When Is a Resident’s Request Unreasonable?

Q: It’s unreasonable for residents to ask for an exception to the policies that apply to everyone else. True or false?

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A: False. When an applicant or resident asks for an exception to your rules or policies, your first impulse may be to just say no. But fair housing experts warn against rejecting requests from applicants or residents for disability-related accommodations simply because they want an exception to your policies. By definition, reasonable accommodations are exceptions, changes, or adjustments to community policies, rules, or services needed because of a disability.

For more guidance on handling requests for reasonable accommodations, see our November lesson, “Use 4-Step Process for Evaluating Accommodation Requests,” available to Coach subscribers here.