Fair housing testing is an essential tool for ensuring that property owners and managers comply with fair housing laws. The practice involves sending testers, who pose as potential renters, to assess whether landlords and property managers are engaging in discriminatory practices. As a landlord or property manager, it’s crucial to be prepared for when a tester comes to call. In this article, we’ll explore who can be a tester and the common methods they employ. We’ll also share tips to help ensure that you don’t fail your fair housing test.
Who Can Be a Tester and Where Can They Test?
Testers can come from various backgrounds and organizations. They can work for state fair housing departments, private fair housing advocacy groups, or the Department of Justice. Regardless of who they work for, their goal is to ascertain whether landlords and property managers are following the law and are fair housing compliant.
Testers use leading questions to target known trouble spots within the industry. Vague or leading questions should immediately set off warning bells in your mind that you are talking to a tester. You need to be sure that you are not saying or doing anything that could be interpreted as a violation.
Where might you come across a tester? Essentially, any place a potential renter would cross paths with a leasing agent can be a testing ground. Testers employ all forms of contact, including phone, email, social media outlets, and on-site visits. By far, though, the phone is the most widely used as it is the most cost- and time-efficient. Letâs consider two common topics used by telephone testers.
What Are Your Pet Policies?
One of the most common topics used in testing is about animals or pets. Testers will give just enough information to see how you or your staff respond. For example, a person calls in and says they are interested in your property but want to make sure their dog would be allowed, and the dog is a German Shepherd. It’s essential to note that the person said “their dog,” not “their pet.”
By assuming that the dog is a pet and wouldnât pass your breed restriction policy, you could be setting yourself up for a fair housing complaint. Best practices dictate that pet policies can be discussed as long as assistance-animal policies are also shared. Along with that, it is always a good policy to encourage the person to come in and fill out an application, as that is what will genuinely determine eligibility.
Is Your Property Accessible?
Another common question during fair housing testing is about accessibility. Consider this scenario, a person calls in and asks if the property is accessible because they require the use of mobility aids. It’s crucial to note that even if a property is not very accessible, and you have the best of intentions, you should never disclose this information and should avoid recommending more accessible properties. This can appear as discrimination and steering, which are violations of fair housing laws.
The correct response is to encourage them to visit the property’s website to see more images and arrange for a tour if they wish. You should never discourage a potential renter from coming in to take a tour or fill out an application under any circumstances.
Tips to Help Ensure You Pass Your Fair Housing Test
Educate yourself and your team: Proper training is key to ensuring fair housing compliance. It’s essential to educate yourself and your team on fair housing laws, including federal, state, and local laws. Make sure you are familiar with protected classes and any exemptions that may apply to your property.
Have clear policies and procedures: Develop clear policies and procedures for renting your property, including pet policies and assistance-animal policies. Make sure they are easily accessible to anyone who needs them.
Document everything: Document everything, including conversations with potential renters and any decisions you make regarding their eligibility. This documentation can be helpful in case of a fair complaint.
These are just a few topics that can come up during a fair housing test, but anything related to fair housing can be utilized. Regardless of whether you agree with testing and the tactics testers are legally allowed to use, fair housing training is key to ensuring fair housing compliance.
We have teamed up with The Fair Housing Institute to get our readers 15% OFF all courses. We get nothing for it, so just enjoy the perk and use code YLR2023 at checkout!
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đCheck out our other blogs to guide you on your self-management journey as a landlord:
Beyond The Fico Score, How to Read an Applicants Credit Report
Marketing Your Property: Get to Know the Neighborhood
Tips for Taking Great Rental Property Photos
10 Things Tenants Need To Know From Landlords When They Move In
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Part 2 on Rental Property Insurance!
Last episode, we went over the nuts and bolts of residential rental property insurance. We talked all about house hackers, single family home rentals, all the way up to multi-family units and what kind of coverage was important to each circumstance.
Part 2 is where we bring in the professional and interview our broker and insurance agent, Ryan Bravo.
Ryan and his brother Michael have been in insurance since the early 2000âs and took over their fatherâs booming insurance brokerage when he passed suddenly. These two are killing it in the insurance industry.
Theyâve won countless awards and are among the top 150 Farmers Insurance agencies in the country. Kevin and I are so lucky to have these guys on our team, for home and for business!
Hereâs what we discussed with Ryan:
âŞď¸ The current state of the insurance industry and why many agencies are pulling out of states with a high risk of natural disasters.
âŞď¸ The basics of a rental property policy and what it covers and does NOT. Plus, what are some riders or endorsements rental property owners should consider adding to their policies.
âŞď¸ Umbrella polices, who should have one? Also, are they needed with the protection of an LLC?
âŞď¸ He gave advice to a listener who submitted a question what to do after losing his insurance after filing a large claim.
âŞď¸ Lastly, he gave five questions rental property owners should be asking new insurance agents when interviewing them. This is common if you purchase your rentals out of stateâŚ
There was A LOT of useful information from the perspective of an insurance agent in this episode.
Give it a listen and if you love it, will you please do us a favor and leave a kind review on your favorite podcast platform? This will really help our little podcast grow and reach other DIY landlords.
How to get in touch with Ryan Bravo:
Email: Ryan@TheBravoAgency.com
Webpage: https://BravoInsuranceAgency.com
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We had to split this subject into two podcasts so that our listeners wouldnât get too overwhelmed with all the info we are throwing at them.
This week we are discussing everything we know about rental property insurance for all sized residential investment properties.
We talk about when you can and when you cannot use a traditional homeownerâs policy for your rentals, which kind of rental policy is best and what your decision should be based on.
We couldnât give you nuts and bolts about rental insurance without addressing umbrella policies and our varying thoughts on when those are best put to use.
Who doesnât learn best by listening to stories of what other rental property owners have experienced? We have a few juicy stories to share too!
Finally, we talk about a few other options that are available to enhance your coverage.
The bottom line about any insurance is it comes down to liability and risk assessment.
So, tune in and listen to our thoughts about rental property insurance policies!
NEXT WEEK: In Part 2, we do a Q & A with our insurance broker/agent who just so happens to be among the top insurance agents in the US.
LINKS
đRead our Blog: Why Landlords Should Require Renters Insurance
đRead our Blog: The Who, What, When, and Why of Residential Vacancy Insurance
đEZ Landlord Forms
At EZLandlordForms, the goal is to make it EZ for anyone to be a great Landlord, get the most out of their investment, and get the most out of their experience as a landlord. Whether you’re a large Landlord with 200 units or a mom-and-pop Landlord with 2 units, they’ve got the tools to make your life easier.
Because their team is made up of real estate investors and Landlords, they know that a landlordâs work isn’t over once you sign a Lease Agreement. That’s why they have over 400 property management forms covering every phase of the Landlord lifecycle, including over 200 Free Landlord Forms.
Make your life as a landlord easier today by Creating a âFree Accountâ to access their free tools or becoming a âPro Memberâ to access their state-specific Lease Agreements and their entire library of Property Management forms for Landlords.
The cost for pro membership is $12 per month or $75 for the annual account. They now offer a lifetime pro membership for $399! Thatâs a killer deal!
With a rating of 4.8 from over 5,000 reviews, EZLandlord Forms is the perfect source for landlords!
đBest Primer for smoke damage: Zinsser B-I-N Advanced Primer with ultimate stain blocker
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Wow, is this not one of the most frustrating things to happen as a landlord?
You get a good tenant placed or signed on for a lease renewal, giving you the feeling of security and ability to relax a bit. But noooooo, the tenant contacts you to say that they need to end their lease, either for professional or personal reasons.
You know itâs not easy for your tenant to give you bad news and know that, depending on the circumstance, you should be compassionate or show support for this change they are experiencing.
We are here to guide you on the legal reasons why a tenant is allowed to terminate their lease, how to handle non-legal reasons, and even what to do if you, as the landlord, needs to end a tenantâs lease early.
Lots of juicy advice in this episode! So, tune in and if you love it, would you do us a favor and leave a kind comment? We are really trying to reach all those DIY landlords and all these podcast platforms really like it when listeners share their experience! I know we tend to check out reviews to help us decide if something is a good fit for us, help us do this for other podcast listeners.
LINKS
National Domestic Violence Hotline
A website that informs you about what abuse is, how to get help, plan for safety, and is loaded with resources for those who need help.
15% OFF any Fair Housing Institute course! Use code: YLR2023
TurboTenant Landlord Software
TurboTenant is a great option for landlords with just a few doors or for those who may be new to using rental property software.
For the most part, TurboTenantâs software is free to use so they are perfect for those on a tight budget.
With a very minimal monthly fee, landlords can upgrade to have such items as all landlord forms, leases, and addendums included as well as accelerated marketing, rent deposits, and customer service assistance on TurboTenant.
At EZLandlordForms, the goal is to make it EZ for anyone to be a great Landlord, get the most out of their investment, and get the most out of their experience as a Landlord. Whether you’re a large Landlord with 200 units or a mom-and-pop Landlord with 2 units, they’ve got the tools to make your life EZier.
Because their team is made up of real estate investors and Landlords, we know that a Landlord’s work isn’t over once you sign a Lease Agreement. That’s why we have over 400 property management forms covering every phase of the Landlord lifecycle, including over 200 Free Landlord Forms.
Make your life as a Landlord EZier today by Creating a Free Account to access our free tools or becoming a Pro Member to access our state-specific Lease Agreements and our entire library of Property Management forms for Landlords.
Cost for pro membership is $12 per month or $75 for the annual account. They now offer a lifetime pro membership for $399! Thatâs a killer deal!
With a rating of 4.8 from over 5,000 reviews, EZLandlord Forms is the perfect source for landlords!
Want the podcast link emailed to you weekly? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter, Landlord Weekly!
âŞď¸Landlord Tips âŞď¸ Early Access to Our Blogs âŞď¸ Landlord Specific Articles by Other Industry Pro’s âŞď¸Podcast Links
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Who doesnât like to earn more profit??
We have given A LOT of examples of small items you can implement in your rental property business that will pay off BIG at the end of the year.
Many of these suggestions do not take a lot of time or management but some do take some cash to get them up and running. However, if you are setting aside cash reserves, THIS is what you want to use some of those funds for!
If you want to be a successful rental property owner, you MUST start to think like a businessperson and create multiple ways to add income to your bottom line.
When you go to sell your property and scale up to bigger and better units, these profit boosters will really help close the deal!
Give this episode a listen and see what suggestions we make that fit into your rental property business plan.
LINKS
Suncast BMS2000 Vertical Shed
We added a few of these to the back area of our 6-plex recently and charge $35 a month for tenants to rent them. The rent pays them off in less than 8 months and then itâs 100% profit as long as they stay rented.
We did not need to hire anyone to assemble, they were fairly easy to DIY!
The units do not come with any shelving, so we cut a few boards for tenants to be able to organize their items easier. WIN-WIN!
Click HERE to read more about these sheds!
Purchase our 6-Page Inspection Checklist ($5.00)
For properties up to 4 bedroom/4 bath and includes all pertinent areas to be inspected, including the exterior.
To date, this product is the only item we charge for. Help support our site while getting a valuable tool you can use over as many times as you’d like!
Click here to read more about what is included in the form.
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This episode veers off the âhow toâ path and takes a look at the challenges we face as rental property owners.
Sometimes being a landlord is not easy. Often there are a lot of demands from your tenants, or your home, or a 9-5 job, or the needs of family and friends. Likely, all the demands seem to come at once!
We all want to be able to be there and âdo it allâ but is that whatâs best for us and for our loved ones?
We donât get specific as to exactly what you need to do to find peace; Only YOU can do that. Instead, we discuss challenges we have faced and suggest 4 steps that we are consistently referring back to for us to minimize the overwhelm.
Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts on the subject matter.
LINKS:
Our Top 5 Prescreening Questions we always ask and why we ask them!
Last year we added prescreening questions to our tenant evaluation policy.
Why? Because we got tired of getting excited about meeting a potential applicant, only to find out they did not qualify to rent our unit.
Yes, the criteria are listed in our ad copy, but 75% of potential applicants skip right over it.
Better to come right out and ask if they qualify before you set up a meeting. Itâs a waste of our time and theirs to not be upfront about our criteria.
We have a list of specific questions we ask each prospective tenant prior to even meeting them in person. This saves time and time is money.
Grab our FREE Download today!
WE LOVE INSTACART!
There are weeks we just have to hand grocery shopping duties off to others and using Instacart has been a game changer for us!
Sure, thereâs a minimal cost for the service, but the time saved and then used on more important tasks is priceless.
We use them for delivery of groceries, last minute gifts, and to deliver goods to family members in need⌠think college kids who arenât feeling well or aging parents who canât get to the store themselves.
Some stores we love to have them shop at for us are Costco, Target, Walmart, CVS/Walgreens, BevMo or Total Wines đ, ALL our local grocery stores, and even Lowes!
We have a $30 coupon if you want to give it a try!
Just click this link or enter code: SCASELLA1161F4 at checkout!
TurboTenant is a great option for landlords with just a few doors or for those who may be new to using rental property software.
For the most part, TurboTenantâs software is free to use so they are perfect for those on a tight budget.
With a very minimal monthly fee, landlords can upgrade to have such items as all landlord forms, leases, and addendums included as well as accelerated marketing, rent deposits, and customer service assistance on TurboTenant.
Hemlane is a software that is built to grow with your needs as a landlord.
For a minimal amount, you get a really good basic package but what we love is that you can upgrade to add 24/7 maintenance management on to your package. Your tenants then have a contact number to reach out to and Hemlane will then contact YOUR maintenance people specified and get the job done.
It gets better! If you reach a place where you are ready to hand off management to a property manager, Hemlane has that too under their âCompleteâ option.
Doorloop is relatively new to the landlord software space but they are global and can handle any property in any country and with any currency.
Where their features are similar to the others, from a tech standpoint, Doorloop is top notch.
Itâs extremely modern and intuitive.
There are help pop-ups all through the dashboard if needed, it’s fully customizable, there are reporting templates, and they are optimized for mobile devices and tablets.
Doorloop has thousands of apps which can be integrated with their software like google docs, accounting software, etc. so that you donât have to perform double entries. One of them being Quickbooks which was a huge plus for us!
Quickbooks is our go to software for accounting and bookkeeping. Using QuickBooks allows us to do a deeper dive into analysis and evaluate income and expenses.
We can segment these income and expenses by property and even down to the unit which is really nice OR we can see an overall picture of how we are doing with all properties combined.
We especially like that Quickbooks has a mobile app for us to accept payments on the go. This makes taking in person application fees and security deposits VERY convenient.
Want the podcast link emailed to you weekly? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter, Landlord Weekly!
âŞď¸Landlord Tips âŞď¸ Early Access to Our Blogs âŞď¸ Landlord Specific Articles by Other Industry Pro’s âŞď¸Podcast Links
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This is a very important episode! It is packed with a lot of technical information so when you listen, try to be in a space where you can focus on what we are saying. We cover EVERYTHING we know about creating and operating an LLC.
There are a lot of pros and cons included in this episode and we give you a list of points to consider when thinking about whether an LLC is a good idea for you to hold your rental property investments in.
From what goes into the creation and maintenance of an LLC to the location of your LLC should be when you own out of state property, as well as how an LLC can even benefit your heirs, we really did try to discuss all the points that one would need to know before making the decision.
We hope this, as with all our episodes, gives you something to think about when creating a professional and streamlined rental property business.
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Welcome to the second part of our two-part series all about creating your rental property team. If you missed last week where we chat about our maintenance contacts and who we depend on in our field operations, please give episode 14 a listen!
This episode discusses our business contacts who we depend on in our office operations.
Both Kevin and I have business degrees, but they donât mean anything if we try to DIY it all and donât realize when its best to hand business operations off to the professionals.
We rely on a few professionals that have walked us through THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of our business.
We are sure you can guess our CPA and our attorney but give it a listen to find out who else is essential to our team and building our success as rental property owners!
Lastly, we briefly discuss the software we rely on and a few we are looking into to continue to streamline our business practices.
LINKS:
TurboTenant is a great option for landlords with just a few doors or for those who may be new to using rental property software.
For the most part, TurboTenantâs software is free to use so they are perfect for those on a tight budget.
With a very minimal monthly fee, landlords can upgrade to have such items as all landlord forms, leases, and addendums included as well as accelerated marketing, rent deposits, and customer service assistance on TurboTenant.
Hemlane is a software that is built to grow with your needs as a landlord.
For a minimal amount, you get a really good basic package but what we love is that you can upgrade to add 24/7 maintenance management on to your package. Your tenants then have a contact number to reach out to and Hemlane will then contact YOUR maintenance people specified and get the job done.
It gets better! If you reach a place where you are ready to hand off management to a property manager, Hemlane has that too under their âCompleteâ option.
Doorloop is relatively new to the landlord software space but they are global and can handle any property in any country and with any currency.
Where their features are similar to the others, from a tech standpoint, Doorloop is top notch.
Itâs extremely modern and intuitive.
There are help pop-ups all through the dashboard if needed, it’s fully customizable, there are reporting templates, and they are optimized for mobile devices and tablets.
Doorloop has thousands of apps which can be integrated with their software like google docs, accounting software, etc. so that you donât have to perform double entries. One of them being Quickbooks which was a huge plus for us!
Quickbooks is our go to software for accounting and bookkeeping. Using QuickBooks allows us to do a deeper dive into analysis and evaluate income and expenses.
We can segment these income and expenses by property and even down to the unit which is really nice OR we can see an overall picture of how we are doing with all properties combined.
We especially like that Quickbooks has a mobile app for us to accept payments on the go. This makes taking in person application fees and security deposits VERY convenient.
Bigger Pockets is a great free resource for real estate investors. They have created a huge community and their site is filled with educational forums, blogs, and podcasts all about the investing side of rental property investments. Click HERE to learn more.
AAOA: Every rental property owner needs a landlord association. At American Apartment Owners Association (AAOA), their mission is to serve the interests of landlords, real estate brokers, property managers, real estate owners and apartment building owners nationally for FREE.
Rental property management can be very demanding. Their job is to make this day-to-day property management process smoother. We take pride in offering comprehensive landlord help so you can attain your goals.
For a fee, the American Apartment Owners Association provides a range of features from tenant screening services and tenant background checks to landlord rental application forms and apartment financing.
They also provide full access to over 120,000 local contractors nationwide. These resources and more, including tenant background check, tenant eviction reports, and debt collection services, are provided to landlords, property managers, and investors.
Want the podcast link emailed to you weekly? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter, Landlord Weekly!
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Hoarding disorder is a complex mental health condition that can have significant implications for both the individual and the surrounding community. By understanding the unique challenges faced by hoarders and implementing appropriate strategies, landlords can create safe and habitable living environments while upholding the principles of fair housing.
Understanding Hoarding Disorder:
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Welcome to part one of a two-part series all about creating your rental property team. This episode discusses our maintenance contacts that we lean on in our field operations and the importance of a rental property maintenance team.
We are pretty handy when it comes to maintenance, but at some point, we had to learn how to hand projects off to those who can do it most efficiently. There does come a time where, even as a DIY landlord, you have to set aside your pride and desires to âdo it allâ and let the professionals handle things. Remembering that time is money but letting others shine is important too.
Because we have a multitude of people we work with in our business, we did focus only on the primary points of contact we make. So, we talk a bit about each and every team member we use on a regular basis and then some we donât use as often, but still play a crucial role in our rental property maintence team and business as a whole.
Next week we will release part two, Developing Your Office Operations and Business Team which explores all those, including software, that contribute to our efficiency on the business side of managing our rental properties.
LINKS:
How To Place Your Ideal Tenant Guide
Our FREE 10-Page comprehensive landlord guide on setting property policies, marketing your unit, how to vet a tenant, pointers on how to set up your lease, and processing the move in walkthrough.
From Marketing Your Unit to Vetting the (Prospective) Tenant, this wide ranging guide is an important reference to have in your landlording arsenal! Includes lease tips plus advice on the tenant move-in procedure.
Use a property manager? These tips and guidance are ones you should be making sure your PM is executing on for you.
You should have basic knowledge on how to market your rental property and place the best tenant in it! You own the property, so you are ultimately responsible for all actions performed on your behalf.
Knowing these fundamentals can help you confirm youâve got the best PM running your properties OR help you realize itâs time to look for someone new.
Want the podcast link emailed to you weekly? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter, Landlord Weekly!
âŞď¸Landlord Tips âŞď¸ Early Access to Our Blogs âŞď¸ Landlord Specific Articles by Other Industry Pro’s âŞď¸Podcast Links