Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals - Landlord Forum thread 359152

Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals by Jason on March 22, 2019 @09:22

Looking for some clarification on this topic. I've heard that if someone has a service animal or emotional support animal. that you cannot, by law, charge extra rent or deny them because of them having one of these types of animals.

I can't seem to find sound legal advice on this topic and am hoping someone from PA can throw me some advice.

As always, thanks in advance.

-Jason

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Re: Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals by Garry on March 22, 2019 @13:23	[ Reply ]

Those laws are federal, administered thru your local or state civil rights offices. Call the local CR offices, and get a copy of those laws. What you said is correct. You must allow the service or emotional support animal, without charging extra rent or a deposit for it. However, you can ask that their shots are up to date, and they can produce a letter from a licensed Dr, phychologist, therapist, etc., that says the have a disability, and they need the animal. The animal must not be aggressive to anyone, and the tenant must clean up after the animal. However, you can still deny any person to rent from you, because of their credit or criminal backgrounds, or their job history/income. If you haven't already, get a copy of your landlord/tenant laws, and the eviction laws, for PA.

Re: Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals by lpadave on March 22, 2019 @13:24	[ Reply ]

1. applicants with sa's must apply and qualify like everyone else, with the standard criteria. 2. if you require renters insurance, they and their animal must qualify with both their and YOUR insurance carrier. I've yet to encounter the red lined breeds as service animals,...but that would be a legitimate conversation. 3. service animal owners must still care for and clean up after their animals. Most legitimate sa owners are very good about this,....but there are a lot of wise guys out there. 4. I have always been a pet friendly LL across the board but my leases contain very specific detail about housekeeping, landscape issues and my absolute zero tolerance policy concerning domestic animal abuse. Over the years I've terminated three tenants over their animals. Two of them were lousy tenantsany way and one was great and I hated to put that one out. 5. as an aside, I was recently on a trans con night flight with five dogs and a cat,....including a 40 pound black lab who's owner sitting in an aisle seat continuiously allowed it to lay in the aisle. A black dog on dark blue carpeting, in the aisle of a night flight with a darkened cabin. Flight attendants did nothing. I'm waiting for the pony. It is all starting to get very out of hand.

Re: Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals