A few years ago, I was in a pretty serious car accident. During the aftermath, I became really familiar with a lot of different types of lawyers. I worked with personal injury lawyers, insurance lawyers, and many others. Perhaps the most important, though, was the estate planning lawyer. I was really young, and neither my wife or I had thought about starting a will. But the accident kind of scared us into it. What would happen if one of us were to die? Even when still in the hospital, I was working with the lawyer to draw up a will. Now, I have some peace and security about what the future will be like if something should happen to me. And I have a lot of experience working with various types of lawyers! The accident was kind of a blessing in disguise in that way.
Have you encountered a landlord who has unlawfully discriminated against you? If you cannot work out your issues, you have the right to utilize the federal and state anti discrimination laws with regard to housing. There are a variety of options you can choose to remedy the problems you are having with the landlord:
Speak Directly With the Landlord
If the landlord is acting in an offensive or unfair way and you only want it to stop, you can try to speak to them about the issue and negotiate a truce and remain in the dwelling. This is the best option when you are not concerned with getting money for your expenses or inconveniences. If you choose to go this route, it would be best to do so in front of a neutral third party. This is a better strategy than running into a meeting with animosity. If this strategy does not work, you can move forward with a different option.
File A Complaint
If negotiation has not worked, you can file a discrimination complaint with the federal government. The department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help determine whether or not your landlord violated your rights. You can also file an anti discrimination complaint if your state has laws prohibiting discrimination in housing matters.
All complaints to HUD will need to be filed within a year of the violation. They will conduct an investigation of any issues. If there is a basis for your claim, HUD will try to help you and the landlord come to a compromise regarding the matter. If you cannot reach a compromise, HUD will get the court involved in order to make a final decision. You may be awarded money for your damages. They may also require the landlord to make the appropriate changes to remedy the issues.
File A Lawsuit
If you have been a victim of blatant discrimination by your landlord, you will want to consider going directly to court to file a lawsuit. You will need an attorney for this option to ensure all proper procedures are followed and all evidence is collected. You lawyer may request a temporary restraining order against the landlord to take an action or to end any behavior that is discriminatory. This can include keeping a certain distance or paying for alternate housing, depending on your situation.
If you intend to file a lawsuit, keep in mind that an attorney is going to require payment that you will have to consider when deciding on an amount of damages you hope to get. While some lawyers will require a retainer, others will take their fee from your settlement.
For more information and options, talk with a discrimination attorney directly.
Share16 May 2016
