EstatePass
Practice Of Real Estate DisclosuresFair_housingMEDIUM

A California tenant with a physical disability requests that the landlord install a ramp at the building entrance. Under California fair housing law, what is the landlord's obligation regarding this request?

Correct Answer

B) The landlord must permit the reasonable modification, and the tenant generally bears its cost, even in a common area

Installing a ramp is a reasonable modification, a physical change to the premises, as distinguished from a reasonable accommodation, which is a change in a rule, policy, practice or service. Under the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. §3604(f)(3)(A)) and FEHA (Gov. Code §12927(c)(1)) it is discrimination to refuse to permit a reasonable modification made at the expense of the person with the disability, so the landlord cannot say no but does not ordinarily pay, and that allocation holds for common areas as well as the tenant's own unit. The landlord may condition approval on restoring the interior of the unit when the tenant leaves, but not on tearing out an entrance ramp that does not interfere with other occupants' use. The landlord does bear the cost where the feature was legally required when the building was built, where the housing receives federal financial assistance, or where what the tenant actually needs is a policy change rather than construction.

Answer Options
A
The landlord may deny the request, because physical alterations to the building are solely the tenant's responsibility
B
The landlord must permit the reasonable modification, and the tenant generally bears its cost, even in a common area
C
The landlord must approve the modification only if the tenant agrees to restore the entrance to its original condition upon vacating
D
The landlord may deny the request if the building was constructed before current accessibility standards were adopted

Why This Is the Correct Answer

Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Deep Analysis of This Practice Of Real Estate Disclosures Question

Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Background Knowledge for Practice Of Real Estate Disclosures

Sign up free to unlock full analysis
Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Real World Application in Practice Of Real Estate Disclosures

Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Common Mistakes to Avoid on Practice Of Real Estate Disclosures Questions

Sign up free to unlock full analysis

Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

fair_housingdisabilityreasonable_accommodationrampGov_Code_12927

Related Concepts

A stigmatized property is one that has an undesirable reputation due to events that occurred on the property or nearby, such as a murder, suicide, alleged haunting, or proximity to a registered sex offender. The stigma is psychological, not physical.

An as-is clause in a real estate contract states that the buyer accepts the property in its current condition without requiring the seller to make any repairs. However, an as-is sale does NOT eliminate the seller's obligation to disclose known defects.

Asbestos disclosure involves informing buyers about the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in a property. Asbestos was commonly used in construction materials before 1980 and poses health risks when fibers become airborne.

Was this explanation helpful?

More Practice Of Real Estate Disclosures Questions

People Also Study

Related Articles

Practice More Questions

Access 2,000+ practice questions and pass your real estate exam.

Start Practicing