Re: Is it legal to require communication in English?

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by MrDan (Georgia) on June 21, 2012 @22:49

People with limited English Proficiency or heavy accent are covered by the 'National Origin or Ancestory' protections of Fair Housing laws. An applicant can not be turned away because communication is a bit challenging.
You are not expected to translate applications, rental agreements, or notices to meet the language needs of applicants or tenants.

As to your problem, you can contact Korean churchs in your area for someone to act as tranlator for you or have some notices tranlated for you. I have actually had several lease signings done this way for Korean tenants. One of the Pastors who preformed services for our growing Korean community was the translator each time. The Pastor always provided someone for the tenant to contact that could explain any notices or answer questions. Has worked very well.

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Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by OK-LL on June 22, 2012 @00:06	[ Reply ]

"People with limited English Proficiency or heavy accent are covered by the 'National Origin or Ancestory' protections of Fair Housing laws." This is incorrect. Those with a lack of proficiency in English ARE NOT a protected class. The LL is not required to seek an interpreter for the purpose of communicating with a tenant prospect.

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by Bryan (Ia) on June 22, 2012 @01:06	[ Reply ]

Agreed. a lease is a contract. To have a contract you must have a meeting of the minds. If language bars this you have no contract. Since they provided their own interpreter, you have a meeting of the minds and they are required to obey the contract. It is not your responsibility to communicate in their language.

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by MrDan (Georgia) on June 22, 2012 @08:10	[ Reply ]

Please reread what was posted. "You are not expected to translate applications, rental agreements, or notices to meet the language needs of applicants or tenants"

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English?

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by MrDan (Georgia) on June 22, 2012 @09:22	[ Reply ]

Federal Housing Council; Can a Housing Provider Discriminate Against People Who Do Not Speak English? No. However, there is no legal requirement for landlords to provide translation for their tenants. If a tenant does not speak English, it is up to the housing consumer to find someone to help him/her communicate with a landlord. In order to be clear on what their rights and responsibilities are, tenants who do not speak fluent English should get help reading their rental agreement from a trusted family member or friend before they sign it. It is also good to prepare a list of names and phone numbers of translators to give to the landlord. Many State Fair Housing Laws echo the Federal laws in this reguard. If you recieve Federal funding (section 8) Hud requires the landlord to provide more input with LED tenants/applicants.

Re: Is it legal to require communication in English? by Betty L on June 22, 2012 @10:12	[ Reply ]

You are incorrect, According to John Trasvina, HUD assistant secretary, The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental, sales or home lending transactions based on a person's national origin. This includes discrimination based on a person's ancestry, country of birth outside the United States, and the language they speak. National origin discrimination often involves immigrants or non-English speaking individuals, but can also involve native-born U. S. citizens based on their family ancestry. This type of discrimination may also occur in conjunction with the other protections of the Fair Housing Act against race, color, religion, gender, disability, and family status discrimination. No where in the OP did it state that the landlord had to provide an interpreter.