Housing Providers
As housing professionals, you must provide
fair and equal access to all of the housing available in our community and to
provide fair treatment. You have the responsibility to not discriminate and to
not ask anyone else to discriminate on your behalf. If you witness or experience
discrimination, please report it immediately. This will both insure that your
rights are protected and will help to prevent it from ever occurring again.
Landlord's Rights
As a landlord, you have the right to choose a tenant that will pay the rent on time, be respectful of property and be a considerate neighbor. You are also protected from intimidation from neighbors who discriminate. You have the same rights as home seekers when purchasing residential property. To learn how to find good tenants and to avoid problem tenants, contact us for more information and to receive HOME's free brochure, "Choosing Good Tenants." We also publish the premier resource book for landlords entitled, A Guide to Landlord's Rights, which is available for a small charge. For more information on our free and low cost publications for landlords click here.
The Application Process
Finding good tenants seems an impossible task to landlords who tell stories of unpaid rent and damaged apartments. While every landlord will acknowledge the risk of problem tenants, many seem to be able to avoid them. Those are the landlords who invest time in screening applicants.
First, define what you want in a tenant. Select objective criteria which clearly define who you will rent to. For example, anyone who can provide evidence of stable income or anyone who can provide satisfactory landlord references. Then, advertise your units so you'll be certain to attract a pool of qualified tenants. Use a written rental application. For an example application that complies with the fair housing laws, contact us.
Review all applications consistently and equitably. For example, number all applications in the order you received them. Then review them for stable source of income, past landlords and references. Call past landlords and references to establish that the tenant was a good one who paid rent on time, took care of the property and was a considerate neighbor. Screen all applicants in numerical order until you find one that meets the criteria you have established.
What Home Providers Can and Cannot Do
For a listing of what housing providers can and cannot do before, during and after the screening process, refer to the Home Seekers' Page.
For more detailed information on landlord's rights, you may wish to attend a Landlord Training Session. To get more information on Landlord Training Sessions, please contact us.
For detailed information on fair housing laws and housing discrimination, please see the Home Seekers page.
