The Rights of a Landlord to Reject Prospective Tenants in Louisiana

Landlords may legally reject prospective tenants with criminal records because criminal behavior can increase a landlord's liability.

Knowing when a landlord is legally allowed to reject a potential tenant and when he is not is important for both a landlord and tenant to understand. Prospective tenants need to know and enforce their rights and landlords need to prevent legal action that can be taken against them for failure to comply with the law.

Permissible

A landlord in Louisiana may legally reject a potential tenant with a poor credit profile, unsteady employment history, a low salary with no other sources of income, a criminal record or a history of evictions. Landlords are permitted to refuse tenants in these situations because arguably these factors can affect whether a landlord can run a profitable rental business and/or provide a safe living environment.

Prohibited

Rental housing in Louisiana is subject to federal fair housing laws aimed at preventing discrimination. A landlord in Louisiana may not reject a prospective tenant based on race, color, age, national original, religion, gender or disability.

Tip

Employing a tenant screening service allows a landlord to treat all prospective tenants fairly and uniformly and provides documentation of the non-subjective factors upon which the landlord's decision to rent (or not) is based.

References

• M&M Title, LLC: Real Estate Law FAQ - Your Rights as a Tenant
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Housing Discrimination
• American Apartment Owners Association: 18 Reasons to Reject a Tenant Application
• Louisiana Landlord/Tenant Law