At least one in 10 rental properties in England are likely to be advertised unlawfully by explicitly discriminating against people who rely on housing benefit, new research has found.
The analysis of around 86,000 letting agent adverts on Zoopla by the National Housing Federation and Shelter shows that 8,710 adverts for different residential properties in England say ‘no DSS’ or ‘no housing benefit’.
It says that a shortage of social housing and high house prices have led to rapidly growing numbers of people having to rent privately and depend on housing benefit. There are now more than 1.4 million people in this situation in England.
It also reveals that women and people with disabilities are disproportionately in this situation and therefore affected by discrimination and indirectly discriminating against woman and people with disabilities, by banning people on housing benefit, is likely to violate the 2010 Equality Act.
The worst area is North Cumbria where 59% of adverts said no DSS, followed by West Cumbria with 38%, Gloucester at 35%, Lincoln at 34%, Halifax at 32%, Worthing at 31%, Weston Super Mare at 29%, Oldham and Rochdale also at 29% and Thameside and Glossop at 29%.
The report says it is a worrying situation and it is reckoned that these explicitly discriminatory adverts are only the tip of the iceberg. Many other adverts imply that DSS is not accepted by saying ‘professionals only’.
Previous research from Shelter and the National Housing Federation revealed how many housing benefit tenants are rejected by letting agents over the phone, regardless of whether they can afford the rent or not.
For the research, in an undercover investigation, two versions of an almost identical application were sent to landlords on SpareRoom.com and Gumtree. A woman posing as someone on housing benefit was more than twice as likely to be rejected by landlords, compared to a woman who wasn’t.
The National Housing Federation and Shelter have joined forces to urge letting agents and landlords to end this likely unlawful practice. They are also calling on online property websites to stop facilitating this grossly unfair discrimination.
‘This research shows that blatant discrimination against people on housing benefit is widespread. Landlords and letting agents are pushing people towards homelessness and could be breaking equality law,’ said Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation.
‘It is beyond me why property websites are permitting these adverts. They’re sending the message that they’re ok discriminating against someone, simply because they’re on benefits. This has to change,’ she added.
According to Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said it is unacceptable that these kind of adverts are ‘brazenly enforced’ by letting agents, landlords and online property websites and she described them as ‘outdated, offensive and causing misery for thousands’.
It means that families are finding themselves barred from renting homes time and time again, simply because they need a Housing Benefit top up. ‘At a time when colossal private rents are out of reach for so many, that seems absurd,’ she said.
‘Not only is no DSS grossly unfair, it is likely to be unlawful because it overwhelming affects women and disabled people. That’s why we need the lettings industry to stop blaming each other, accept its role in this shocking practice and clean up its act,’ she added.
