Fair housing prohibitions should be familiar to all real estate licensees. So, for fun and profit, take a few minutes to read through these statements to answer the following questions. The next blog will provide the answers.
- A landlord may refuse to rent to a member of an ethnic minority group because of reports from prior landlords of abuse of the rental premises.
- When specifically requested to show homes only in areas heavily populated by the same ethnic group as his client, a real estate agent may do so.
- A landlord may restrict rentals to families with small children to the ground floor on the basis of safety, but not on the basis of disturbance to neighbors.
- A lender may reject a loan application from a disabled person because of lack of steady employment.
- A landlord with a no pet policy may reject an application from a person who claims to have an emotional assistance animal if the animal has not been specially trained.
- A real estate agent can be guilty of unlawful discrimination even if he did not commit any acts of intentional discrimination.
- Both state and federal fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on age and marital status.
- A landlord can prohibit smoking on the premises, but cannot refuse to rent to a person on the basis that he is a smoker.
- A real estate agent is guilty of blockbusting when he shows properties based on the protected class status of a client and guilty of steering if he avoids showing properties based on that status.
- A landlord can refuse to allow siblings of the opposite sex to sleep in the same bedroom.