Planning to rent accommodation in Bradford? If you’re on benefits you might have limited options, according to some website listings.
Popular property website Spareroom.co.uk, currently displays a ‘tenant preferences list’, where landlords have the option of renting to those on housing benefits.
When the ‘housing benefits considered’ filter is applied, only around 17 per cent (17.4%) of the region’s total listings are being offered to those who claim benefits.
This is despite a court ruling earlier in the year which made it unlawful for landlords to blanket ban people on benefits, as it went against the 2010 Equality Act.
How many properties can people on benefits rent?
At the moment in Bradford, there are 103 rooms available to rent on Spare Room- but out of those, only 18 of them are being offered to those who claim benefits.
Spare Room say the filter exists for practical reasons so people on benefits don’t waste their time with landlords who will turn them away after applying.
A spokesperson for Spare Room said: “The ‘housing benefit considered' filter was introduced to help people who rely on housing benefit to find available properties.
“We realised that many rooms were listed as unavailable to people on benefits, so wanted to stop them wasting time contacting people, only to find out they couldn’t rent the room.”
They went onto explain that that some Buy to Let mortgages still prohibit landlords from renting to people who receive housing benefit.
They added: “As a result, we’re changing the advertising process so that a specific mortgage clause is the only reason we’ll allow for saying they won’t rent to tenants on benefits.”
Since writing this article, Spare Room have now changed their 'housing benefits considered' filter to 'hide ads that can't accept housing benefit (due to mortgage/insurance restrictions)'.
The historic 'No DSS' court hearing
BREAKING NEWS: In a landmark ruling, housing benefit discrimination has been judged unlawful and in breach of the Equality Act.⚖️
— Shelter (@Shelter) July 14, 2020
This is a huge breakthrough for the campaign to #EndDSSDiscrimination🔒 pic.twitter.com/LFsBoW6Mgy
(Twitter/@Shelter)
Earlier this year, housing benefit discrimination was judged to be unlawful and in breach of the Equality Act.
District Judge, Victoria Elizabeth Mark, declared in the court that: “Rejecting tenancy applications because the applicant is in receipt of housing benefit was unlawfully indirectly discriminatory on the grounds of sex and disability, contrary to […] the Equality Act 2010.”
Housing charity, Shelter, are part of the reason the historic court case on housing benefit discrimination was passed.
They campaigned for the blanket ban for years- one of their clients even featured as a case story in the hearing.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said there is “no need” for DSS accepting filters to exist on property sites.
She added: “No DSS discrimination overwhelmingly bars women and disabled people – who are more likely to need help paying their rent – from finding a safe place to live.
“In the worst cases, ‘No DSS’ policies have left people homeless.
“That means there should be no need for ‘DSS accepted’ filters, because private rentals should be advertised as available to any prospective tenant who can afford to live in them, regardless of where their income comes from.”
Renting in the coronavirus pandemic
According to the most up-to-date government data, over 38,000 people in Bradford were claiming housing benefit in May 2018- long before the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated matters.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the number of people in work fell by 220,000 during lockdown and those claiming unemployment benefits surged to 2.7 million between March and July.
Furlough schemes end on October 31st the ban on tenant evictions will be lifted on 20th September.
No DSS barriers could make an already difficult renting situation seem impossible for those on benefits during this uncertain time.
Billy Harding, Research and Policy Officer at Centrepoint (charity for young homeless people) said: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a 50% increase in the number of young people contacting our helpline seeking housing support.
“We think it will only get worse as the economic repercussions increases.
“The ‘No DSS’ court ruling is a step in the right direction- tenants have the power to challenge landlords and letting agents if they are acting unlawfully and contrary to the equality act.
“However, there’s plenty more that can be done as well.
"Platforms shouldn’t have [housing benefits] filters- people should be assessed on an individual basis and not just the way they receive their rent."
If you are having issues with rental discrimination you can contact Shelter England- they can give you some advice about what to do next.
There is even a template letter on Shelter’s website which you can send to landlords and agents, alongside lots of free and expert housing advice at www.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice.
If you are a young person struggling with homelessness, you can contact the Centrepoint helpline.
