1202 Williamson Street, Suite 102, Madison, WI 53703 | Rental Rights (608) 257-0006 | Administration (608) 257-0143 | Fax (608) 286-0804
Fair Housing Laws
Also available as a
PDF for easy printing and distribution.
What issues are covered by tenant-landlord laws?
Tenant-landlord laws address a wide variety
of topics, such as:
- applying for housing
- returning a security deposit
- breaking, ending or changing a lease
- landlord entry
- repairs
- eviction
- retaliation
- dealing with noisy neighbors
Where Can I Get Help?
Tenant Resource Center, located in
Madison, offers the following services to
tenants and landlords throughout Wisconsin:
- Information about your rights and
obligations under state law and local
ordinances
- Copies of leases, rental applications and other useful forms and sample letters
- Materials in Spanish
- Referrals to private attorneys, legal services and other agencies
- Assistance locating emergency rental assistance (Dane County only)
- Publications for tenants and landlords
- Presentations to groups and organizations (fees if outside Dane County)
- Mediation for tenants and landlords in eviction court or in other rental disputes (Dane County only)
- Housing and resource lists
- Limited case management (northsideresidents of Madison)
What issues are covered by fair housing laws?
Fair housing laws address illegal discrimination
in the housing market. In Dane County, it is illegal to deny housing or treat
someone differently based on:
- race
- color
- sex
- national origin/ancestry
- religion
- family status (household composition,including presence of children in a household)
- disability
- age
- marital status
- sexual orientation
- lawful source of income
- arrest/conviction record
- physical appearance
- political beliefs
- military discharge status
- student status
- not providing your Social Security
Number on your application (City of
Madison only)
Where Can I Get Help?
The Fair Housing Center of Greater
Madison serves residents of Dane County.
These services include:
- Intake of fair housing complaints, case
management and counseling complainants
on options for legal remedies
- Investigation on behalf of people
alleging housing discrimination
- Fair housing presentations to housing
consumers, providers and the general
public
What kind of housing question do you have?
Frequently, housing questions involve
either tenant-landlord or fair housing law:
- A landlord told me he wouldn't rent a
second-floor unit to me because I have
children. Is this legal? This is a fair
housing question - call the Fair
Housing Center.
- I moved out a month ago and haven't
heard anything about my security
deposit. Can the landlord just keep my
money? This is a tenant-landlord
question - call Tenant Resource
Center.
- My rental manager is trying to charge me
a monthly fee for my service animal. Is
this legal? This is a fair housing
question - call the Fair Housing
Center.
- I found a 5-day eviction notice for nonpayment
on my door today. Does this
mean I was evicted and have to move?
This is a tenant-landlord question;
call Tenant Resource Center.
- A landlord told me no apartments were
available, but I still see the complex
advertised. I'm African American; could
this treatment be because of my race?
This is a fair housing question - call
the Fair Housing Center.
- My apartment complex is falling apart
and the landlord refuses to make
repairs. Doesn't he have an obligation
to make them? This is a tenantlandlord
question; call Tenant
Resource Center.
These two areas of housing law are separate in
our state and local laws, but they are often
experienced simultaneously or in combination.
For example, the same tenant who feels
she's been illegally denied an apartment
because of her race may also be having
trouble getting her application fees back
from the landlord who denied her. This
person would want to contact boh
agencies.
Find out about your rights
If you are not sure whether you have a
fair housing or tenant-landlord question,
call either agency. After talking with you,
the counselor will suggest that you
contact the other agency if that seems like
an appropriate referral.
