Legal Requirements & Disclosures Flashcards

An owner lives in one unit of a four-unit building and rents the others without a broker. Which Fair Housing Act rule still applies?

Answer: Prohibition on discriminatory advertising

Even exempt owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units cannot publish discriminatory advertisements.

Under HUD guidance, which tenant screening policy is most likely to create fair housing liability?

Answer: Blanket bans on any applicant with an arrest record

HUD's 2016 guidance warns that blanket criminal history bans, especially those based on arrests, may have an unjustified disparate impact.

What occupancy standard does HUD generally treat as reasonable under the Keating Memorandum?

Answer: Two persons per bedroom

The Keating Memo treats two persons per bedroom as a generally reasonable starting standard, subject to other factors.

Before renovating painted surfaces in a 1970 apartment for compensation, what must the contractor provide occupants under the EPA RRP Rule?

Answer: The Renovate Right pamphlet

The RRP Rule requires renovators to give occupants the Renovate Right pamphlet before work begins on pre-1978 housing.

A landlord raises a tenant's rent right after the tenant reported code violations to the city. What legal concern does this raise?

Answer: Retaliation

Many state laws prohibit retaliatory actions such as rent increases after a tenant exercises legal rights.

A leasing agent shows minority applicants only units in one building and directs other applicants elsewhere. What is this practice called?

Answer: Steering

Steering directs people toward or away from housing based on a protected characteristic.

Which source of law most often controls the timing for returning a security deposit and providing an itemized deduction list?

Answer: State landlord-tenant law

Security deposit limits, return deadlines, and itemization requirements are mostly set by state law.