Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

I'm a landlord who has received an application for rent from individuals who asked me not to run a credit report as they pay for everything in cash and have no credit history. I have always run these reports. They provided personal and work references and pay stubs as proof of income. The pay stubs showed SS numbers which I said I would use to run the credit report. This led to an admission of illegal alien status and comment that the SS numbers were "not good". Now it would seem straight forward that I should be able to decline to rent my property to these applicants based upon federal law but, I have read of on going suits against landlords based on fair housing laws for this same issue. What is the correct action for me to take?


Asked on 3/09/10, 2:17 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Ongoing suits, you claim, suggesting that a landlord in the Commonwealth of Virginia under federal fair housing laws may not decline to rent to an individual based upon his or her status as an admitted illegal alien in the United States (not to mention possesser/user of apparently fraudulent/stolen SS numbers)?

Hogwash! (Maybe in Maryland, perhaps, but not in this state.) And, furthermore, I would suggest that you summon the "ICE" authorities to have these illegals immediately taken into custody.

Read more
Answered on 3/14/10, 8:32 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Landlord & Tenants questions and answers in Virginia