One in ten Zoopla listings break the law by ‘banning housing benefit claimants’ from becoming a tenant
ONE in ten listings on letting website Zoopla are breaking the law by barring people who claim housing benefit from becoming a tenant, it was claimed last night.
A major study of 86,000 letting agent adverts found 8,710 adverts for different residential homes in England that state "no housing benefit" or "no DSS" - referring to the old Department for Social Security.
Housing charity Shelter and the National Housing Federation, which carried out the analysis, said these ads were indirectly breaking equality laws because the majority of housing benefit claimants are women or disabled.
Their claim is backed up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which said any letting agent or landlord using such language could be breaking the law.
The report claims that a shortage of social housing and high house prices currently means 1.4 million people in England are forced to rent privately and depend on housing benefit, with women and people with disabilities disproportionately affected.
The report said Zoopla was not the only platform to list "no DSS" postings, with previous research finding they were numerous across all major property websites.
The study found discrimination against housing benefit recipients is the worst in North Cumbria - at a rate of six in ten adverts.
The National Housing Federation and Shelter have joined forces to urge letting agents, landlords and property platforms to end the "likely unlawful" practice.
National Housing Federation chief executive Kate Henderson said: "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.
"Many housing associations were created in the '50s and '60s in reaction to discrimination and racism from private landlords who wouldn't house migrants, and said 'No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs'.
"Today's discrimination is hardly any different and we refuse to turn a blind eye."
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "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.
"Not only is 'no DSS' grossly unfair, it is likely to be unlawful because it overwhelmingly 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."
Equality and Human Rights Commission chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath said: "Those who are in need of most support, such as disabled people, single parents and people from disadvantaged backgrounds, are being left behind.
"It's important that we don't forget about them and outdated views like this show how much work there is to do.
"Finding a home can be a difficult experience even without restrictive lettings policies.
"Any letting agent or landlord using this sort of language may be breaking the law.
"As our recent inquiry showed, there is a chronic shortage of suitable housing for disabled people which is compounded by obstacles in renting from private landlords.
"We will consider this evidence in deciding whether there is an opportunity to use our enforcement powers."
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A Zoopla spokesman said: “Zoopla supports the recommendations of the National Landlords Association (NLA) and the Residents Landlords Association (RLA), which have advocated that landlords do not impose blanket bans against tenants on benefits.
“Zoopla is aware of a small number of rental listings on its websites that fit into this category and Zoopla will write to all of its member agents to recommend that they follow the NLA and RLA guidance.”
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