Reasonable Accommodations: Your Rights and Actions After Retaliation
When a landlord tries to stop or punish a tenant for asking for a reasonable accommodation or modification, it's retaliation. It's important to know your rights and what actions you can take.
A housing provider cannot retaliate against a tenant for asking for an accommodation or modification.
Retaliatory actions include:
- Not renewing the lease,
- Increasing rent,
- Eviction, or
- Harassment.
If this happens to you, you have options. You can file a complaint with the right agency or get help from a community organization or lawyer.
If you make a fair housing complaint, there are different types of relief:
- Actual Damages: Get money for problems you had because of the discrimination. Examples include: paying more for rent, out-of-pocket expenses, emotional suffering, moving costs, and more.
- Injunctive and Equitable Relief: The landlord needs to fix what they did wrong and stop from doing it again. This might mean training, allowing the change, creating policies, etc.
- Attorney Costs: If you win, the landlord may have to pay for your attorney's costs.
- Civil Penalties or Fines: Government agencies can make landlords pay fines for breaking the laws.
- Punitive Damages: Money awarded to punish the housing provider for severe misconduct and discourage future violations.
- Return of Federal Funds: Landlords may need to return federal funds.
Remember, retaliation is against the law, and there are ways to fight back. Know your rights, and don't hesitate to seek help if you face unfair treatment.
The above article provides information about legal issues but is not the same as legal advice. Legal advice is when a lawyer applies the law to your specific situation. The information in this article does not replace the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. Law Center for Better Housing cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information in this article and is not responsible for any consequences that may result from using it. You should consult with a licensed attorney to ensure the information in this article is appropriate for your specific situation. Using the information in this article does not create a relationship between Law Center for Better Housing and you as your attorney.