An ESA is a medical tool and non a pet. Under Federal Fair Housing Laws, Emotional  Support Animals must have access to apartments with a no-pet policy and are exempt from pet-related fees.

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

If you experience like you may benefit and qualify for an ESA, you may read this article for more information.

If you lot are set to authorize for an emotional back up animal letter, complete the questionnaire to connect with a licensed mental health professional today.

Need help? We can help! Get started here
  • FAQ #ane – How practice I tell my landlord I have an ESA?
  • FAQ #2 – What do I practice if my landlord rejects my ESA even after I show them my ESA letter?
  • FAQ #3 – Can a landlord reject my ESA because it is too young or too old?
  • 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 #v – Can a landlord adios me for getting an ESA?
  • FAQ #6 – Can a landlord question me about my mental or emotional inability?
  • FAQ #7 – When tin can a landlord legally reject an ESA?
How to tell your landlord you have an ESA.

How to Go an ESA Letter of the alphabet to Show my Landlord

In order to authorize for an emotional back up animal, you must offset have an ESA alphabetic character from a licensed mental health professional or LMHP. The ESA letter lets your landlord know that y'all need the emotional support beast for your disability and that you qualify under the Off-white Housing Act. If you have an ESA alphabetic character from a real LMHP, your landlord cannot deny your request or charge you a pet fee and pet eolith.

In order to get your ESA alphabetic character to show your landlord, you tin either connect with a licensed mental wellness professional person in real life or connect with one online. The LMHP will determine if an emotional support beast volition benefit y'all and provide a written document requesting your ESA to live with you.

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

Get Started

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

Although the law is on your side, telling your landlord you lot have an Emotional Support Animal tin can be stressful. We will address commonly asked questions and provide tips on how to inform your landlord you have an ESA. Although it may exist uncomfortable at first, continuing up for your rights is important. Not simply for yourself simply for other people who may need the back up of an ESA.

Be confident in telling your landlord about your ESA. It is your right.
Be confident in telling your landlord nearly your ESA. Information technology is your right.

FAQ #1 – How do I tell my landlord I have an ESA? Peculiarly if the building has a no pet policy or monthly fees/special pet deposit.

Informing your landlord you accept an ESA tin can exist more challenging than informing an airline you are traveling with an ESA. The main outcome is that many landlords are unaware of ESA regulations.

The kickoff stride you should take before informing your landlord about having an ESA is to empathise your rights. Landlords may attempt to slap-up you by requesting sensitive medical records or your medical history. This is not legal and is in violation of Fair Housing standards. Yous do not need to give in to this pressure. Instead, you lot should stand upwards for yourself and other ESA handlers.

From another perspective, your landlord may also simply exist unaware of ESA laws. You can take this opportunity to inform them of your rights. This will allow them to better empathize your request for reasonable accommodations.

Either mode, it is important for you to know your legal rights clearly. You lot may read more than near ESA housing rights by this article – Guide to Renting with an ESA.

To brand your pet into an official ESA, yous will demand an ESA letter of the alphabet from a therapist. This is mandatory, without an ESA letter of the alphabet your pet would not exist considered an ESA even if they provide you with comfort. If you are currently seeing a therapist, nosotros recommend that you request an ESA letter of the alphabet from them directly. We would also be happy to pair you with a height animate being therapy therapist if your therapist is unaware of ESA laws.

The 2d footstep is submitting your ESA letter via email, fax, or in person. This shows that you have the necessary documents for you to live with your emotional support fauna. Emailing your alphabetic character will provide proof that you lot have submitted your paperwork to your landlord or homeowners clan.

Go started on qualifying for an ESA letter by completing the questionnaire in the link below.

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

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

If your landlord persists on rejecting your ESA, you will inquire them to write a formal letter reflecting this rejection. You will write back to them in an e-mail stating that y'all have provided all necessary documentation (which is an ESA letter from an ESA doctor or licensed mental health professional). Y'all may write dorsum documenting that they are rejecting a reasonable accommodation asking . You tin then inform them that you volition exist filing a complaint with the HUD for open discrimination of your disability. At this stage, your landlord will exist pushed to read upwards on the police and see that reasonable accommodation is required to emotional support animal handlers. Exist at-home merely ready to fight for your rights, no one should be forced out of their home or denied housing due to their disability.

Please notation that we are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. This is data that our clients have found helpful and we hope this is helpful to y'all as well.

FAQ #iii – Can a landlord reject my ESA because information technology is too young or as well erstwhile?

emotional support animal puppy
An emotional back up fauna cannot be denied past a landlord just because information technology is a puppy or kitten. Age is not a factor for an ESA.

Emotional back up animals cannot be denied due to their historic period. Landlords that deny dogs because they are younger and are considered puppies are not following the rules set out past the Off-white Housing Human action. With that beingness said, you lot are responsible for the actions of your ESA. If your puppy causes damages to the building, you are liable. The fundamental 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 will make sure your ESA, regardless of historic period, 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? In that location is no such thing! Allow your landlord know that ESA registries are bogus. All you need is an ESA alphabetic character.

The simply type of "registration" you demand is your ESA letter. ESA registration is not required past law. The Off-white Housing Act only requires an ESA letter signed past a licensed mental health professional person that is written on their official letterhead.

Whether or not you lot order an ESA Certification (carve up and not to exist confused with an ESA alphabetic character) is up to you. Some people will prefer to order a certificate or vest instead of arguing with their landlord. Y'all can always make this determination, merely it is also important that yous are enlightened that their asking is not mandated by Off-white Housing.

FAQ #v – Can a landlord adios 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 do not allow pets.

No, your landlord cannot evict you because they do non want yous to have an ESA. This is in straight violation of Fair Housing regulations. You are required to request reasonable accommodations for your ESA before bringing them into your apartment. If you qualify for an ESA letter, yous will submit information technology to your landlord and request reasonable accommodations for your ESA. In one case they grant your request, you may bring your ESA home. You are not required to pay a pet deposit or monthly fee.

Unfortunately, not many landlords or building supers are well versed in ESA regulations. If they bang-up you, do not experience worried. Instead, calmly advise them of your rights and accept them verify it with their team.

Need help? We can help! Get started here

FAQ #6 – Can a landlord question me nigh 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 almost your disability. They cannot require that yous provide medical data in relation to your ESA.

No, they cannot. Just this does not hateful they will not try. If you lot e'er feel uncomfortable with your landlord's questions, you may asking that they email them to you. Most of the time, landlords are but 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 almost your disability is non allowed and recommend they seek legal advice before standing to pressure yous to disembalm details regarding your inability.

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

There are some conditions when a landlord can pass up your ESA. Emotional support animal protection is meant to protect a person with an emotional or mental disability, the law is non made to punish the landlord. This is why in that location are particular situations where a landlord tin reject an ESA.

  1. First – if the fauna is too large for the accommodation size. For example, a horse or a llama may be rejected from a small studio flat.
  2. Second – if the building has 4 units or less and the landlord lives in one of the buildings.
  3. Third – information technology is a single-family house that was rented without a realtor and the possessor owns less than 3 single family homes.
  4. Fourth – if the animal in the unit brings an undue fiscal hardship to the landlord.
  5. Fifth – if the animal causes damages or harm to others in the edifice.

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

The first step would exist to asking that your landlord advise you of their electric current position (refusal, denial, etc.), in writing, as required by law. That ways electronic mail or letter, but not text.

Then, we recommend that you advise your landlord (in writing) that you are willing to file a HUD complaint near open up discrimination. We find that the vast majority of landlords will follow the police force (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 up for yourself and the correct to live with your emotional back up animal. When faced with the fear of discrimination, remember that the rules are here to protect y'all.

Housing Discrimination Complaint Online
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, S.West. , Room 5242
Washington, D.C. 20410

Other Emotional Support Brute Rights

Besides housing admission, emotional back up animals are also allowed to wing with their handler on airplanes. To learn more about flying with your ESA, you lot may read this article.

Authorize for an emotional support fauna today!

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Get the Love and Support you deserve.

Disclaimer: Nosotros are non doctors, a medical dispensary, lawyers or a law firm and we practise not provide legal, medical, business organization or tax advice. None of our representatives are lawyers and they as well do not provide legal, business or taxation advice. The accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the content is not warranted or guaranteed. Our sites and services are not substitutes for the advice or services of an attorney. We recommend yous consult a lawyer or other appropriate professional if you want legal, business or taxation advice .