Send It to the Right Person
At a large complex, the person at the front desk leasing apartments is usually not the person who decides accommodation requests. Ask directly: who handles reasonable accommodation requests? The answer is typically a property manager, a regional manager, or a corporate compliance team.
Sending it to the wrong person is the single most common source of delay. The request sits in an inbox belonging to someone with no authority over it, and you assume it is being processed.
Put It in Writing, Always
Email rather than handing paper across a counter. You want a timestamp, a named recipient and a copy you keep. If the request is later disputed, that record is what a fair housing agency asks for first.
Keep the email short. State that you are requesting a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal, attach the letter, and ask them to confirm receipt. You do not need to explain your condition in the email — the letter does that job, and volunteering more is not to your advantage.
What Happens Next
- A verification call to the professional who signed your letter
- A request to complete the complex's own accommodation form, which you can do alongside your letter
- A wait of a few days to a few weeks as it moves through an approval chain
- A lease addendum naming the animal
- Occasionally, a request to meet the animal — often reasonable to agree to
The verification call unsettles people, but it is the system working as intended. Your provider's license number and contact details are on the letter for exactly this purpose. A complex that verifies is a complex that takes documentation seriously.
Four Mistakes Leasing Offices Make
These come up constantly, and none of them is correct. Usually it is an agent working from a pet policy rather than acting in bad faith, and a written response citing fair housing law escalates it to someone who knows the difference.
'Our breed and weight limits still apply'
Generally they do not, for an assistance animal. A landlord can object based on your individual animal's actual conduct or history, not on its breed or size.
'You'll need to pay pet rent'
Pet rent, pet fees and pet deposits generally do not apply to an assistance animal. You are still liable for actual damage.
'The letter has to be from our approved provider'
It does not. It has to be from a professional licensed in your state. A housing provider cannot dictate whose letter you use.
'We need your medical records'
They may ask for documentation of a disability-related need. Full records and a specific diagnosis are generally beyond what they can require.
Moving In vs Already Living There
You can request an accommodation at any point — while applying, at move-in, or years into a tenancy. A no-pets lease you already signed does not waive the right, because the right exists independently of the lease.
If you already have the animal and did not disclose it, requesting an accommodation is still the correct move and a much stronger position than waiting to be found out. Do it in writing, and do it before a lease violation notice arrives rather than after.
Renewals and Re-Verification
Large complexes frequently re-verify annually as a matter of policy. A letter that was accepted two years ago may be refused at renewal purely on its date, even though nothing in federal law makes it expire.
Treat 12 months as the working shelf life. We rewrite yours once free within 12 months for a new housing request; after that it is a new visit at the same published price, with nothing to pay unless a provider approves you.
If the Answer Is No
Ask for the reason in writing. A refusal that cites a pet policy rather than a specific concern about your animal is usually a refusal that has not been properly considered, and saying so in writing often resolves it.
If it stands and you believe it was wrong, you can file with HUD or your state fair housing agency. Many areas have non-profit fair housing organisations that help at no cost. This is general information, not legal advice.
HOAs, Condo Boards and Property Management Companies
Not every rental is a leasing office with a manager. Three other structures come up, and each has its own rhythm.
Homeowners' associations and condo boards are generally covered by fair housing law, but they decide by committee and often only meet monthly. Submit in writing, ask when the next meeting is, and ask who is responsible for accommodation requests between meetings. Do not assume a board member you spoke to informally has passed it on.
Third-party property management companies frequently have a central compliance team that handles accommodations for every building they manage. That is usually good news: they process these routinely and know the law better than an individual landlord does. Ask for the compliance or fair housing contact rather than the local office.
Individual small landlords are the least predictable. Some are exempt from the federal Act — owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, and single-family homes rented without an agent — though state and local rules are often broader. With a small landlord the conversation tends to be more personal and less procedural, which can cut either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I give my ESA letter to at an apartment complex?
Ask who handles reasonable accommodation requests — usually a property manager or compliance team rather than the front-desk leasing agent. Send it by email so there is a dated record and a named recipient.
How long does an apartment take to approve an ESA?
Anywhere from a few days to a few weeks at a large complex, because it often moves through a corporate approval chain. Follow up in writing if you hear nothing after a week.
Can my apartment charge pet rent for my ESA?
Generally no. Pet rent and pet deposits do not apply to assistance animals under the Fair Housing Act. If you are asked, respond in writing referring to your accommodation request.
I already signed a no-pets lease. Is it too late?
No. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any point during a tenancy, and an existing no-pets clause does not waive that right.
Will my apartment call my therapist?
Often, yes. Verification is normal and legitimate — the license number and contact details are on the letter for that purpose. It is a sign they take documentation seriously.
Do I need a new letter every year?
Not under federal law, but most complexes want documentation written within the last 12 months and many re-verify at renewal. We rewrite once free inside 12 months for a new request.
What if my complex insists on their own form?
You can complete their form and attach your letter. What they cannot do is refuse to consider a valid letter because it isn't on their template.
Booking and screening are free. You're only charged after a licensed provider approves you.
Book an appointment