Since most multifamily professionals agree that our Service Professionals have the most contact with our Residents, but get the least amount of fair housing training, here are two of the most common situations that Service Team members should be aware of to make certain they are fair housing compliant:

1. There is no such thing as "Oops" in Fair Housing: Just because someone didn't mean to discriminate doesn't mean they are automatically off the hook, because the discriminatory act does not need to be intentional. Many fair housing complaints are the result of someone trying to "be nice" or be helpful. While "being nice" is standard operating procedure for most companies, the key to compliance is treating everyone equally and consistently. Some examples of what NOT to do are not suggesting which building someone would like because "there are/are not lots of kids in that building", or because "there are/are not lots of THOSE people in that building", and NOT talking about other Residents or Employees.

2. Attitude Is Everything: Since most Service Team members don’t get much (any?) Customer Service training either, let’s talk about attitude for a moment. The old cliché holds true here: "Reality is perception and perception is reality". When a person perceives being treated differently, they will usually make up their own reason for why they are being treated differently – and that reason could be "Because I’m a member of a "Protected Class". That different treatment includes attitude, body language and overall demeanor; if the Service Technician seems to be friendly and outgoing to everyone EXCEPT Mrs. Smith, then in the absence of an explanation to the contrary, Mrs. Smith may think it’s because she is a member of a protected class.

So, what can be done about making certain your Service Team is playing fair? There are plenty of quality classroom, computer-based and web-based training programs available that are designed specifically for Service Employees. Isn't it about time we get EVERYONE at our properties trained (or, is it time for a refresher class?). Remember, play nice and PLAY FAIR!