What are the rights of Renters with Disibilities?
February 8th, 2007
If you have a disability, you have certain rights as a renter. For example, your property manager or rental owner must allow you to make reasonable modifications to your apartment or home to accommodate your disability. Unfortunately, you are responsible for paying for these modifications.
In addition, the modifications must be necessary to allow you an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the premises. You should not demand unreasonable modifications that provide you with a higher degree of care than for individuals without disabilities.
Rental owners and managers can place certain restrictions on modifications. They can require you to sign an agreement to restore the interior of your rental unit to its original condition. Although they cannot increase your security deposit, you can be required to deposit money into an escrow account that would cover a reasonable estimate of the cost of restoring the unit to its original condition.