Rejected Rental House Because of Homebrewing

[jskinner10]

So my girlfriend and I were just rejected a wonderful rental house because the landlords found out I am a homebrewer. They wouldn't even review our application or check our references once they found out. Now they won't even return our emails or calls urging them to re-consider. Just curious if anyone else out there has had similar experiences?

 

[Ryush806]

Dang that's crazy. All of our landlords have asked "Is that legal?" and then ask for a beer after I tell them that federal and state law allows for it.

 

[Schemy]

My landlord actually got me back into brewing again. He created a monster.

 

[Jaybird]

That's insane to think in this day people "STILL" think home brewing is against the law!

Crazy!

Well good luck finding another place to live... You might want to take down your Facebook page till your all moved in!

Jay

 

[brewingmeister]

This doesn't surprise me at all. There's literally hundreds of things that could have ran through her head as to why she said no. Property owners can discriminate for pretty much any reason they see fit.

Try renting with a dog.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

This doesn't surprise me at all. There's literally hundreds of things that could have ran through her head as to why she said no. Property owners can discriminate for pretty much any reason they see fit.

Try renting with a dog.

or having a mohawk and/or visible tattoos.

 

[Epimetheus]

Maybe the landlords were teetotalers. There is no figuring it. Move on.

 

[Braufessor]

Could be worse . . . .. could have signed a lease and then found out later you could not homebrew there.

 

[Colorowdy]

That sucks. I have always been lucky with pretty cool landlords.

 

[jskinner10]

Very true Braufessor! And yeah, I explained that it is completely legal and that nothing I did associated with brewing would damage the home. All for nothing though. After a little research, we found out these people actually rejected a woman's application because she had cancer and they assumed she wouldn't live through the entire 12 month lease. Pretty good reminder that there are some really terrible people out there.

 

[northcal]

That's too bad! Can't understand it myself.

Next time don't mention your hobbies to the owners.

 

[zmanzorro]

That's too bad! Can't understand it myself.

Next time don't mention your hobbies to the owners.

Yes. I just signed a lease but didn't mention homebrewing at all just in case.

 

[tgmartin000]

Very true Braufessor! And yeah, I explained that it is completely legal and that nothing I did associated with brewing would damage the home. All for nothing though. After a little research, we found out these people actually rejected a woman's application because she had cancer and they assumed she wouldn't live through the entire 12 month lease. Pretty good reminder that there are some really terrible people out there.

That's seriously f'ed up.

 

[Pratzie]

How exactly did they find out u were a home brewer?

 

[domdom]

i'm going to be looking at houses this weekend. think i'll just not mention it.

 

[shivalotus]

Could be worse . . . .. could have signed a lease and then found out later you could not homebrew there.

Actually if you signed the lease and the activity was not specifically prohibited I don't think there is a thing they could do.

 

[tally350z]

Just signed a lease at our new place, and there is one paragraph, that only stats doing illegal activity is not permitted (obviously). Just brewed for the first time after moving in two weeks ago. Also didn't mention it when we did the walk through.

 

[smonteton]

Actually if you signed the lease and the activity was not specifically prohibited I don't think there is a thing they could do.

^^^

 

[Mongrel]

Actually if you signed the lease and the activity was not specifically prohibited I don't think there is a thing they could do.

Except not renew your lease when it's up, then you're moving again. Moving sucks.

 

[adiochiro3]

Bummer, but I guess the bright side is that you avoided potential PITA landlords!

 

[worksnorth]

Yes very curious, how did this even come up???

 

[tophatxj]

Just looked at your location. They probably assumed you were going to be putting in a still, it being page county and all.. .

 

[dfc]

Very true Braufessor! And yeah, I explained that it is completely legal and that nothing I did associated with brewing would damage the home. All for nothing though. After a little research, we found out these people actually rejected a woman's application because she had cancer and they assumed she wouldn't live through the entire 12 month lease. Pretty good reminder that there are some really terrible people out there.

Wow, what a couple of jerks. Some people, man...

 

[dfc]

Except not renew your lease when it's up, then you're moving again. Moving sucks.

I'll one up you. Moving while on chemo REALLY sucks.

 

[mb82]

Just looked at your location. They probably assumed you were going to be putting in a still, it being page county and all.. .

That is what I was thinking.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Funny, yesterday I 'interviewed' a prospective tenant (I rent out rooms in my house to help with mortgage payments, plus a single guy does not need a 4 bedroom house to himself), and he upon finding out I brew, told me he used to brew and would love to help out and get back into it. I think he may be a keeper. The just getting out of the military, clean, respectable type.

 

[BrocksHomebrew]

That's insane to think in this day people "STILL" think home brewing is against the law!

There's a lot of them out there. Every time I setup a booth at festivals and what not someone tries to tell me what I'm doing is illegal. I had one guy get so upset he alerted security (off duty cops). We had a good laugh with they stopped by the booth.

 

[Clanchief]

When my wife and I were looking at rental properties in late winter 2011/2012 our real estate agent suggested every so gently that we don't bring that up if they ask what I do with my free time/hobbies. Not that it's illegal or anything, but it might be something that can put off a potential landlord. I mean, absolutely anything can put some people off unfortunately. I have been previously rejected from renting an apartment because I was a veteran. No, they didn't come out and say that, but the appalled look on the landlords face when I told them I had been shipped to Iraq a couple of years before told me what I needed to know. That and their Make Love Not War sticker on their car. Is it right? Hell no. But it happens.

 

[LovesIPA]

Here's the way I'd look at it. The landlords are obviously not nice or reasonable people. Wouldn't you have rather found this out now than 3 months into a year long lease and find out that they're total ********?

Be thankful you found out before it's too late.

 

[25518]

Move on. They don't care. Too scared to ask questions. That's what I don't understand about our society. Everyone is scared to ask questions. But, they don't care. That mantallity. Of "someone will rent it" is what they are thinking.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Could have been another factor aside from the fact that you homebrew.

There are a number of reasons a landlord can legally reject an applicant.

 

[jskinner10]

How exactly did they find out u were a home brewer?

We were asking if the house was on a well or municipal water. They asked why we cared and I decided I would be honest. Never thought anyone would have a problem with it anyway.

 

[jskinner10]

Just looked at your location. They probably assumed you were going to be putting in a still, it being page county and all.. .

The place was actually in the Charlottesville area.

 

[stevehardt]

Very true Braufessor! And yeah, I explained that it is completely legal and that nothing I did associated with brewing would damage the home. All for nothing though. After a little research, we found out these people actually rejected a woman's application because she had cancer and they assumed she wouldn't live through the entire 12 month lease. Pretty good reminder that there are some really terrible people out there.

yet another reminder that if A*&holes could fly there would be no sunshine

 

[robanna]

Sounds like you dodged a bullet on that one. Would you really want them for a landlord?

 

[feinbera]

Actually if you signed the lease and the activity was not specifically prohibited I don't think there is a thing they could do.

...except evict you for some trumped-up BS (your rugs only cover 87.2% of the hardwood floor, and this eighteen-page boilerplate rental agreement you signed specifically states you must cover 90% or more), or just make your life miserable until you evict yourself.

Maybe there's nothing they can do legally, but whether or not they've broken the law is a moot point once you've already moved out. Much better to end up with a landlord who wants you there.

 

[jskinner10]

Would you really want them for a landlord?

Absolutely not.

 

[ICWiener]

Try renting with a dog.

No kidding. Try renting with a pit bull. Mine is the sweetest dog...she'll run and hide from you if you so much as give her a stern look. We couldn't get a sniff at a place because no one would rent to someone with a "dangerous breed". We just quit trying, and bought a place instead.

 

[DrunkleJon]

My place makes me money... I find that if you are able to stay in one place long enough it actually will make you money to buy rather than rent. Why throw the monthly payments away when you can actually get some equity out of them? And tax write offs, and you can officially be a gentleman? I know the maintenance and everything else is not for everyone, but I have always wanted my own house I can make what I want out of and not worry about getting evicted.

 

[LovesIPA]

I find that if you are able to stay in one place long enough it actually will make you money to buy rather than rent. Why throw the monthly payments away when you can actually get some equity out of them?

Because stuff like mortgage insurance and mortgage interest don't contribute to your equity at all. In some places in the country it's still cheaper to rent than to buy even if you look at the long term.