That backdating may be illegal because it was intended to mislead the minority applicant and to facilitate the landlord's unlawful discrimination. A document which is backdated in order to obtain a more favorable legal result also is likely to be illegal.

Is backdating ever legal?

Backdating is the practice of marking a document, whether a check, contract, or another legally binding document, with a date that is prior to what it should be. Backdating is usually disallowed and can even be illegal or fraudulent based on the situation.

Why is backdating bad?

Although backdating can be either legitimate or improper, it is often misunderstood and associated with wrongdoing. Backdating encompasses a broad scope of conduct ranging from blatant fraud to the legitimate and common practice of executing a document after the event has already occurred.