| Discrimination is always a hot-button issue in | | | | find a landlord whom they can exploit. Take the |
| America and worldwide. However it is also a big | | | | time to find out what the laws are in your |
| issue in the real estate market. In fact, in years | | | | community aside from the FHA and Disabilities |
| past it was such an issue that The Fair Housing | | | | Act. There may be other statutes that ban other |
| Act was passed in 1968 specifically preventing | | | | types of discrimination that you were unaware of. |
| race, religion, status or numerous other forms of | | | | None of this is implying that you would ever |
| discrimination in the housing market. Supplemental | | | | discriminate against anyone, it is to help protect |
| to this is the Americans with Disabilities Act which | | | | you from unscrupulous renters and others who |
| like the FHA, makes it illegal to discriminate against | | | | would use the laws that are in place to gain |
| those with disabilities; metal or physical in the | | | | advantage and leverage over you as a renter. |
| housing market. These acts come into | | | | The courts in this country have seen no end of |
| consideration quite often for landlords who find | | | | lawsuits against landlords who made one small |
| themselves having to secure good tenants for | | | | mistake in their advertising or screening. There is |
| their properties. | | | | no shortage of people out there that want to |
| A good landlord should be careful in every aspect | | | | make a quick buck at someone else's expense. |
| of securing tenants, this includes both the | | | | Make sure that you are protected against those |
| advertising for the property and for the screening | | | | who would attack your assets. Make sure that if |
| process as well. In the United States the FHA is | | | | you are renting properties that you set up a |
| applicable to the advertising of the property, so | | | | company or some sort of business entity that |
| be careful about how the adverts are worded. It | | | | owns the properties. This will ensure that any |
| is unfortunate but there are those that will spend | | | | business judgments will not affect your personal |
| hours looking through the ads for rentals trying to | | | | holdings. |