Under what condition is it permissible to refuse to rent to a person?

Refusing to rent to a person based on their status as a social drinker typically falls into a category that is not explicitly protected under fair housing laws. Fair housing regulations prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Social drinking does not correspond with any of these protected classes, making it permissible under the law for a landlord to consider this factor in their rental decisions.

Other reasons, such as a person's credit score, while relevant to a landlord's decision-making process, must be applied consistently to avoid discriminatory practices. If a landlord uses credit score as a criterion, it needs to be justified and applied uniformly. Refusing to rent based solely on a criminal record can be more complex; while landlords can consider someone’s criminal history during the tenant screening process, they must do so in compliance with applicable laws, ensuring that they are not disproportionately impacting certain protected groups.

Renting decisions should always be transparently connected to the property management policies or established rental criteria, ensuring that they do not inadvertently discriminate against individuals in protected classes. Within all these contexts, refusing to rent due to being a social drinker stands out clearly as an allowable choice.