Immediately write an email and request that all communication concerning the ESA be kept through email. Do not answer any phone calls from your landlords after this. You want a clear paper trail.
Do not disclose or tell the landlord any personal info about you or why you need an ESA. Just keep it simple and professional, give them the letter that's it. Let them throw their fit, they'll get over it, and go on enjoying your life with your dog / cat / ESA. Good luck!
Identification and Inquiry of Assistive Animals Under the FHA, a landlord is not required to automatically allow a tenant to have an assistive animal. Instead, the tenant must request the reasonable accommodation and the landlord must consider the request.
Under the federal Fair Housing Act, Utah landlords may not discriminate against those who require the use of service animals or emotional support animals, although Utah only recognizes dogs as service animals.
Landlords are more than welcome to verify an ESA letter. The letters should come on the professional letterhead of the mental health professional along with their contact information, phone number, and email address. The letter will also include the therapist's license number.
How do I get one? In order to get the benefits of an ESA, you will need a “prescription” from a mental health professional. This is basically just a signed letter stating that you have a mental health condition and that your pet helps you deal with it.
Wait until a landlord accepts your application and offers you the place, then tell them you have an ESA and ask if that should be reflected in the lease or not. If they withdraw the offer you have a pretty strong case of housing discrimination (assuming you can prove the animal has ESA bona fides).
After a tenant or resident has shown that they have a disability-related need for an ESA, the housing provider may deny the request only in the following, limited circumstances: (a) when permitting the ESA would cause an undue financial and administrative burden for the housing provider, (b) when permitting the ESA ...
Verify the ESA letter by contacting the licensed mental health professional (LMHP) who issued it. It can be done by reaching out to the LMHP by phone or email (usually mentioned on the letterhead). This step helps ensure the authenticity of the request and prevents fraud cases.
Landlords are more than welcome to verify an ESA letter. The letters should come on the professional letterhead of the mental health professional along with their contact information, phone number, and email address. The letter will also include the therapist's license number.