is it discrimination if you get denied a house rental if you offer to smoke outside and keep it clean?
141937
I regularly discriminate against smokers, people that have bad credit, people that have poor rental history, and people that don't seem like they want to stay there a long time. \n\nThe fair housing act addresses discrimination and here is a sentence about it:\n\nProperty owners and managers are subject to the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits "any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make such preference, limitation or discrimination."
740873
They just passed a law in a city near San Francisco that prohibits smoking anywhere but a totally detached home.  If you live in a townhouse or apartment it's against the law to smoke.  Next they will be in your home telling you what you can and can't eat.  It's effing ridiculous!
917053
It does seem discriminatory.  But if you suggest this your boss will more likely just cancel the cigarette breaks.  Then you won't be any better off and your co-workers will be worse off.\n\nSo I'd leave well enough alone - you knew how much leave to expect when you took the job
772198
If you feel that this apartment building is discriminating, contact local fair housing agency. Also, I'm not entirely certain if the administrative fee is legal. I would check with fair housing. They are usually very knowledgeable about the law.
799975
Go to the blue pages of your phone book and look up the number for your city or township government. Call the number and ask for assistance with your rental regarding a safety violation. Once it's reported, you will probably find a legal way to put your rent in an escrow account until the work is done. Especially effective if the WHOLE BUILDING does the same thing!\nBut you need to get the gov't on your side and do everything by the book or you could get a black mark on your references.\n\nCity government is there to help you.
931849
You need to understand that not all kinds of discrimination are illegal.  In the real world, people get turned down for things all the time (which is a form of discrimination) based on lack of creditworhiness, ownership of collateral, good references, or any one of a thousand other legal reasons.  Illegal discrimination is discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicap, etc. I would not think that requiring a deposit from you under these circumstances would constitute discrimination unless you suspect that the real reason for the requirement is your race, religion, national origin or any other suspect classification.  Many businesses, including landlords, offer incentives as part of a sales pitch, but there's almost always some fine print that says you have to qualify to get the incentive.  In your case, if your landlord's sales pitch was subject to his receipt of your rental or credit history (a very routine requirement), he had every right to change the offered terms if you don't meet the requirements.  Read your rental application very carefully (look at the fine print on the back) and see if there isn't some language that allows them to modify their requirements depending on your credit, rent history, references, etc.  On the other hand, if you have solid evidence that they are changing the rules because of your race, religion, etc., you may have a case.
469896
This will depend on where you live. I lived in Toronto Canada and had a problem with air conditioning not working. The units were advertised as air conditioned in all rooms. One did not work at all ,it doubled as a heater in winter. We had it running not knowing prior to our renting, it had been on fire! The compressor was no longer installed . Could have had another fire and lost my family. We found out for every month it was not working ( as long as it is stated as being included in lease, and you have put in the proper repair orders)they would have to back pay $50 per unit per month, and would be required to repair and keep in working order. If you get no where and qualify go see your community lawyers for advice. It really depends on location and laws for your area, hope that helps!\n\nMore~SECTION 118. Duties of landlord and tenant\n\nA landlord shall at all times during the tenancy: \nExcept in the case of a single-family residence, keep all common areas of his building, grounds, facilities and appurtenances in a dean, safe and sanitary condition; \nMake all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the tenant's dwelling unit and premises in a fit and habitable condition, \nMaintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by him; \nExcept in the case of one-or two-family residences or where provided by a governmental entity, provide and maintain appropriate receptacles and conveniences for the removal of ashes, garbage, rubbish and other waste incidental to the occupancy of the dwelling unit and arrange for the frequent removal of such wastes; and \nExcept in the case of a single-family residence or where the service is supplied by direct and independently-metered utility connections to the dwelling unit, supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times and reasonable he-at.
222724
useless if on tenants...
952542
Come on, is it that serious with your neighbor's past time?\nOr did he puff all the 20 sticks in one go?\nHow much smoke can be blown into your house from 1 stick?\nHe has his rights too\nWhy not get a barrister and evict him from your neighborhood
142907
I'd call you local disablity law center as well.. The housing inspector, the health dept and anyone else you could think of.. you want to call a mold inspector too.. the house may be condemable,, Stick that in your slumlords tail pipe and let him smoke it.
314600
Propose bills that would allow landlords to NOT allow their tenants to smoke in the units.\nMake cigarettes SO expensive because of taxes that people would NOT buy them.\nAsk family members of people who passed from lung cancer or other smoking related deaths to allow the family member's images be used for a nationwide commerical, targeting smokers.\nInstitute fines for not disposing of cigarette butts properly.
828149
Smokers can sometimes be rude, especially if you ask them politely to smoke somewhere else and they won't, but the stupidity issue is a proven thing. \nNo smoker is stupid enough to not know what it does to them, and to others around them, but they ARE stupid enough to keep smoking.....\nI wish I could help the ones who wanted to quit. I see how much my parents struggle to quit.\n\nConsidering your situation, it's a public health issue. If your landlord doesn't so anything about it, take him to court. You'll win.\nThere are so many laws to protect non-smokers these days, and it's a serious issue.\nI wish you the best of luck.
330539
There must be something else like bad credit etc. I'm a licensed realtor in FL and an addict. and if they actually said your past was the reason, that may be discriminatory, (especially if you get the rentors to say it was because of addiction, I know THAT would be discrimination.)\n\n I had DUI and Fellony posession five years ago too. I'm 5 years clean. If you are, quit bitching and give yourself a pat on the back (or let me)(I just did, ok). ABOVE EVERTHING ELSE, I'M CLEAN. Above everything else, YOUR CLEAN TODAY, so go to sleep and thank God.\n\nIt boils down to this, YOu can choose to be THE Victim, or you can CHOOSE to LEARN from it, quit living in the past, you either perform now (one day at a time) Or you don't, AND TRUST ME IT SOUNDS LIKE I HERE, "POOR ME POOR ME POUR ME A DRINK." Your the one who CHOSE to do drugs, that is why you have to pay. \n\nNow on the bright side, don't let some stupid rent B>S> get you down. You know who you are, and if it makes you feel better, I understand exactly how you feel. Notice I said "how you feel" not "what your going through"\nAddiction is a disease of broken emotions. All addicts have the same stupid voice try to tell us we're no good. The voice is trying to convince you to go get high (poor you). You need a good workout followed by the sauna, 3 back to back meetings, four pots of coffe, and two packs of ciggarettes. If your in N.A., Try to find someone in there to rent you a place. If you were here, we would have you a place in a heartbeat, that is how N.A. is in FL. AA may be stronger where you live, YOu have to ask for help, unfortunatly; but everyone in AA and NA know "how you feel"\nSeriously though, You should (at least for now) be able to find a place to live (temporarily) from some of your NA family. Actually, just switch to AA, you will find what you  need, but ask in a meeting. Yes, outloud, (during burning desire) Say, "I'm fucked, and I need somewhere to stay until I figure this out, I need help please,) That's what I had to do. I had nothing; I was jobless, homeless, penniless, heartless; I had to beg for help in a meeting. Guess what, ten people bumrushed me after wards. They gave me a place to stay, rides to meetings, a job, a bike, any thing I needed, was there, so SPEAK UP>\n\n\nHEY TVINJECKLE, \nSHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH,\nYOU DON'T SAY THAT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED,\nYOUR A FUCKING PANSY,\n\nhEY MANIC MAN,\nyOUR A LITTLE BITCH TOO,\nSHE GOT CAUGHT WITH DRUGS,\nDRUNK DRIVERS KILL MORE THAN ANY OTHER DRUG RELATED OFFENSE,
536063
I have been discrimanated against because I am a woman with a mental illness and suffer seizures - and unfortunately the discrimination comes from those who say they love me the most and want to take the best care of me and that I can trust the most - but there actions don't line up with their words.  I have been denied places to live because I made too much money in a year prior to a year that I had no income whatsoever - I have been denied medicaid because I have no child in my home and yet I have an unlimited amount of expenses!  I was denied shelter at a women's shelter because they could not see any bruises, but I had been a battered wife for five years and finally decided I'd had enough - they told me to come back when it was obvious.  Discrimination happens everyday and it doesn't really matter what color, gender, religion or if you're having sex or not.
1099976
Yes it's legal, especially if you haven't responded to your landlords attempts to contact you.  You could try and countersue for pain and suffering caused by humiliation but you'd almost certainly lose.
584228
a landlord can do pretty much as the please if they put it in the lease and you sign it. did you lie on the application?? that would be grounds for you getting kicked out...
628675
Interesting question!  Most anti-discrimination laws include "national origin" as a bar to discrimination.  This would tend to indicate that the landlord might not be able to refuse for that reason.\n\nThen again, since legal status isn't included in anti-discrimination laws it may be an entirely acceptable and legal discriminatory factor.\n\nBTW, being "illegal" isn't a felony, at least not yet.  Nor is giving aid and comfort.\n\nNow, if the landlord has his or her rental criteria set properly they may be able to bar illegals on other common grounds and side-step the national origin and legal status issues entirely.  Such criteria might include:\n\nSix months with same employer.\nMinimum credit score.\nVerifiable favorable references.\nMinimum verifiable income.\nSpecific debt-to-income ratios.\n\nAs long as the criteria are applied to all prospective tenants the issue of legal status will probably never arise.