Question

[lady_karelia]

I know there are a lot of clever people on my f-list, and a lot of you are here in the US. My question is: Can something be done when someone refuses to rent out an apartment on the basis that one family member does not have a social security number? I'm raging right now, as this kind of stance puts me on the same level as illegal immigrants. Now, we're neither here illegally nor are we immigrants. And seriously, do they expect the holder of a professional work visa with a gazillion qualification to sleep in the park under the tree???

Comments

[lady-rhian.livejournal.com]

That is an excellent question. So I take it the person *does* have a professional work visa? Do they have any other form of serious identification, i.e. birth certificate, bank statement that the landlord would accept? (If not born in the US, that could be difficult.) Alternately, would an employer be willing to vouch for them? The part that is strange to me is that this is real estate, not banking/credit card/passport etc. -- you don't exactly need a SS# to rent an apartment. Also, that it is only one member of a family moving in. Are there other adults, because if so, that seems extremely strict. I'm so sorry for the trouble you're having -- landlords can be a bitch to deal with. I hope you find someone reasonable to work with.

[lady-rhian.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, you've probably already thought of all that. Wishing you the best of luck, hon.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We'll try another place or two in that area, if not, there are others in Memphis that aren't quite so anal about the whole issue.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, hubby has an H1B visa and SSN, and I have the relevant visa as his spouse (can't look the name up, as he's still driving and has my passport, which they required to see). And yeah, hubby's employer would vouch if that were an issue. But they rejected purely on the basis that neither his wife nor his 18-yr-old daughter have an SSN. It all reeks of racism, really. :(