Can A Landlord Not Let To Who He Wants?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-39948832

[webbo3]

Mikey, have you never seen groups of young men or women being refused holidaying in a caravan park.

and Mikey would you let 3 young men, 18-20 year olds rent your house.

Dave.

[mikey4444]

TTT....you are a generally sensible chap (!) ....why are you defending this awful man ?

[naomi24]

I really can't see that a landlord is compelled to rent his property to anyone who asks. People I know who rent property won't rent to those on benefits because very often they don't get the rent. A landlord must have some sort of say in the matter, surely.

[Garaman]

I am sure that we would all like our own version of the law, but we are stuck with the official one. At the moment a landlord can't refuse to rent on the grounds of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability (there may be more I can't recall of the top of my head). In answer to Webbo, a landlord can turn down groups of young men as long as it isn't for any of those reasons.

[ToraToraTora]

I'm not defending him, I'm defending the right to let to who you like.

[naomi24]

Garaman, as I thought. It's ludicrous to say that a landlord can't refuse a prospective tenant.

[ToraToraTora]

mikey: "TTT...no you can't, as has been explained to you, and others,
ad nauseam. " - wrong, it is the basic tennet of British law, the management reserve the right to refuse service. This chap made the mistake of explaining why, then it becomes a target for all the ism counters. If he simply refused with no explanation there'd be no issue.

[naomi24]

^Quite right.

[mikey4444]

TTT...you are quite right....the mistake that this dreadful man made was not just being a racist, but an honest racist to boot !

[naomi24]

... or on the other hand, perhaps he really is concerned about the smell of curry permeating the place. He might have other tenants there to consider.

[Garaman]

It is not a tenet of British law to break the law, TTT. Your statement 'management reserve the right to refuse service' should include and 'except on grounds of discrimination' Perhaps you think a landlord should break the law and keep shtum, but that is a different matter.

[sp1814]

Yes - that's pretty much it, as has been explained over and over again on the News thread.

A landlord, business or service provider is not compelled to provide goods or services, and they can refuse without explanation.

They are breaking the law (Equalities Act 2010) if they openly state that they are discriminating on the basis of age, sexual identity, marital status, pregnancy, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.

[Baldric]

We have 6 Rentals, we let to Ex-Service Personnel, mostly when anyone moves on they normally have someone that they know in mind wanting to move in. If someone who is not Ex-Service turns up then we just do not have a vacancy, simples.
We have very few problems.

[Garaman]

//They are breaking the law (Equalities Act 2010) if they openly state that they are discriminating....//

I am not sure that they have to 'openly state' the fact to be deemed breaking the law!

[sp1814]

Garaman

They do. If someone doesn't wish to serve a customer, or employ a candidate, or rent a room to a prospective tenant, as long as they do not say why then it cannot be proved that they are breaking the law.

Actually - I see what you mean. Technically yes, they are breaking the law, but it's silent discrimination.

If they were taken to court, they could say, "I didn't want to provide service to this person because they reminded me of my old history teacher, and he was a git".

[douglas9401]

Is it an offence to not take no for an answer but instead badger and hector until tempers flare?

[Garaman]

Sp, I think you are confusing what is legal with something that is illegal but which you could probably get away with.

[ToraToraTora]

garaman: "it is not a tenet of British law to break the law, TTT. Your statement 'management reserve the right to refuse service' should include and 'except on grounds of discrimination' " how many more times! only if you say why, you can refuse point blank and give no explanation. Other peoples assumptions about your reasons carry no weight.

[sp1814]

Garaman

It think you make a good point there.