Landlord's Duty to Accommodate Tenants with Disabilities

LANDLORD'S DUTY TO ACCOMMODATE TENANTSWITH DISABILITIES:

  A tenant with a disability is entitled to a reasonable accommodation of that disability. If you have a disability, your landlord may not:

1. Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing: and 

2. Refuse to allow you make reasonable modifications to your dwelling or common use areas, at your expense, if necessary for you to use the housing. (Tenants in public and subsidized housing have additional rights under fair housing laws: for example, you may not need to pay for reasonable modifications for your disability).

  If the landlord doesn't grant your request for a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification, the landlord may be violating your rights under the "Fair Housing" (anti-discrimination) laws.  A landlord who has failed to reasonably accommodate a tenant's disabilities has violated fair housing laws, and the tenant can file a complaint with HUD (1-800-669-9777) within one year of the date of the violation or file a lawsuit in court within two years.

  For more information go to  www.texasbar.com