RentLife Property Management

Written by Mark Kallus, Owner & Broker

RentLife® Property Management
MPM® | RMP® | TRPM® | TRLS®

Houston’s Local Property Management Experts

How to Stay Compliant with Fair Housing Laws?

How to Stay Compliant with Fair Housing Laws?

 

  1. Understand the laws: Understand the federal and state fair housing laws that apply to you as a landlord or Houston property manager. These laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability.
  2. Create a fair housing policy: Create a fair housing policy for your property that clearly states your commitment to non-discrimination and provides examples of prohibited discriminatory practices.
  3. Use consistent criteria: Use consistent criteria for all prospective tenants, such as income, credit history, and rental history.
  4. Train your staff: Train your staff on fair housing laws and your fair housing policy to ensure that everyone who represents your property is aware of these laws.
  5. Be aware of steering: Steering is the practice of directing prospective tenants to or away from certain properties or neighborhoods based on their protected characteristics.
  6. Avoid discriminatory advertising: Avoid discriminatory advertising, such as using language that implies a preference for or against certain protected groups.
  7. Make reasonable accommodations: Make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities, such as installing grab bars in the bathroom or providing a designated parking spot.
  8. Keep records of all tenant applications and communications to provide documentation of your compliance with fair housing laws.
  9. Be aware of retaliation: Be mindful of retaliation, which is illegal. Retaliation refers to taking adverse action against someone because they have asserted their fair housing rights.
  10. Seek professional help: Seek professional help from a Houston property manager if you aren’t knowledgeable about fair housing laws.

 

We are the one you want if you are looking for a Spring Property Management Company! RentLife® Property Management CRMC® is the best choice for property management in Cypress, TX. We also offer rentals and property management in Humble, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Tomball, Conroe, Houston, Magnolia, and other surrounding areas. Contact us today at www.rentlifepm.com or call 832-562-3600. We would love to be your Houston property manager!