You just got charged $20 (or $15, or $25) by PetScreening to submit your ESA accommodation request. Maybe you paid because you needed the accommodation and felt you had no choice. Maybe the charge showed up on your credit card statement later and you didn't realize what it was at the time. Either way, the clock is running. Fair housing complaints must be filed within one year of the alleged violation — and that window starts at the moment of the charge, not at the moment you decide to do something about it.
Here's what you should do right now.
1. Screenshot and Save Every Document Immediately
Your documentation is your case. Before you do anything else, capture the following: a screenshot of the PetScreening interface showing the fee requirement, a screenshot or PDF of the payment confirmation or email receipt, any emails from your landlord or property manager directing you to use PetScreening, a copy of your original ESA documentation, and any lease clauses or written policies referencing the pet screening requirement.
Store all of this in a dedicated folder — on your computer and in cloud storage. Email everything to yourself. Screenshots disappear when you close browser windows. Receipts get buried in email. Do this now, while the evidence is fresh and accessible.
One thing that derails otherwise strong complaints is missing documentation. A tenant who paid the fee but has no receipt, no screenshot, and no email evidence has a significantly harder path than one who took five minutes to save everything. The fee may have been $20 — but the principle and potential remedy are worth more than that to document properly.
2. Write Down Exactly What Happened While It's Fresh
Memory degrades. Details that seem vivid today become hazy in three months. Write a chronological account of what happened: when you first requested the accommodation, how you were directed to PetScreening, whether any landlord employee told you the platform was required, what you paid, when you paid, and any conversations you've had about it since.
Include the name of the property, the property management company, and any individual employees you interacted with. Include dates as specifically as you can. Include what was said, whether verbally or in writing.
This written account isn't for the landlord. It's for you — so that when you fill out a HUD complaint form weeks or months from now, you're working from a detailed record rather than reconstructed memory. It also serves as a personal statement that can accompany your complaint.
3. Send a Written Demand Letter to Your Landlord
Before filing with HUD, many tenants — and many fair housing advocates — recommend sending a written demand letter to the landlord. This serves several purposes. It creates a formal paper trail showing that you raised the issue directly and were either ignored or refused. It sometimes results in an immediate refund without a formal complaint. And it demonstrates that you engaged in good faith before escalating to regulatory channels.
Your letter should reference the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604), HUD's guidance memorandum FHEO-2020-01, and the specific prohibition on charging fees for processing disability accommodation requests. State clearly that you paid a fee through PetScreening in connection with your ESA accommodation request, that this payment was required as a condition of processing your request, and that it likely violates federal law. Request a full refund within a specific timeframe — 14 days is reasonable.
Send the letter by certified mail or email with read receipt, so you have proof it was received. Keep a copy.
4. Know Whether Your State Has Additional Protections
Federal law is the floor. Many states have additional protections that may be relevant to your situation. California's FEHA, for example, provides stronger accommodation rights and a separate complaint process with the California Civil Rights Department. New York's Human Rights Law, Illinois's Human Rights Act, and similar state statutes in other jurisdictions may offer additional remedies or shorter investigation timelines than the federal process.
Knowing your state's specific laws lets you file in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously and potentially secure remedies under both federal and state law. Many HUD complaints are automatically dual-filed with state civil rights agencies under work-sharing agreements — but it's worth confirming this with your HUD intake specialist.
5. File a HUD Complaint — Don't Wait
If your landlord doesn't respond to your demand letter, or responds by refusing your request, file a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. The online portal is available at hud.gov/fairhousing. The process takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. There is no cost.
In your complaint, describe the situation factually: what was required of you, what you paid, when you paid it, and to whom you paid it. Cite FHEO-2020-01. State clearly that you were required to pay a fee to a third-party platform as a condition of having your disability accommodation request processed, and that this requirement imposed a financial burden on your exercise of a federal right.
Once your complaint is accepted, HUD will contact the respondent and begin a conciliation process. Many fee-related complaints resolve at this stage. Landlords who are notified of a formal federal investigation often prefer to issue a refund and change their policy rather than proceed through investigation. You may not need an attorney. You may not need a hearing. The filing itself frequently produces results.
The one-year window is real. This is not the kind of thing to put on a list and return to when you have time. If the violation happened recently, act now. If the violation happened months ago, act today.
TenantPetRights.org is an independent educational resource. Not a law firm. Not legal advice.