Is this considered discrimination?

[Ritalin Kid]

My girlfriend and I have been looking for a place to rent in the Knoxville area.. we both have two pets and that makes it pretty hard to find a place that allows pets.. but when we finally did one place in the paper that did allow pets the lady denied us a place to rent due to the fact that we weren't married!?!

She even told me g/f that getting married isn't expensive and we could get married real quick if we wanted to live there.. you could tell that she was a very religious person but I mean when you rent out to people you have to take into consideration that now everyone believes the same way you do and 2nd you shouldn't try to force your lifestyle onto any person..

The real question here is: Is it legal to deny a couple a place to live based on the fact that they choose not to be married?

[DangerSeeker]

Yes, but good luck proving it...catch her on tape saying that's why you can't have the place, call a lawyer, and you might get a few years free rent...or at least a toaster (after the lawyer's cut if you don't get a good one).

get a pocket recorder...don't skimp, either. Garbled recordings will not win a case.

[EDIT]

Maybe you should get some free consultation FIRST...there may be a protocol for getting the recording legally so it may be submissable...

[S.D.Willie]

is this a legal apt? if she says so ask for a certificate of occupancy. actually, i had to do that due to my g/f's landlady. i had to kinda scare her because she tried to evict her after only a month because i stayed there on weekends. she changed her mind, but this is new york and i dont know how it works in knoxville.

SD

[Ritalin Kid]

So this may actually fall under some law?? Is it really illegal to discriminate against a couple because they are not married?

[caddmannq]

Maybe, maybe not. But the worst thing you can to is go into a rental with an adversarial relationship to the landlord.

You really need to rent from someone you can get along with, and who can get along with you.

And, remember: To some landlords it's just a business. To others, it's like they're renting you their own home. In either case, you have to respect their ethics, or you won't have anything but trouble.

[jman01pa]

Originally posted by caddmannq
Maybe, maybe not. But the worst thing you can to is go into a rental with an adversarial relationship to the landlord.

You really need to rent from someone you can get along with, and who can get along with you.

And, remember: To some landlords it's just a business. To others, it's like they're renting you their own home. In either case, you have to respect their ethics, or you won't have anything but trouble.

Nicely said.

FYI - Marriage generally symbolizes stability and good values (yea right). This is real important to a lot of people.

[Ritalin Kid]

My main concern is that is this considered discrimination? Are there not laws that protect people looking for housing?

Please don't take this too personally Rit...
It's a real sore spot with me..
[rant]
What about laws protecting the person that has made the investment the rental!
I get really tired of people that have put no money into housing and then they want to tell someone that has invested their savings and years of their life working on something how they are going to use it!
You can't find a place that takes pets then buy a house dont tell someone that has put the money out that they have to do things your way!

Just because you have a standard of morality that doesn't match someone elses they are supposed to conform to you?

You have no right to impose your morality on someone else! You want to rent her place then get married.. [/rant]

That said I agree with caddmannq.

btw Tennessee is a pretty conservative state and I bet it is illegal to live together...

[caddmannq]

Here in California it would usually be considered discrimination.

Generally:

"Property owners and managers are subject to the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits "any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make such preference, limitation or discrimination."

But this may or may not apply to your particular situation.

Even if it is, and it is actionable, I doubt if it would benefit you to take action.

The only way to know for certain is to see a lawyer.

Also Tennessee probably has a department of Public Welfare, that can help you find answers.

[Ritalin Kid]

You have no right to impose your morality on someone else! You want to rent her place then get married..

We should also have the same equal right to rent as a married couple does.. we're not imposing morality on her it's the other way around.. what if I said I was atheist and don't believe in marriage because marriage is an agreement between 2 people and God and I don't believe in God so therefore I don't believe in getting married??(and no I'm not atheist just trying to prove a point.) Wouldn't it then become an issue of religion? No different then a person denying someone housing because they are Jewish and no it's not different.. because in the end it a person's God given right to live how the choose as long as it does not impose on the same freedom of others it's nobody elses business.

as far as buying a house now that's a commitment far beyond marriage in my opinion.. for one I don't have a down payment because I'm currently in school to better myself.. second I only want to live in Knoxville to finish school not to start a family there.. and third if she doesn't want to rent to unmarried couple and such that she's not comfortable with then maybe she should rent it out to a member of her church.

Point is if she wants to rent to good people and that I am.. I have a great renting background, great credit, and great references.. refusal to rent based on that fact that I and my g/f are not married is discrimination because who are you to determine how much I love my g/f married or not.. and quite frankly it's none of her damn business.

And as far as that goes I have the right to choose when I get married also but for the record a marriage license can never reveal how a person truly feels about another person... I know tons of people who are (or were) married and not happy but did get married just for security. When I get married I want to do it on my terms not those based on what my future landlord may believe.