Recent reports suggest that some landlords in London are purportedly listing properties with a preference for “Muslim only” tenants, a practice that contravenes Britain’s anti-discrimination housing legislation.
The Telegraph has highlighted numerous advertisements circulating on various social media platforms, detailing these religiously exclusive stipulations for potential renters in London and the south-east of England.
Advertisements reportedly featured phrases such as “Only for Muslims,” “for 2 Muslim boys or 2 Muslim girls,” and “Muslims preferred,” according to the publication.
One particular listing offered a one-bedroom accommodation intended for “girls” and was described as ideal for a “Gujarati Muslim Student.”
The Facebook advertisement noted that the property was “ready to move now” and conveniently located near a mosque.
Aside from these Muslim-focused ads, additional listings on sites like Facebook, Telegram, and the British marketplace Gumtree specified preferences for other ethnicities, religions, and languages, including Hindu and Punjabi tenants.
Some of the restrictions for the available housing included “alcohol and smoke-free,” the outlet reported.
The advertisements are potentially in violation of the UK’s Equality Act 2010, which protects citizens against discrimination based on religion or belief, race and other protected characteristics.
“Muslim only” or similar restrictions fall under the violating measures.
Landlords are not in violation of the law if they are renting out space in their individual homes and searching for tenants who fit a certain lifestyle or religious requirements — if sharing a bathroom or kitchen.
The possible biased housing listings were blasted for catering to one certain religious group and not being open to all citizens.
“These adverts are disgusting and anti-British. It goes without saying that there would be a national outrage if the tables were turned,” Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s economic spokesman, told The Telegraph. “All forms of racism are unacceptable, and no religious group should get a special exemption to discriminate in this way.”
The outlet reached out to several numbers attached to the listings and were turned away each time they asked the renter if they accepted “non-Muslim” tenants.
Some of the listings were removed from Facebook after they were questioned by the report.
Gumtree, a leading online marketplace in the UK, noted that most of the rental spaces listed were for rooms in a private dwelling from renters looking for people with similar lifestyle restrictions as them.
“We take reports of inappropriate listings very seriously,” a company spokesperson told the Telegraph. “The ads referenced appear to relate to private rooms within shared homes, where existing occupants may express preferences about who they live with. This is different from renting out an entire property, which is subject to stricter rules under the Equality Act.”
With Post wires
