental house and receive a request that you install an elevator for a person with a physical disability. This could be restrained as it would require big-time construction and 2cost could come up to a great deal.

An unreasonable accommodation invocation could pop up on the administrative side as well. Suppose you own a single-family residence and receive a request from an upcoming resident with a mental impairment to call them each morning and evening to remind them to turn the exterior lights on at night and off in the morning. This could be deemed unreasonable and you as a landlord could dismiss this request.

Real Property Management Greater Milwaukee is up-to-date in the Fair Housing Act requirements and how they are relevant to you as a West Bend landlord with a single-family residence. We can help you deal with these requirements to ascertain that you are in assent when renting to individuals with disabilities. Would you like to investigate more? Please contact us online or call us at 262-309-6961 for more information.

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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