Marital Status (Covered Under State Law Only)

You are protected against unlawful housing discrimination on the basis of your marital status—that is, whether you are married, unmarried, divorced or single. It is illegal to discriminate against someone based on his or her marital status. Marital status is a protected category under the Delaware fair housing laws.

In Delaware, if you are denied an opportunity to rent a home or apartment—or given false information about a rental or sale, or denied or charged more for a mortgage or property insurance—because of your marital status, you are a victim of illegal housing discrimination. It is also illegal for landlords or other housing providers to treat current tenants and residents or their guests unfavorably because of their marital status.

Examples & Warning Signs of Marital Status Discrimination:

  • Advertising that expresses a preference for or against married couples.
  • Refusing to rent to roommates, unmarried couples, or single parents because the housing provider prefers married couples as tenants.
  • Setting curfews or overnight guest restrictions for unmarried residents.
  • Requiring unmarried couples to document that they have joint bank accounts or other evidence not requested of married couples.
  • Giving married couples special incentives or discounts that are not offered to others, like “two-for-the-price-of-one” application fees, lower security deposits, favorable rental terms, etc.
  • Terminating the tenancy of a spouse or partner who can afford the rent on his or her own because the other spouse or partner moved out of the home.

If you believe you were discriminated against because of your marital status, file a complaint.

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