Fair Housing Act for Emotional Support Animals - What Does it Cover?
Unlike service animals, ESAs don’t require any specialized training to perform their tasks. People may choose different set of animals to be their emotional support animals. These include dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, rats, ferrets, etc.
By showing an emotional support animal letter to your landlord, you can get permission to live with your ESA. What Fair Housing Act exactly is and what does the ESA housing benefits cover? Let’s discuss.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that states that any mental health patient with an emotional support animal letter can’t be denied accommodation just because he/she owns a pet. This protection is also valid in buildings and apartments with the “no pet policy." Property owners and landlords to ensure that they provide reasonable accommodations to ESA owners.
Your landlord has the right to ask you for ESA documentation for verification purposes, and you can’t deny that. You must provide a valid emotional support animal letter for housing signed by a certified mental health practitioner.
Remember, ESA recommendations provided by your family doctor aren’t valid. And, the emotional support animal certificate must be properly signed and printed on a therapist’s official letterhead.
However, some landlords ask an additional form, which you must get it filed by your therapist. It’s necessary to note that your landlord can’t contact directly to your therapist to ask about your condition as it’s against the HIPAA standards.
As described above, denying from reasonable accommodation to ESA holders is illegal under the Fair Housing Act. If your property owner discriminates, first request him to accept your proposal to live with your ESA, reminding him that you’re protected under the FHA. Make sure you send a letter or email regarding this.
If it doesn’t work, tell your landlord about HUD complaint filing, and there are favorable chances that your landlord will be agree to allow you to live with your ESA. HUD complaints must be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development within 12 months. For more information, you can call 1-800-669-9777.
Other options are-
To get your emotional support animal letter, you must be diagnosed with a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, stress, motor skill disorder, learning disabilities, etc. Not only this, you must consult a licensed mental health professional (a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed therapist) who will write an ESA letter for you.
Related- How to Ask a Doctor For an Emotional Support Animal Letter?
(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uiQx8nJIltnxK9LuHmS5Ni-dg9bf9bmXlrGV-eKMmEY/edit) (please link this website blog here)
Unlike in-clinic consultations, online ESA consultations are easy and affordable. The process includes-
The conclusion is—getting an apartment with an emotional support animal is a straightforward process. The Fair Housing Act protects you as a tenant from any kind of discrimination against your ESA. It’s necessary to note that your landlord can ask for ESA recommendation for verification purposes, but can’t deny you accommodation (even in a NO PET POLICY region). If you experience any kind of such discrimination, you can take legal action against the landlord.
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By showing an emotional support animal letter to your landlord, you can get permission to live with your ESA. What Fair Housing Act exactly is and what does the ESA housing benefits cover? Let’s discuss.
What is the Fair Housing Amendment Act?
What are the documents required to avail ESA Housing Benefits?
Remember, ESA recommendations provided by your family doctor aren’t valid. And, the emotional support animal certificate must be properly signed and printed on a therapist’s official letterhead.
However, some landlords ask an additional form, which you must get it filed by your therapist. It’s necessary to note that your landlord can’t contact directly to your therapist to ask about your condition as it’s against the HIPAA standards.
What to do if your landlord discriminates against your ESA?
If it doesn’t work, tell your landlord about HUD complaint filing, and there are favorable chances that your landlord will be agree to allow you to live with your ESA. HUD complaints must be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development within 12 months. For more information, you can call 1-800-669-9777.
Other options are-
- Talking to a trusted lawyer and sending your landlord a legal letter.
- Seeking professional advice from an ESA advocate to suggest you the right way.
How to apply for your emotional support animal letter?
Related- How to Ask a Doctor For an Emotional Support Animal Letter?
(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uiQx8nJIltnxK9LuHmS5Ni-dg9bf9bmXlrGV-eKMmEY/edit) (please link this website blog here)
Unlike in-clinic consultations, online ESA consultations are easy and affordable. The process includes-
- Sign in an account online
- Chat with the doctor
- Receive your emotional support animal letter in the PDF format through the email
The conclusion is—getting an apartment with an emotional support animal is a straightforward process. The Fair Housing Act protects you as a tenant from any kind of discrimination against your ESA. It’s necessary to note that your landlord can ask for ESA recommendation for verification purposes, but can’t deny you accommodation (even in a NO PET POLICY region). If you experience any kind of such discrimination, you can take legal action against the landlord.
Reach Us At:
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