Fair housing laws ensure your right to rent a property without being discriminated against. If you have a disability and feel that a landlord has denied your rental application, you may have grounds to sue or file a complaint with the fair housing agency in your area. Here are a few things you need to know to pursue your case.

A Landlord Can't Ask About Your Disability

When you meet with a landlord about a rental property, he or she can't ask about your disability or make decisions to rent based on your disability. This means that you are entitled to view any property listing that is available, even if the landlord doesn't think it is the right unit for you. If you've been asked about your disability and were subsequently denied the ability to rent the unit, you may have grounds for legal action.

A Landlord Must Make Reasonable Accommodations

A landlord might try to break your lease based on the fact that renting to you might require him or her to make accommodations to make your unit more accessible. These accommodations might include preferential parking in the adjoining lot or make common areas in the building more accessible. If the landlord is unwilling to spend the money to make these changes and attempts to revoke your lease, you can file a discrimination suit. Similarly, you must be allowed to make reasonable changes to the property that make the home livable. These changes might include lowering the kitchen counters for wheelchair accessibility or installing grab bars near the toilet and bathtub. Your landlord does not have to pay for these changes, but he or she can't deny you the ability to make them as long as the changes don't make the unit less desirable for people moving in after you.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

Hiring a disability attorney can help you to navigate the legal system as you defend your rights. Your attorney can help you file a lawsuit or a complaint with the local fair housing authority in your area. You may be able to receive compensatory damages, or you may be able to compel the landlord to rent a property to you. If your landlord is seeking to break your lease because you are disabled, your attorney can fight for your right to remain in the unit. In some cases where the landlord's behavior is particularly egregious, you may be able to ask for punitive damages.

Having a disability doesn't diminish your right to fair housing under the law. If you suspect that you've been discriminated against or have been treated unfairly, contact a disability attorney to help protect your rights.

To learn more, contact a disability attorney like Bruce K Billman.