Can You Tell When You Are Being Discriminated Against by a Landlord?

Believe it or not, some people don't have a clue that some landlords and property owners simply refuse to rent to select prospects, because of a number of reasons.  Some of which include:  pressure from the renters at the community not to rent to a certain class of people, personal prejudices, neighboring residents such as homeowners, and others.  Some of the things that fearful, ignorant or simply rude landlords and/or property owners and their staff will do is discriminate on the following:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation
• Marital Status
• National Origin
• Ancestry
• Familial Status
• Source of Income
• Disability
• It is illegal to refuse to rent to families unless the housing is for senior citizens.

Keep in mind, each state is different, so be sure to look up the laws in your area.
Despite discrimination being unlawful, as you can clearly see from comments on websites like Youtube, and elsewhere, racism and other forms of discrimination is still ongoing.

An example of discrimination is as follows.

A refusal to sell, rent or lease a unit/property because one doesn't meet the criteria. There is what is written on paper and then there is what some landlords and leasing staff will make up in their minds to try to fit requirements; therefore, turning some people away.  When you notice something like this is happening whether you are a worker or visitor, be sure you record date and time and note your experiences.  For leasing staff, you might want to consider putting in your resignation.  Why work for a company that participates in unlawful discrimination?  Visitors should report what they experienced online and contact the nearest Fair Housing organization, so as to alert others.

Look up more information about different forms of unlawful discrimination when it comes to landlords and staff.  Also, check your rights based on Fair Employment and Housing Acts as well as Civil Rights in your state.  File a complaint with a related group.  Bring attention to your issue by also contacting the local media.  Feel free to also post a comment below.

Nicholl McGuire