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Disabled Tenants Rights
The Disability Discrimination Acts provide rights to people who have disabilities and includes provisions relating to disability discrimination with regard to the letting of property
In terms of these Acts, a disabled person should be treated in the same way as any other person with regard to the letting of property and it is unlawful for anyone involved in the letting of property to discriminate against disabled persons.
It's illegal for landlords and letting agents to discriminate against you if you're disabled. This means that they must not treat you less favourably than a non-disabled person because of your disability.
For example, your landlord or letting agent can't refuse to rent a property to you because you are disabled or refuse to let you keep a guide dog or other assistance dog under a 'no pets' rule. If your tenancy agreement contains an invalid clause prohibiting pets, legally there is nothing to stop you keeping a dog. You are entitled to ignore the clause and treat the tenancy as if it were not here.
Your landlord has no right to charge you a higher rent or a larger deposit than other tenants, although they are allowed to keep back some or all of your deposit if you've damaged the property for a reason related to your disability, for example your wheelchair has damaged the flooring.
Your landlord cannot refuse to let you use additional facilities which are available to other tenants, such as a laundry room, storage space, car parking space or garden, or make it impossible for you to access them.
It is unacceptable harass you in any way. The harassment can include the use of offensive language or any other behaviour that upsets or disturbs you.
Also the landlord cannot evict you because you are ill or disabled. You can only be evicted for legitimate reasons, such as rent arrears or antisocial behaviour, so long as these are not related to your disability.
Your landlord cannot include terms in your tenancy agreement which they wouldn't include in a non-disabled person's and make you wait longer on a council or housing association waiting list because you have a disability or give you less secure tenancy.
Your landlord cannot refuse you the right to change the property to suit your disability as long as you agree to pay for any necessary changes.
Being disabled doesnt mean you cant enjoy the same rights and privileges afforded to able people when renting. Know your rights as a disabled tenant!
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Gardens
Judith186
Monday 03 December 2012 7:01:31 am