National Real Estate Exam (PSI)Practice of Real EstateMedium
A tenant with a mobility impairment asks her landlord for permission to install a wheelchair ramp at her own expense. The landlord refuses, saying the ramp would change the building's appearance. Under the Fair Housing Act, this refusal is most likely a violation because:
- ALandlords must pay for all requested modifications
- BRamps are required by law regardless of disability status
- CTenants with disabilities are entitled to reasonable modifications at their own expense
- DThe landlord must first consult with a fair housing attorney
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Tenants with disabilities are entitled to reasonable modifications at their own expense
Under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord must allow a tenant with a disability to make reasonable modifications to the premises at the tenant's own expense, even if it alters the property's appearance, as long as the modification is necessary for use of the dwelling.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Landlords are not required to pay for modifications; tenants bear the cost.
- B. Ramps are not universally required; they are tied to disability accommodation requests.
- D. No legal requirement exists to consult an attorney before allowing a modification.
Reasonable Modification
A structural change to a dwelling that a tenant with a disability may make at their own expense to allow full use of the property.
- Tenant typically pays for the modification
- Landlord may require restoration upon move-out in some cases
- Differs from 'reasonable accommodation,' which is a change in rules/policies
Memory trick: Ramp it up—tenant pays, landlord can't say no.