Maybe they've been burned by landlords in the past and are being very careful.You can legally reject them based on personality, facial tattoos, body odor, or other factors, but you better make sure you can prove that it wasn't based on any protected class like race, religion, familial status, etc.

Hello fellow landlords,The properties in question are in a market that although it is not cheap, it draws lots of money-cautious tenants. I am foreseeing a bit of a push back or even turned-off potentially decent tena...

Quote from @Shaun Ng: Hi, I recently have a legal name change, and I own 2 rental properties in Fairfax county, VA.

“Broker” is a legal term that often requires standardized coursework and a state license. 

This is something their screening probably would have caught, or their system would have a legal procedure to deal with it.

Is there any legal action one can take or is it just a lost cause?

Hi @Heather Bailey something to consider with this is legal mother/daughter may not mean legal duplex. 

.: Is it legal, per the IRS, to rent my primary home back to myself? 

Just to add to what has been said here - if the seller described this as a triplex on the sale documents, they might have a legal liability.  

I won't be able to make the cottage legal rental without living in the primary home myself.