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rental discrimination

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Luminosa

Junior Member
Massachusetts
I believe my father has been discriminated against in trying to rent an apartment (he was told it had been rented, when we know it is still available and being shown.) Originally, talking to the current tenant who is arranging viewing of the apartment, she said it was available and that she could show it to me, but when she found out it was for my elderly father who just lost his trailer in a flood, she called back and said it had been rented. I emailed under a false name and she says it's still available. The unit is in an owner-occupied duplex. Is there any recourse? Thank you.
 


Banned_Princess

Senior Member
What was the discrimination?

not all discrimination is prohibited. A ll is free to reject someone for no reason at all, which appears to be your case.
 

Luminosa

Junior Member
discrimination

Thanks for your reply. Well, considering that they are willing to show the apartment to a young woman, but not to an elderly man from a trailer park, I'm guessing the discrimination is age-based. I realize that there are exemptions for owner-occupied dwellings, but I was wondering if any other discrimination protect laws would apply.
 

nextwife

Senior Member
Is this a second floor walk up? Might the LL be concerned about Dad's continued/current mobility and ability to stay?

When you say owner occupied, do you mean the person is renting part of their own owner occupied unit? Is this a ROOMMATE scenario? A sublet?
 

Luminosa

Junior Member
descrimination

It's on the first floor, so mobility should not be an issue - he's fully mobile and walks 6 miles a day! Sorry to be vague about the owner-occupied bit. It's not a roommate situation - the building is a duplex - one apartment is rented and the other is occupied by the landlord. The tenant I've been in communication with is "screening" tenants for the landlord to take over her lease. I'm guessing that they don't want an older person in there, which is why they suddenly made up the lie about it being rented. It could also be that he lived in a trailer park for seniors in town that just got flooded. The town can be quite snobbish and I don't know if that's a factor. Thanks for any feedback you can offer.
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Massachusetts
I believe my father has been discriminated against in trying to rent an apartment (he was told it had been rented, when we know it is still available and being shown.) Originally, talking to the current tenant who is arranging viewing of the apartment, she said it was available and that she could show it to me, but when she found out it was for my elderly father who just lost his trailer in a flood, she called back and said it had been rented. I emailed under a false name and she says it's still available. The unit is in an owner-occupied duplex. Is there any recourse? Thank you.
**A: it sounds like a problem. Contact HUD and file a complaint.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
**A: it sounds like a problem. Contact HUD and file a complaint.
Owner occupied duplex? Methinks its not likely to go very far.
(b)Nothing in section 804 of this title (other than subsection (c)) shall apply to--

(1) any single-family house sold or rented by an owner: Provided, That such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time: Provided further, That in the case of the sale of any such single-family house by a private individual owner not residing in such house at the time of such sale or who was not the most recent resident of such house prior to such sale, the exemption granted by this subsection shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any twenty-four month period: Provided further, That such bona fide private individual owner does not own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on his behalf, under any express or voluntary agreement, title to or any right to all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale or rental of, more than three such single-family houses at any one time: Provided further, That after December 31, 1969, the sale or rental of any such single-family house shall be excepted from the application of this subchapter only if such house is sold or rented (A) without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or the sales or rental services of any real estate broker, agent, or salesman, or of such facilities or services of any person in the business of selling or renting dwellings, or of any employee or agent of any such broker, agent, salesman, or person and (B) without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of section 804(c) of this title; but nothing in this proviso shall prohibit the use of attorneys, escrow agents, abstractors, title companies, and other such professional assistance as necessary to perfect or transfer the title, or
(2)rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his residence.
(c)For the purposes of subsection (b) of this section, a person shall be deemed to be in the business of selling or renting dwellings if--
(1) he has, within the preceding twelve months, participated as principal in three or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein, or
(2) he has, within the preceding twelve months, participated as agent, other than in the sale of his own personal residence in providing sales or rental facilities or sales or rental services in two or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein, or
(3) he is the owner of any dwelling designed or intended for occupancy by, or occupied by, five or more families.
 

DeenaCA

Member
Age is a protected class under the Massachusetts fair housing statute (state law): see www.mass.gov/mcad/fairhouse.pdf.

The federal fair housing exemption cited in post #7 applies to owners of one multifamily dwelling of no more than 4 units (42 US Code 3603). Some states are more restrictive with the exemption, and MA is one of them. However, MA law still exempts landlords of owner-occupied two-family homes from the fair housing requirements. So in the OP's situation, it sounds like the landlord can legally discriminate against an elderly applicant, as long as they do not publish discriminatory advertising.

Might the LL be concerned about Dad's continued/current mobility and ability to stay?
If the landlord were not exempt, it would be illegal to deny housing on this basis.
 

Banned_Princess

Senior Member
I just want to point out, at no time has this property owner said "no you cant rent this place you are too old."

maybe the owner has a different reason.
 

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