These are our cliff notes from a Landlord training we took at HOME Buffalo.
This was a three hour class Steve & Eric took in downtown Buffalo where all the latest landlord regulations and best practices were discussed.
It was an interesting class and we had a lawyer from HOME present to answer questions as well.
The cost of the class was $35 and included a book to take home along with plenty of notes and discussion.
Main takeaways from this episode:
Gender identity and expression – This is a topic becoming more prevalent and you should check with your local town/city ordinances to make sure you’re compliant with local laws.
Violence Against Women Act – 13:20 minute mark – Prohibits discrimination on the basis that the applicant or tenant, is, or has been, a victim of domestic violence. This was interesting because if you’re doing your due diligence as a landlord you may think that complaints of domestic abuse from a landlord reference might seem like a red flag. However, you should be aware of this Violence Against Women Act and make sure you’re not denying a tenant based on being a victim of domestic violence.
Misses Murphy Exemption – 17:00 minute mark – This is the idea that if the rental is owner occupied the rules of the FHA don’t apply as stringently on the landlord. However, this is a tricky situation and you should avoid discriminating with your screening of applicants.
Peace Prints of WNY – 24:30 minute mark – A local organization that helps convicted criminals find housing and work. We had a member of the organization discuss the ways that they work with landlords to place these young men in rentals.
Occupancy Standard Limits – 27:30 – We discuss the limits on the amount of renters you can have in the “living space” in a rental.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Our private Facebook Group for landlords, now called “RentPrep Community” > https://www.facebook.com/groups/836876779764877/