Reasonable Accommodation Letter to Landlord Template
[Date]
[Building Manager/Landlord]
[Address of Building Manager/Landlord]
Re: Reasonable Accommodation Request
Dear [Building Manager/Landlord]:
I live at [your address]. I am a person with a disability as defined under the Fair Housing Act. My disability limits my ability to [description of how your disability affects your daily life].
In order to ensure I have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy my home, I am requesting a reasonable accommodation to have my [service animal/emotional support animal] live with me. My [service animal/emotional support animal] helps me to [description of the work/tasks your service animal performs or how your emotional support animal assists you, for example “to lessen my anxiety’].
If the disability-related need for your request is not readily apparent, include:
Please see the attached verification from my healthcare provider explaining how this accommodation will assist me with my disability.
Please reply to my request in writing within the next ten (10) business days. If you have any questions about my request, please do not hesitate to contact me at [your phone number or email address]. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sample Reasonable Accommodation Letter to Landlord
[Date]
Larry Landlord
123 Main Street
Raleigh, NC 12345
Re: Reasonable Accommodation Request
Dear Mr. Landlord:
I live at unit 101 of Pleasant Apartments. I am a person with a disability as defined under the Fair Housing Act. My disability limits me from interacting with other people.
In order to ensure I have equal access to my home, I am requesting a reasonable accommodation to have my emotional support animal live with me. My emotional support cat, Kitty, helps to lessen my anxiety.
Please see the attached verification letter from my healthcare provider explaining how this accommodation will assist me with my disability.
Please respond to my request in writing within the next ten (10) business days. If you have any questions about my request, please do not hesitate to contact me at (123) 456-7890 or jsmith@email.com. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jon Smith
Verification Letter from Healthcare Professional Template
[Date]
Dear [Apartment Manager/Landlord/Housing Authority/Homeowners Association]:
[Full name of patient] is my patient, and has been in my care since [date]. I am familiar with his/her medical history and with the substantial functional limitations of his/her disability.
Due to [patient’s name]’s disability, he/she has certain limitations regarding [e.g., social interaction/coping with stress or anxiety/high blood pressure]. In order to help alleviate these difficulties and to enhance his/her ability to live independently and fully use and enjoy his/her home, I am prescribing [type of animal] as an assistance animal that will help [patient’s name] manage symptoms associated with his/her disability.
Thank you for providing this reasonable accommodation for [patient name].
Sincerely,
[Professional’s Signature and Title]
Sample Verification Letter from Healthcare Professional
[Date]
Dear Larry Landlord:
Jon Smith is my patient and has been under my care for the past three years. I am familiar with his medical history and with the substantial functional limitations of his disability.
Due to his documented disability, Mr. Smith has certain limitations regarding social interaction with other people. In order to help alleviate his difficulties and to enhance his ability to live independently, I recommend that he have a cat as an emotional support animal. This will help Mr. Smith manage symptoms associated with his disability.
Thank you for providing this reasonable accommodation to Mr. Smith.
Sincerely,
Doctor David Healthy, M.D.
Return to the post on Assistance Animals in housing.
Read more about the advocacy work we do around assistance animals.
Read more about how to request the reasonable accommodations you need to use and enjoy your home.