The five elements every request needs
Name what it is
“A reasonable accommodation request under the Fair Housing Act [and your state statute, if you have one].” Naming the framework tells the reader this is the formal process with formal consequences.
State that you have a disability
Plainly, without naming your diagnosis. You are not required to disclose it, and a good request doesn't.
State the disability-related need
One sentence; your attached letter carries the substance.
Name the specific accommodation
An exception to the no-pet policy (and, where your state supports it, waiver of pet fees) for your specific animal.
Set a reasonable response date
Commonly 10–14 days, plus your preferred contact method. Attach the letter. Nothing else: no medical records, no registry certificates.
The template
Adapt the bracketed parts. Include the fee-waiver clause only where your state supports it; in federal-framework states, request the waiver as a separate ask. Keep the whole thing under a page: length reads as anxiety; brevity reads as process.
Send it through a channel that timestamps: email, the tenant portal, or certified mail for a hostile situation.
Dear [Landlord/Property Manager],
I am writing to request a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act [and [state statute], if applicable] for my disability.
I have a disability as defined under fair housing law, and a licensed professional has determined that I have a disability-related need for an emotional support animal. Documentation from [Clinician name, license type/state] is attached.
I am requesting an exception to the community's pet policy to allow my emotional support animal, [animal type], to reside with me at [address][, and, consistent with [state statute], that no pet fees or pet deposits be applied to this accommodation].
Please respond in writing by [date, 10–14 days out]. I'm happy to discuss this request and can be reached at [contact].
Thank you,
[Name, unit, date]
Mistakes that sink requests
Requesting verbally only
No record, no protection.
Attaching a registry certificate
Signals fake-documentation culture; Florida landlords can disregard them by statute.
Disclosing your diagnosis
Unnecessary, and it invites exactly the medical interrogation the law protects you from.
Opening with legal threats
Citing the framework is firm; litigation threats invite lawyered escalation you don't want yet.
Waiting until the animal is a conflict
Request before move-in or before the animal is discovered where possible. After works legally, but earlier is easier.
Letting a form intimidate you
A landlord's own accommodation form is optional convenience. Your rights don't depend on their paperwork, and their form cannot demand your diagnosis.
Common questions
Current as of August 24, 2026.
Do I have to use a specific form to request an ESA accommodation?
No. No law requires a particular form or phrase. A short written request containing the five elements above is legally sufficient; landlord-provided forms are optional convenience, not gatekeeping.
Should I tell my landlord my diagnosis?
No, and they shouldn't ask. The framework entitles a provider to documentation of a disability-related need where the disability isn't apparent, not to your diagnosis, records, or treatment details.
When should I make the request: before or after signing the lease?
Either works legally; before move-in is smoother in practice. Fair housing law prohibits refusing to rent to you because you requested an accommodation. If a landlord pulls an offer after a request, document it; that's its own problem for them.
What if my landlord just says “we're a no-pet building”?
That's not a lawful final answer to a properly made request; an accommodation request is a request for an exception to exactly that policy. Re-send formally if the “no” was casual; escalate if it was formal.
Does the 2026 HUD change mean requests are pointless now?
The opposite. With the federal enforcement backstop narrowed, the written request is what creates your record for state agencies and private claims, and it's still the step at which most landlords simply say yes to credible documentation.
The attachment matters more than the letter around it
A perfect request wrapped around weak documentation fails. Start with an evaluation that produces a letter no one can wave away.