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6. The Right not to be discriminated against

This again is a fairly limited right.  You are only protected from discrimination which is illegal under the law.

The  main areas where discrimination is prohibited is

  • Sex and sexual orientation
  • Religion
  • Race
  • Disability

So unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do if your landlord is discriminating against you because he does not like the look of your face (unless maybe it is because you look foreign), or your red hair or the fact that you are about to have a baby.

However it will be illegal for him to discriminate against you because you are black, because you are a Jehovah’s Witness, because you are a transsexual or because you suffer from Schizophrenia.

Note though that the fact that a landlord does not accept you as a tenant if you fall into these groups does not per se mean he is discriminating against you – he may have decided against you for a reason which is unconnected  For example, he may feel you will not be able to afford the rent (which is a valid reason to reject someone as a tenant).

So far as disabled tenants are concerned, landlords are also obliged to carry out reasonable adjustments to the property.

It will also normally be considered discrimination to refuse to allow a disabled tenant keep an Assistance dog.

You can find out more about your rights at the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.

Landlord Law Blog Posts

  • Can landlords discriminate against tenants with zero hours contracts?
  • Disabled tenant wants landlord to help him enjoy his property
  • Eviction, disability discrimination and dogs

Next   Back

Index

  • Introduction
  • 1. The Right to Housing
  • 2. The Right to Information
  • 3. The Right to have your Deposit protected
  • 4. The Right to be treated fairly
  • 5. The Right to a fair rent and to set off expenses
  • 6. The Right not to be discriminated against
  • 7. The Right to a safe property which is in proper repair
  • 8. The Right to live in the property undisturbed (and only be evicted through the courts)
  • 9. The Right to Leave the Property
  • 10. The Right for your family to live in the property after your death

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Disclaimer: the information on this site is provided in good faith and great care has been taken to ensure that it is as accurate as possible. However it should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice from a qualified lawyer regarding any actual legal issue or dispute.

Nothing on this site should be taken as constituting legal advice.

Other websites

You may also find the following two sites from Tessa useful:

The Landlord Law Blog
Lodger Landlord

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