An ESA is a medical tool and not a pet. Under Federal Fair Housing Laws, Emotional  Back up Animals must have access to apartments with a no-pet policy and are exempt from pet-related fees.

Pets that provide people with comfort have unique housing rights. The law refers to these types of pets as Emotional Support Animals. Emotional Back up Animals assistance aid with an emotional or mental inability. An ESA is a medical tool and not a pet. Under Federal Fair Housing Laws, Emotional  Support Animals must have admission to apartments with a no-pet policy and are exempt from pet-related fees.

If y'all feel like yous may do good and qualify for an ESA, you may read this article for more data.

If y'all are ready to qualify for an emotional support animal letter, complete the questionnaire to connect with a licensed mental wellness professional person today.

Need help? We can help! Get started here
  • FAQ #1 – How exercise I tell my landlord I have an ESA?
  • FAQ #2 – What do I do if my landlord rejects my ESA fifty-fifty after I prove them my ESA letter?
  • FAQ #3 – Can a landlord reject my ESA because information technology is too young or too erstwhile?
  • FAQ #4 – My landlord is requiring me to register my ESA. Can a landlord require ESA registration if I already submitted my ESA letter?
  • FAQ #5 – Can a landlord evict me for getting an ESA?
  • FAQ #6 – Can a landlord question me about my mental or emotional disability?
  • FAQ #7 – When tin can a landlord legally reject an ESA?
How to tell your landlord you have an ESA.

How to Get an ESA Letter to Show my Landlord

In order to qualify for an emotional back up animal, y'all must first accept an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional or LMHP. The ESA letter lets your landlord know that you need the emotional support animal for your disability and that y'all qualify under the Fair Housing Human action. If y'all have an ESA alphabetic character from a real LMHP, your landlord cannot deny your asking or charge you a pet fee and pet deposit.

In social club to go your ESA alphabetic character to show your landlord, you can either connect with a licensed mental wellness professional in existent life or connect with 1 online. The LMHP will determine if an emotional support animal will benefit you and provide a written document requesting your ESA to live with you lot.

To connect with a existent licensed mental health professional online, complete the ESA Questionnaire in the "Get Started" link below.

Get Started

Living with an Emotional Back up Dog or True cat – A Guide to Dealing with Hard Landlords

Although the law is on your side, telling your landlord you have an Emotional Support Animal can be stressful. We will address commonly asked questions and provide tips on how to inform your landlord you lot have an ESA. Although it may be uncomfortable at commencement, standing upwards for your rights is important. Not only for yourself but for other people who may need the support of an ESA.

Be confident in telling your landlord about your ESA. It is your right.
Exist confident in telling your landlord well-nigh your ESA. Information technology is your right.

FAQ #1 – How exercise I tell my landlord I accept an ESA? Particularly if the edifice has a no pet policy or monthly fees/special pet deposit.

Informing your landlord you have an ESA tin can be more challenging than informing an airline you lot are traveling with an ESA. The main issue is that many landlords are unaware of ESA regulations.

The first pace you lot should take before informing your landlord about having an ESA is to understand your rights. Landlords may endeavour to bang-up yous by requesting sensitive medical records or your medical history. This is not legal and is in violation of Off-white Housing standards. Yous do not need to give in to this pressure level. Instead, you should stand up for yourself and other ESA handlers.

From some other perspective, your landlord may also but be unaware of ESA laws. You tin can take this opportunity to inform them of your rights. This will let them to better understand your asking for reasonable accommodations.

Either fashion, it is of import for you to know your legal rights conspicuously. You may read more than near ESA housing rights by this article – Guide to Renting with an ESA.

To make your pet into an official ESA, y'all volition need an ESA alphabetic character from a therapist. This is mandatory, without an ESA letter your pet would not be considered an ESA even if they provide y'all with comfort. If you are currently seeing a therapist, we recommend that you request an ESA alphabetic character from them directly. Nosotros would as well be happy to pair you with a pinnacle creature therapy therapist if your therapist is unaware of ESA laws.

The second pace is submitting your ESA letter of the alphabet via email, fax, or in person. This shows that you accept the necessary documents for yous to live with your emotional back up brute. Emailing your letter volition provide proof that you have submitted your paperwork to your landlord or homeowners association.

Get started on qualifying for an ESA letter past completing the questionnaire in the link below.

Three easy steps to get an ESA Letter with ESA Doctors
Get Started

FAQ #two – What practise I do if my landlord rejects my ESA even after I show them my ESA letter?

If your landlord persists on rejecting your ESA, you lot will ask them to write a formal alphabetic character reflecting this rejection. Yous volition write back to them in an email stating that y'all have provided all necessary documentation (which is an ESA letter of the alphabet from an ESA doctor or licensed mental health professional). You may write back documenting that they are rejecting a reasonable adaptation request . You can and so inform them that you volition be filing a complaint with the HUD for open discrimination of your disability. At this phase, your landlord will be pushed to read up on the police and see that reasonable accommodation is required to emotional support animal handlers. Be calm but fix to fight for your rights, no one should exist forced out of their home or denied housing due to their disability.

Please notation that nosotros are non lawyers and this is not legal advice. This is data that our clients have institute helpful and we hope this is helpful to you lot as well.

FAQ #3 – Can a landlord refuse my ESA because it is too young or too old?

emotional support animal puppy
An emotional support creature cannot be denied past a landlord merely because information technology is a puppy or kitten. Age is not a gene for an ESA.

Emotional support animals cannot exist denied due to their age. Landlords that deny dogs considering they are younger and are considered puppies are not following the rules set out by the Fair Housing Act. With that beingness said, you are responsible for the actions of your ESA. If your puppy causes amercement to the building, you are liable. The central is to clearly explain to your landlord that there are no age requirements for an ESA and that you will be a responsible handler and volition make sure your ESA, regardless of age, is well behaved.

FAQ #4 – My landlord is requiring me to register my ESA. Can a landlord require ESA registration if I already submitted my ESA alphabetic character?

ESA Registration? There is no such thing! Let your landlord know that ESA registries are bogus. All you need is an ESA letter.
ESA Registration? There is no such thing! Let your landlord know that ESA registries are artificial. All you need is an ESA alphabetic character.

The only type of "registration" you need is your ESA alphabetic character. ESA registration is not required past law. The Fair Housing Act only requires an ESA letter signed by a licensed mental wellness professional that is written on their official letterhead.

Whether or not you order an ESA Certification (carve up and not to be dislocated with an ESA letter) is up to you lot. Some people volition prefer to social club a document or belong instead of arguing with their landlord. You can always make this decision, but it is also of import that y'all are enlightened that their request is not mandated by Fair Housing.

FAQ #5 – Tin can a landlord evict me for getting an ESA?

A landlord cannot deny an ESA simply because they do not allow pets.
A landlord cannot deny an ESA simply because they exercise not let pets.

No, your landlord cannot evict you considering they practise non desire you to accept an ESA. This is in direct violation of Fair Housing regulations. You lot are required to request reasonable accommodations for your ESA before bringing them into your flat. If you qualify for an ESA letter, you will submit it to your landlord and request reasonable accommodations for your ESA. Once they grant your request, you may bring your ESA home. You are non required to pay a pet deposit or monthly fee.

Unfortunately, not many landlords or edifice supers are well versed in ESA regulations. If they bully you, do not feel worried. Instead, calmly advise them of your rights and have them verify it with their squad.

Need help? We can help! Get started here

FAQ #6 – Can a landlord question me about my mental or emotional disability?

Landlords cannot question you about your disability. They cannot require that you provide medical information in relation to your ESA.
Landlords cannot question you about your disability. They cannot require that you provide medical information in relation to your ESA.

No, they cannot. But this does not hateful they will non try. If you e'er feel uncomfortable with your landlord's questions, you may request that they email them to y'all. Nearly of the fourth dimension, landlords are only unaware of the rules surrounding emotional support animals. We recommend that you stay calm and clearly explain your rights to them. Let them know that inquiring about your inability is not allowed and recommend they seek legal communication before standing to pressure you to disclose details regarding your disability.

FAQ #7 – When tin can a landlord legally reject an ESA?

At that place are some conditions when a landlord can turn down your ESA. Emotional support animate being protection is meant to protect a person with an emotional or mental disability, the law is not made to punish the landlord. This is why in that location are detail situations where a landlord can reject an ESA.

  1. First – if the animal is too large for the adaptation size. For example, a horse or a llama may be rejected from a minor studio apartment.
  2. Second – if the building has iv units or less and the landlord lives in i of the buildings.
  3. Third – it is a single-family firm that was rented without a realtor and the owner owns less than 3 unmarried family homes.
  4. Quaternary – if the animal in the unit of measurement brings an undue financial hardship to the landlord.
  5. 5th – if the brute causes amercement or impairment to others in the building.

What to do if your landlord continues to discriminate against your ESA

The starting time pace would exist to request that your landlord advise you lot of their current position (refusal, denial, etc.), in writing, as required by law. That means email or letter, but not text.

And so, nosotros recommend that you propose your landlord (in writing) that y'all are willing to file a HUD complaint about open discrimination. We find that the vast majority of landlords will follow the law (even if reluctantly) and approve your ESA rather than violate federal housing laws and disability rights outlined by HUD. It is of import to stand upwards for yourself and the right to live with your emotional back up beast. When faced with the fearfulness of discrimination, recollect that the rules are here to protect you.

Housing Bigotry Complaint Online
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
U.Due south. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, Due south.W. , Room 5242
Washington, D.C. 20410

Other Emotional Back up Animal Rights

Besides housing access, emotional support animals are also immune to wing with their handler on airplanes. To learn more most flight with your ESA, yous may read this article.

Qualify for an emotional back up animal today!

Start Now!

Go the Beloved and Support y'all deserve.

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