Rental showings for prospects with a disability: what to ask and what to offer
Offer every prospect the same open question when they book ("Is there anything that would make the visit easier?"), never ask about a disability, welcome an assistance animal on the tour, and be ready to adjust the time, the route or the format. Fair housing law requires reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services when they may be necessary for equal use and enjoyment of a home.
What the rule says
The Fair Housing Act treats a refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services, when they may be necessary for a person with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling, as discrimination. The federal regulation, 24 CFR 100.204, gives two examples: a blind applicant who asks to live with a guide dog in a building with a pet ban, and an applicant with mobility limits who asks for a reserved parking space close to the unit. The statute is 42 U.S.C. 3604(f).
The regulation speaks of rules, policies, practices and services, and how you run a showing is a practice, so a sensible adjustment follows the same principle. The rule is about what is reasonable, which depends on your unit and your resources, so ask for a conversation, not a form.
What to ask, and what never to ask
Put one open line on your showing request form for everyone, such as "Tell us if anything would help you see the home (for example a different time, a ramp or a longer visit)." Everyone gets the same question, and nobody has to explain a condition. See what a showing request form should ask.
| Fine to ask | Do not ask |
|---|---|
| Is there anything that would help you see the unit? | What is your disability? |
| Will anyone be coming with you? | Can you live independently? |
| Do you need a longer visit or a different time? | Do you take any medication? |
| Is there a route into the building that works for you? | Will you need a lot of help from staff? |
Keep the question open. If the person volunteers detail, use it only to adjust the visit, and do not record it in a file about the applicant beyond what the request needs.
Service and assistance animals on the tour
A visitor may arrive with a guide dog or another assistance animal. Welcome it on the tour even if the building has a no-pets rule. The regulation's own first example, a guide dog for an applicant in a building with a pet ban, is about living in the unit, and treating the visit the same way keeps your practice consistent. Do not ask for a pet deposit or fee for the visit. If the person later applies and asks to live with the animal, follow HUD's guidance on assistance animals and the joint statement on reasonable accommodations. See also how to answer an accommodation request.
If the unit has stairs or tight spaces
- Say so in the listing so nobody travels for nothing: "second floor, 14 steps, no elevator". Facts, not guesses about who can climb.
- Offer a video walkthrough or a photo set in advance for any visitor. See how to film a rental walkthrough.
- If you have a comparable ground-floor unit, offer to show it too. Do not steer anyone away from a unit they asked to see.
- Let the visitor set the pace. Allow extra time and a place to sit.
- Open the route you will use before the visit: clear the entry, unlock the doors and turn on the lights.
Photos with descriptions help people who use screen readers. See photo order and alt text.
Communication needs
A Deaf or hard-of-hearing visitor may prefer to book by text or email and to bring an interpreter. Confirm the time in writing, speak facing the person and offer to write down answers. A visitor with a vision disability may want you to describe the layout out loud as you walk. These are small changes and often cost nothing.
If a request would be costly, such as altering the building, do not just say no. Talk it through, offer what you can do and keep a note of the conversation. See fair housing safe replies.
How DoorKeeping handles it
DoorKeeping listings have a Schedule a showing form; add the open question above to your listing text and confirmation. Ask Claude or ChatGPT to draft a confirmation reply that repeats the access details you gave and offers a different time; you approve it before it is sent. DoorKeeping does not give legal advice about a particular request. See the connect page.
Sources
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3604 (Cornell Legal Information Institute), read Oct 31, 2026
- Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR 100.204, Reasonable accommodations (Cornell Legal Information Institute), read Oct 31, 2026
- HUD: Assistance animals (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity), read Oct 31, 2026
- HUD and U.S. Department of Justice, Joint Statement: Reasonable Accommodations under the Fair Housing Act (May 17, 2004), read Oct 31, 2026
- DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 31, 2026
- HUD: Fair Housing Act overview, read Oct 31, 2026
Questions
- Can I ask a prospect if they have a disability?
- No. Ask the same open question of everyone: is there anything that would make the visit easier. Do not ask about a condition or medication.
- Do I have to allow a service dog at a showing if I have a no-pets policy?
- Welcome it. HUD's regulation uses a guide dog for an applicant in a building with a pet ban as its example of a refusal that violates the rule, and treating the visit the same way keeps your practice consistent.
- What if my unit is up a flight of stairs?
- Say so in the listing, offer a video walkthrough, and show a comparable ground-floor unit if you have one, without steering anyone away from the unit they asked for.
- Can I charge a pet fee for a service animal on a tour?
- No. A tour is not a tenancy. If the person applies with an assistance animal, follow HUD guidance on what you may ask and charge.