Housing Discrimination — know your rights
Landlords, sellers, agents, and lenders cannot refuse to rent or sell, quote different terms, steer you to certain neighborhoods, or lie about availability based on race. This covers advertising, mortgage lending, and homeowners insurance too.
Your rights
- Equal access to any listing you can afford
- The same rent, deposit, and lease terms offered to others
- Honest answers about unit availability
- Freedom from steering toward or away from neighborhoods
How to file with HUD
1 year from the incident to file with HUD; 2 years to sue in federal court.
How to document it
- Screenshot listings the moment you see them — 'it's taken' is provable
- Have a friend of a different race inquire about the same unit (testing is legal)
- Keep every text and email with the landlord or agent
- Local fair-housing organizations will often investigate for free
Document it before you forget the details
Memory fades and deadlines pass. IronRecord timestamps and encrypts your evidence, counts down your filing window, and generates a court-ready report in one click. Free to start.
Start documenting — freeGuides on housing discrimination
Can a Landlord Refuse to Rent to Families with Children? (Know Your Rights)
Federal law bans landlords from refusing to rent to families with children. Here's what counts as familial status discrimination, the exceptions that apply (senior housing), and how to file a complaint if your rights were violated.
8 min readCan a Landlord Deny You Housing Because of Your Race?
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to refuse to rent or sell housing to someone because of their race. Here is what counts as racial discrimination in housing, how to recognize it, and how to file a complaint.
8 min readHow to Request a Reasonable Accommodation for a Disability in Housing
Need your landlord to allow a service animal, an accessible parking space, or a grab bar in the bathroom? Here is your right to a reasonable accommodation, how to request one, what documentation the landlord can ask for, and what to do if they say no.
8 min readWhat to Do If Your Landlord Retaliates After You Assert Your Fair Housing Rights
Your landlord raised the rent, started eviction proceedings, or harassed you right after you reported housing discrimination. Retaliation is illegal under federal law. Here's what to do, what to document, and how to file a complaint.
8 min readHow to File a Housing Discrimination Complaint (Step by Step)
You have one year to file a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — and two years to sue. Here's what counts as discrimination, how to file for free, and what happens after you do.
8 min readThe EEOC Deadline Explained: How Long You Really Have to File
You have 180 days — sometimes 300 — to file a discrimination charge with the EEOC. Here's when the clock starts, which deadline applies to you, and why waiting quietly kills strong cases.
7 min readOther rights guides
This guide is general legal information, not legal advice. Laws and deadlines vary by state and change over time; confirm details for your situation with a civil rights attorney. IronRecord uses conservative deadline estimates so you file with time to spare.