As an Orlando landlord, you may encounter tenants with support animals from time to time. Support animals, which include both emotional support animals (ESAs) and service animals, provide necessary assistance and comfort to their owners.
Understanding the responsibilities and rights regarding support animals can be tricky, so, in this blog post, we'll look at some best practices to ensure a smooth process. This includes knowing your legal requirements as a landlord and establishing clear guidelines on support animals in your property. Let's get started.
What Are Support Animals?
Support animals are not the same as pets. Service animals, typically dogs, are trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities.
Emotional support animals, which can be any animal, provide comfort to individuals with emotional or psychological conditions. Both types of support animals are protected by federal laws, such as the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Under this act, landlords are not allowed to refuse to rent to someone with a support animal, even if your property has a no-pet policy. You also cannot charge pet fees or deposits for support animals.
However, tenants must provide documentation from a licensed healthcare professional confirming their need for the support animal.
Establish Clear Guidelines
As a landlord, it's important that you create a clear, written policy on support animals. Start by outlining what documentation you'll need from tenants. You should also set expectations for how tenants should care for and control their animals (you can include some basic rules about behavior and cleanliness, for example).
A good policy helps everyone understand their rights and responsibilities. It can also prevent misunderstandings and make it easier to handle any issues that come up. When everyone knows what to expect, things tend to run more smoothly.
Verify Documentation Properly
Another tip is that when a tenant requests an accommodation for a support animal, you should ask for documentation from a licensed healthcare provider.
This should state that the tenant has a disability and needs the support animal for assistance or emotional support. Be sure to be respectful and maintain confidentiality with this information.
Address Issues Promptly
If a support animal causes damage or disturbances, address the issues promptly and professionally. Document any incidents and communicate with the tenant to find a resolution. Remember, you can require the tenant to cover the cost of any damages caused by the support animal.
Support animals may use common areas like lobbies and hallways. To maintain cleanliness, it's a good idea to provide waste disposal stations and encourage tenants to clean up after their animals. Regularly clean common areas to ensure a pleasant living environment for all tenants.
Managing Support Animals in Orlando Rentals
To sum up, by understanding the legal requirements, establishing clear policies, verifying documentation, and addressing issues promptly, you can effectively manage support animals in your rental properties.
If you are a landlord in Orlando, keen to learn more about rental property laws and pet policies, don't hesitate to speak to SunnySide Properties. As an experienced full-service property management team, you are here to assist with all kinds of landlord responsibilities. Contact us today.
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