I was denied an apartment b/c the building doesn't rent to "full-time students" Is this discrimination? I received my letter today, and it was dated May 29th, 2007. Now, I turned in my application last Friday 20 minutes before the office was closed, and after the manager showed me the apartment, she told me it took at least 5-7 days for my background and credit to be checked. Me getting the letter today, with May 29ths date lets me know that NO BACKGROUND/CREDIT check was done!!!!! While I was there, I asked her how much rent was, and if it went by income b/c I was a full-time student (but I also have a FULL-TIME JOB!). The manager told me it did, and that I should be fine. NOWHERE on the application does it state that the complex doesnt rent to students, or students "need not apply". I didnt even have to write "student" anywhere on the application. Do I have enough to file a complaint/lawsuit?
2007-05-31 11:21:38 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Okay, this sounds familiar. If I'm correct, this sounds like LIHTC housing (stands for Low income housing tax credit). Basically what happens behind the scenes is that the developer of the actual building tells the government, "Hey, if you give me a break on my taxes, I'll rent to a certain percentage of the population for a certain percentage of the area median gross income." Usually the split is 20/50 or 40/60, meaning that it's at least 20 percent housed by people making 50% of what the average person in the town makes, or it's at leased 40 percent housed by people making sixty percent or less of what the average person in the town makes. But here's the kicker: The federal government wanted this to be a program to help people, and did NOT want students to take advantage of the program. One student in this building can throw the entire building out of compliance, and the developer can be subject to recapture (meaning all those tax breaks plus interest would have to be repaid to the federal government). It's nothing personal, but just the rules of the program. It's funny, cause at my certification conference last year we heard horror stories about students who had been let in without knowledge, managers later finding out about it, and then making deals with the devil trying to get them out.
Now, if this is tax credit housing, there HAS to be a question about it being a full time student, in addition to all the income and asset questions. Otherwise, I don't see what else cp
2007-06-01 04:13:23 · answer #1 · answered by FMB 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They aren't doing anything illegal, so no, you don't have a case to file a complaint or lawsuit. If they said they didn't rent to people of a particular race, gender or religion, that would be discrimination - students are not a legally protected class.
In some areas, there are also laws that landlords can't refuse to rent to families because they have children.
2007-05-31 11:37:12 · answer #2 · answered by Judy 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have to be an officer of the law since this is a situation where someone is breaking the law. The most you could do is to have an organization where you help the police to search for children or lobby for more penalites for sex offenders. The basic answer is that civilians cannot be vigilante keepers of justice. The law doesn't allow it.
2016-05-17 23:51:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without actually seeing the documents it would be hard to say one way or another. Not renting to student, is discriminatory, but legal. As long as all students are excluded, all ages, all sexes and all religions.
As Dr. Phil says on his show, there are two sides to every story. Have you talked to them to see what they say and what their explanation is. Everything might be able to be cleared up with a simple phone call.pp
2007-05-31 11:30:22 · answer #4 · answered by ttpawpaw 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're in the UK, then there's nothing you can do. There's no law against discriminating against students. Hey, if you had a flat that you rented out, you'd want to be able to choose who lived there.
2007-05-31 11:29:00 · answer #5 · answered by Joe 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe, but I doubt it. Students, regardless of race or color, tend to:
a) party more then non-students
b)have less available cash
Both are bad for the landlord- she's steryotyping you, but I don't think she's discriminating.
2007-05-31 11:30:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Most students are broke, and party a lot. If you were a land lord would you want that? Probably not.
2007-05-31 15:25:30 · answer #7 · answered by frankie b 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They can rent to whoever they want to. It's just like a restaraunt can deny service to whoever they want to. Any business can do that. Retype "Doesn't", you spelled it wrong.
2007-05-31 11:28:09 · answer #8 · answered by stuffyluvbug 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋