A Georgia property manager receives a request from a tenant who uses a wheelchair to install grab bars in the bathroom of a rental unit built in 1985. Under Georgia Fair Housing Law, what is the property manager's obligation regarding this reasonable modification request?

Correct Answer

A) Must permit the modification if the tenant pays for installation and agrees to restore the unit upon move-out

Under both the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(A)) and Georgia Fair Housing Law, a landlord must permit a tenant with a disability to make reasonable modifications to the premises at the tenant's expense. The landlord may require that the tenant agree to restore the property to its original condition upon move-out, where reasonable. Installing grab bars is a classic example of a reasonable modification—a physical alteration to the dwelling to accommodate a disability.