What is the law regarding who you can or cannot rent to?
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What is the law regarding who you can or cannot rent to?
My aunt is interested in renting a room out of her single family residential dwelling. She is currently the only person residing there. She is 57 and is by herself. I am trying to help her find out what the laws and regulations are for a landlord in her situation. All I have found are generalized tenant and landlord laws under the Fair Housing Act and I am unsure of these same laws apply to a person that wants to rent a room to a boarder. Can she specifically advertise and rent to say a single female with no children and also deny anyone who does not fall under this category? This type of renter would make her feel much safer and secure as an older woman living alone. If she cannot make these requests legally she would rather not rent to anyone because she does not want to put her saftey in jeopardy.
Asked on November 25, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Louisiana
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under the Fiar Housing Act, a landlord cannot discriminate against someone based upon age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and the like when advertising a rental and ultimately renting a unit out to a third party.
In your aunt's situation, age can be very specific as to the requirements that she wants for a possible roommate. She can state she is looking for a single female as a roommate and the rental is solely for one single female and no one else. She does not have to go into specifics as to what she does not want in a roommate. She also needs to state what she wants in a roommate.
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