.jpg)
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) provide therapeutic support to individuals with disabilities. To have an ESA in housing, the owner must request a reasonable accommodation and provide documentation from a licensed healthcare professional supporting their need for the assistance animal.
The following article has been written to help property managers and residents identify reliable ESA letters and avoid scams.
With the surge of online services offering these letters, the standards for such letters have come under question.
Understanding ESA Letters
An ESA letter is a document from a licensed health professional stating the necessity of an emotional support animal for a person with a diagnosed disability. This letter grants legal protections under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) allowing individuals to live with their ESA without pet-related restrictions and fees.
An ESA letter must be issued by a licensed health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, clinical social worker, or licensed counselor to be valid. The letter should confirm the professional relationship between the Health Professional (HP) and the patient, confirm there is a disability and that the animal is needed to alleviate symptoms of the disability as part of the treatment plan.
Importance of a Reliable ESA Letter
A reliable ESA letter provides much-needed legal protections for tenants with disability-related needs. Its purpose is to provide landlords with a simple way to prove that the tenant needs the ESA without asking for unnecessary information specific to the resident's disability.
Using unreliable methods to obtain ESA letters, undermines the credibility of legitimate ESA requests, making it harder for those with genuine needs to be taken seriously, hurting everyone in the process.
What makes up a reliable ESA letter?
It is Issued by a Licensed Health Professional
The letter is from a licensed professional with verifiable credentials.
Professional Relationship
It should describe a direct professional relationship between the health professional and the patient, including their personal knowledge of the patient's disability and disability-related need for an ESA.
Date of Issue and Validity
Finally, it should include the date it was issued and the duration for which it is valid (typically one year).
Tips for Verifying Online ESA Letters
Verifying the reliability of Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letters is crucial for property managers and owners to maintain the integrity of housing policies and comply with legal obligations.
Proper verification helps ensure that only individuals with genuine mental or emotional disabilities benefit from the protections afforded by the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Verify the Licensing of the Professional
• Ensure the letter is signed by a licensed health professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, or therapist.
• Confirm the credentials and licensing status of the professional through state licensing boards or professional associations.
Review the Content of the Letter
• The letter should state that the resident has a disability-related need for the assistance animal.
• The letter should specify that the ESA is needed for housing.
Confirm the Process
• A reliable ESA letter requires a thorough understanding of the resident's disability-related needs by their health professional.
• Often with online letters there is only a short questionnaire that a resident will fill out, or a brief phone call with their health professional, which does not establish a professional relationship nor does it give the provider sufficient knowledge of the patient's disability.
Contact the Issuing Professional
• Housing providers may contact the HP who issued the letter directly to verify they have a working relationship with the resident.
• Be careful not to ask any questions regarding the specific disability of the resident.
Duration and Renewal
• Online ESA letter-selling websites often state that ESA letters are only valid for one year. However, legally, an ESA letter from 15 years ago is still valid as long as the healthcare provider can confirm the individual's need for the assistance animal.
Seek Guidance from Trusted Sources
• If you’re uncertain about the legitimacy of an ESA letter, seek advice from legal professionals or third-party ESA screening services.
OurPetPolicy Services
For a trusted platform to do the work for you, you can take a look at our service. OurPetPolicy is an animal management and ESA verification service tailored for property owners and managers. Here’s what you can expect:
• Thorough verification processes to confirm ESA letters are from licensed mental health professionals and obtained in reliable manners.
• Detailed record keeping of tenant documentation.
• A user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate.
• Legal compliance with federal and state ESA regulations.
• Offering support and resources for property managers to understand ESA letter requirements and how they should proceed with verifying them.
Conclusion
ESA letters are essential for those who need their emotional support animals. Their reputation mustn’t suffer due to bad practices, and that’s why the reputation of legitimate ESA letters is so important.
