Are you a landlord in Littleton who wants to know more about tenants with support animals? Accommodating support animals isn't just about following laws but also about creating a welcoming and supportive rental environment.
Let's explore how you can navigate this aspect of your property management responsibilities in Littleton. This blog covers all the essential information on accommodating support animals and enhancing the living experience for all.
Understanding Support Animals
Whether you're currently screening new tenants or one of your current tenants has a support animal, there are a few things you have to know.
The main thing to remember is that support animals aren't pets. In Littleton, landlords must allow certain types of support animals in their rental properties. This is due to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Service animals are specifically trained to do certain tasks or work for individuals with disabilities. These disabilities may be visible or invisible. Examples of service animals include:
Guide dogs for individuals with visual impairments
Hearing dogs for those with hearing impairments
Service animals trained to assist with mobility or medical conditions
Service animals are not required to have documentation, and their tasks are not limited to emotional support.
Emotional service animals provide comfort, companionship, and support to individuals with mental health conditions. Unlike service animals, they do not require specific training for tasks. (ESAs) typically require documentation to be recognized as such.
Landlord's Guide to Support Animals in Rental Properties
Managing support service animals in your rental property effectively is essential for all landlords.
Here are key considerations and steps to manage service animals correctly:
Do Not Charge Additional Fees or Deposits
Service animals are not considered pets in a rental property. This means landlords are prohibited from charging additional fees or deposits for tenants with service animals.
Documentation Requirements
Landlords are generally not allowed to inquire about the nature or extent of any tenant disability. They can only ask if the animal is needed due to a disability and what specific tasks the animal is trained to perform.
Make Reasonable Accommodations
Landlords are required to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. This includes modifying policies, such as allowing a tenant with a service animal even if the property has a no-pet policy.
Ensure that your staff and property managers know fair housing laws and the specific rules regarding service animals. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures consistent application of policies.
Breed or Size Restrictions
The FDA does not restrict the breed or size of service or assistance animals. Therefore, landlords should not impose such restrictions. Dogs and miniature horses are the primary types of animals recognized as service animals under the ADA.
ESA's can include a variety of animals, such as:
Dogs
Cats
Birds
Hamsters
Mini-pigs
Chickens
Since there are no restrictions when it comes to picking an ESA, you can find a wide variety of options.
Support Animals: Guidelines for Landlords
Support animals are critical to the well-being of certain individuals. Managing this in a rental property involves legal insight and a commitment to creating a compassionate living environment for all your renters.
PMI Little Town has extensive experience managing support animals in rental properties. Contact us today for the best advice and support for your property management needs.
