Fair housing ad checker: find the words to avoid in your rental listing
Paste your rental listing, ad, or social post. The checker highlights common fair housing risk phrases and suggests neutral wording. It's free, needs no signup, and runs in your browser: nothing you paste is sent to us.
General information, not legal advice. This is an automated keyword check. It can't understand context or catch everything, and a clean result doesn't mean an ad is compliant. Have a person review every ad before you post it.
Results
Severity: HIGH likely problem · WARN review it · INFO style note. General information, not legal advice.
Fair housing words to avoid, and what to write instead
The federal Fair Housing Act bars rental ads that indicate a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin (42 U.S.C. § 3604(c); 24 CFR 100.75). South Carolina has a matching rule (S.C. Code § 31-21-40). The rule of thumb: describe the property, not the person you picture living there.
| Phrases the checker flags | Write instead |
|---|---|
| "Perfect for young professionals / families / couples / students / retirees" | The layout and size: "2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,050 sq ft" |
| "No kids", "no children", "adults only", "mature", "empty nesters", "ideal for singles" | Leave it out. Base any occupancy limit on the unit and apply it to everyone. |
| "Christian", "Catholic", "Jewish", "Muslim"; "walking distance to the church" | Neutral landmarks: a park, a shopping center, a street, a bus stop |
| "No wheelchairs", "able-bodied", "must be able to climb", "handicapped" | The feature: "third floor, no elevator", "no-step entry" |
| "No service animals", "no support animals" | "Assistance animals accommodated per law." |
| "No pets" (on its own) | "No pets. Assistance animals accommodated per law." |
| "Safe", "quiet", "good", or "nice" neighborhood; "exclusive neighborhood" | Facts: "0.5 mi to Main St", "on a bus route" |
| "English only", "Americans only", "male preferred", "female only" | Remove it. State neutral screening criteria that apply to everyone. |
| "No Section 8", "no vouchers" (review in SC) | Check local rules; state income criteria neutrally. |
| "Master bedroom" (style note) | "Primary bedroom" |
Not a complete list. Context matters, and some cities and counties protect more characteristics. For the full pre-post list, read our fair housing listing checklist.
Writing the listing from scratch?
Our free rental listing description generator builds a description and headline from your unit's facts, marks anything missing as [CONFIRM], and runs this same check on the result.
Frequently asked questions
Is the fair housing ad checker free?
Yes. It's free, needs no signup, and runs entirely in your browser. The text you paste is not sent to LeaseBlitz or stored anywhere.
Does a clean result mean my ad is legal?
No. The checker is an automated keyword scan of common risky phrases. It can't understand context or catch everything, and it isn't legal advice. Have a person read every ad before you post it, and ask a fair housing attorney about anything you're unsure of.
What fair housing words should I avoid in a rental listing?
Avoid words that state or hint at a preference for or against a protected group: for example "perfect for young professionals", "no kids", "adults only", "mature", "Christian", "no wheelchairs", "able-bodied", "English only", and subjective location words like "safe neighborhood". Describe the property instead: bedrooms, square footage, features, distances, and accessibility features.
Can I say "no pets"?
A no-pets policy is allowed, but assistance animals are not pets under fair housing rules. Write "No pets. Assistance animals accommodated per law."
Can I write "no Section 8" in South Carolina?
South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income protection, but some localities and HUD-funded properties have their own rules. The checker flags this phrase for review. Check your local rules first, and consider stating income criteria neutrally instead.
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