Which of the following would NOT be illegal when renting an apartment to a family with children?

• A. Running a credit check prior to renting
• B. Refusing to rent because of children
• C. Charging a higher rent due to children
• D. Denying access to amenities due to children

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the Fair Housing Act protects people with children from discrimination, but neutral, non-discriminatory screening practices are allowed. Running a credit check prior to renting is a routine, neutral step used to assess a prospective tenant’s ability to pay. When this check is applied consistently to all applicants and handled in compliance with the law (including obtaining consent and following adverse-action procedures if the application is denied or terms are changed), it isn’t illegal.

In contrast, refusing to rent because a family has children, charging higher rent specifically because of children, or denying access to amenities due to children are direct forms of discrimination based on whether a family has children, which violates the Fair Housing Act.