West Virginia Fair Housing
West Virginia fair housing law works alongside the federal Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination in housing. This chapter covers prohibited practices and the broker's responsibility for compliance.
Protected Classes and Prohibited Conduct
Fair housing law prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on protected characteristics. Refusing to show, sell, or rent to a person, or offering different terms, based on a protected characteristic is unlawful and exposes a licensee to discipline and civil liability.
Steering and Discriminatory Advertising
Steering, guiding buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on a protected characteristic, is prohibited, as is advertising that expresses a discriminatory preference. Licensees must present available options neutrally and let consumers choose.
The Broker's Compliance Duty
A broker is responsible for the firm's fair housing compliance. That means adopting nondiscrimination policies, training and supervising affiliated licensees, and reviewing advertising so the firm does not discriminate or steer. Broker Management and fair housing overlap because the broker is accountable for the firm's practices.