Guide to Renting an Apartment With an Emotional Support Animal

Below are some steps and tips to consider when approaching your landlord, building owner, HOA, or co-op that will help you successfully bring your emotional support animal into your rental home.

1. Get an ESA Letter from a Healthcare Provider

   Under Fair Housing rules, landlords are permitted to request documentation from a renter in order to prove that their animal companion is an actual emotional support animal.
   
   Only one form of documentation will do the job under Fair Housing Rules: a recommendation letter from a licensed healthcare professional.
   
   An ESA letter from a licensed professional will establish that you have a qualifying disability such as (but not limited to) depression, anxiety, or PTSD, and state your need for an emotional support animal to address your health issues. You can see a full list of requirements for ESA letters here.
   If you would like to qualify for an ESA letter remotely, that is an option available to you as well.

2. Let Your Landlord Know About your ESA

   If possible, the best approach is to proceed in a friendly and open manner. You can make your ESA request verbally or in writing (via email, for example).
   
   – Most landlords are happy to comply with their obligations under Fair Housing rules.
   – Your landlord is entitled to verify that your animal is an ESA by requesting an ESA letter.
   – You are not under any obligation to disclose your specific disability or other sensitive details about your condition.
   – Under Fair Housing guidance, landlords are encouraged to engage in a good-faith interactive dialogue with the tenant to resolve any issues regarding their ESA request.
   
   Once you submit a request for ESA accommodation, your housing provider has 10 days to respond. They cannot charge you an application fee or any other type of fee to consider your ESA request. If the landlord has any doubts or questions about your request, they should let you know what they feel is missing and offer you an opportunity to provide additional information. Under Fair Housing rules, landlords are only permitted to deny an ESA request in limited circumstances, such as if they determine the ESA is a safety risk to others.
   
   Should I hold off on disclosing that I have an ESA? It is valid to be worried about being discriminated against and rejected for an apartment before you even sign the lease. There is no Fair Housing mandate to disclose an ESA at the time you apply for an apartment. Landlords are also obligated to consider an ESA request from a tenant whenever they receive it.
   
   Keep in mind that landlords are long-term relationships. You should weigh the above factors against whether it will truly matter if you disclose your ESA to your landlord when applying for an apartment and how your landlord might react if they later feel misled. There is a human component to consider when dealing with a landlord who you may have to live with for a potentially long time. Remember, federal laws protect your right to live with an emotional support animal, but some renters choose to submit their ESA request after they sign their lease because it gives them comfort that they will not be subjected to unwarranted discrimination.

3. Make Sure your Animal Behaves

   Under Fair Housing rules, there are certain situations where a landlord is allowed to deny an ESA request. For example, the landlord can validly reject an ESA if the landlord makes a determination that having the ESA in the home would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals. Landlords can also deny ESAs that would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others, and renters are liable for any damage caused by their ESA.
   Although landlords can’t request a pet deposit or fees for an ESA, they are allowed to deduct any expenses for damages from the tenant’s general security deposit.
   
   A well-behaved ESA also serves as a good ambassador for other ESAs and their owners. The ESA community at large benefits from showing landlords and other residents that emotional support animals won’t interfere with their daily lives and do not pose any type of threat to their safety or property.

4. Understand what Rights you Have as an ESA Owner

   The Fair Housing Act was enacted to stop landlords and building owners from discriminating against tenants that need special assistance in the form of emotional support. Under these rules, renters with ESAs are protected and have special rights.
   
   As previously discussed, ESAs must be accommodated even in buildings that normally forbid pets. In addition, housing providers are not allowed to charge a fee or deposit relating to the emotional support animal, even though they may charge tenants that have normal pets. It is also important to note that housing providers cannot disallow an ESA solely because it is a certain breed or weight. For example, even if a building’s policies prohibit dogs over 20 pounds, the housing provider must still accommodate a large emotional support dog.
   
   Fair Housing exemptions: Most types of rented housing, including apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes, are protected. Some smaller rental buildings are exempt from Fair Housing rules regarding ESAs. Renters that are in either (1) owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units or (2) single-family houses sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent are not protected by Fair Housing rules. However, many landlords in these types of housing will still accommodate ESAs as a courtesy, even though legally, they are not obligated to do so.