More rent for military - is that even legal?

[e6bflyer]

Here is the reader's digest of my situation:

I went through a rigorous application process to get approved to rent a swanky joint out in WA. I get all the way up to lease signing, I have already given her a check for my deposit when she sends me an e-mail saying that she is going to charge me $100 more in rent due to the fact that I have a get out of jail free with the military clause and it is an increased risk to her.

She later recanted and offered it for the original price, stating a variety of reasons, but obviously having hurt feelings over the fact that she is losing her ass on her (admittedly awesome) house that she purchased before the bubble burst.

I know it is wrong, but is it illegal? I am not planning on pressing charges or even pushing the issue since I already told her to pack sand (based on her obvious insanity), I am just wondering for wondering sake.

 

[MasterBates]

I dunno about private homes, but I was going to have to pay more as a LT to rent in PPV housing in Kingsville, than civilians who are charged the ENS rate.

Yes, it's essentially a normal apartment complex.

Enlisted pay a percentage of BAH as do officers in "Rent".

Civilians live there for what ENS "rent" is.

You get the same apt regardless of paygrade.

 

[statesman]

Ill bet that fair housing laws have something to say about this. State by state they are different. Im sure there is a regulatory agency at the state level you could contact to find out.

 

[PropStop]

Yet on base, you pay your whole BAH...and often times JOs get crappier houses than those who earn less in BAH. What a great racket for those companies that administer base housing now. Makes me sick.

 

[Lawman]

Yet on base, you pay your whole BAH...and often times JOs get crappier houses than those who earn less in BAH. What a great racket for those companies that administer base housing now. Makes me sick.

Dont forget that they have 50-100 year long contracts with the respective post/base and no matter how F'd up they make things you cant get a rebid for the contract.

I loved listening to the newcomers brief where they tried to sell you on taking your 968 dollar BAH and renting a place that in town would run you 500. Having 5700 service calls in the previous 6 months is not a good way to sell people on the quality of your houses. And they are gonna start charging for utilities based on an "average consumption rate."

 

[propwife]

You would have to consult with an attorney in WA that specializes on landlord-tenant issues. I can professionally and personally say that I've *never in 12 years working on and off in property management and residential resale heard of a landlord charging a premium for military tenants. Contrary, there's typically a discount. Why?

.. She has INCREASE in her favor that she will have a tenant with a secure position and monthly income, that will pay on time.. every month. She could include as a condition of the lease agreement that rent is paid out from your checking account by auto-draft to reinforce timely payments.

.. If she is a smart cookie that does not have a property manager advocating for her, she would know to ask for a copy of your current orders, which show a non-TAD position and end of service date that coincides with the lease term. In other words, no upcoming transfers or re enlistments. That should give her warm fuzzies. Before even going through the endeavor of being a landlord, she should also educate herself on dummy orders and what inconsistencies to look for that may be a red flag.

Personally, there's many of us (especially military) that have 'suffered'? due to the softened resale market. Case in point, I have a GORGEOUS home in Virginia with a mortgage of $2100/mo. I have an Officer family currently enjoying all of the renovations that we did the year before we found out we couldn't stay in the area! Their rent: $1495/mo. with a nominal annual increase, which is much less than their BAH.

Am I grumbling <to my tenant> that I'm loosing my shirt after property management fee, maintenance and repair, etc. etc. Hell no! I count my blessings that I have a 3 year tenant. I have a good family in my former home caring for it.. and this too shall pass.. in 2 years, I will sell it for what I can and resume life enjoying having that $1,000/mo. back in our budget.

Likewise, we are leasing from a Naval Aviator.. at a $200/mo. discount that he offered up. No grumblings from him, and his rental sat vacant for nearly 4 months.

Personally, I would run far, far away from this joker.

Emails are frequently used in landlord-tenant disputes. Trust I was well schooled to exercise caution in any written communication. You have material proof that she has altered the verbally agreed upon terms and conditions of the contract, prior to execution. If her rate of rent differs from her advertised rent (do you have a Craiglist listing post, flyer, etc.?) .. I would petition strongly with a letter executed by a local landlord-tenant attorney and get your security deposit released asap if she gives you issue. Even if she recanted.. I'd be concerned about her being an overall dips*%$ the duration of the lease term.

In fact, if she's 'loosing her shirt' and complaining to you ALREADY, what's going to happen when your heater blows out in November in WA or you have no stove to cook on? Seriously. I'm sucking up a grand, several other mil friends of ours are also sucking it up with homes in other duty stations... But, this gets my goat that she's out of the gate complaining to you.

I'd consider that a blessing and not rent from her, based on the bait and switch of monthly rent plus her bitter attitude.

 

[PropAddict]

It's housing prejudice and it's illegal.

Replace the word "military" with black, hispanic, homosexual, muslim or any other demographic and the ACLU would be hammering this landlord.

...And this time, they'd by right.

(Hell, even the car rental compnaies can't charge the under age fee to renters w/military orders. And statistically, they probably have ample justification.)

 

[HH-60H]

It's housing prejudice and it's illegal.

Replace the word "military" with black, hispanic, homosexual, muslim or any other demographic and the ACLU would be hammering this landlord.

...And this time, they'd by right.

(Hell, even the car rental compnaies can't charge the under age fee to renters w/military orders. And statistically, they probably have ample justification.)

You're mixing all kinds of apples, oranges, and other fruits here.

Discrimination in housing is not illegal if the individual/group being discriminated against is not in a "protected class." As mentioned earlier, protected classes in fair housing differ between the states and federal law.

Car rental companies can't charge under age fees because the federal government negotiates a contract with the rental company which includes that restriction.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Obviously a landlord can try to add whatever clauses they want to a contract before signing, at the risk of being told to go to hell by the prospective tenant, like you did. I don't know if it's illegal, but I'd at least run it by the base legal folks. If this is against the law, your landlord is better off knowing it, lest she 1) takes advantage of the next tenant, who doesn't know better, or 2) runs afoul of the law when she's just trying to make an extra buck.

 

[tdimarco]

Washington does have a law protecting veterans from housing discrimination:

http://www.hum.wa.gov/Veterans/VetsPR.html

That said, I agree that it may be better off to simply steer clear of this landlord.