It will soon be unlawful for landlords to refuse potential tenants simply because they receive rent allowance. The Government has announced plans to amend legislation to broaden the definition of discrimination, where housing is concerned, to prevent discrimination against people in receipt of social welfare payments.
Under current equality legislation, landlords are free to refuse accommodation to tenants who are in receipt of rent supplement or other social welfare payments. Minister of State for Justice and Equality, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin announced that Government had approved plans to expand the definition of discrimination, where housing is concerned, to include ‘income source’ alongside the other nine specified grounds of discrimination. Amendments will be made to the Equal Status Acts to prohibit discrimination in relation to residential tenants, or prospective tenants, on the basis that they are assisted with their payments through rent supplement or social welfare payments. It is expected that the changes will cover those in receipt of housing assistance payment, rent supplement, or the person’s income coming in whole or In part from social welfare payments.
These draft amendments will be published as amendments to a Private Members’ Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which is currently before the Seanad. The amendments are due in the current parliamentary term.
Minister Ó Ríordáin commented: “It is common practice for advertisements in relation to rental accommodation to say that rent supplement is not accepted. This practice has a harmful effect on persons seeking to rent accommodation and the Government has therefore decided to prohibit such discrimination.”
Following a request from the Department of Social Protection, Daft.ie has removed the Rent Allowance Filter search function from its website – where landlords could explicitly filter potential tenants based on their receipt of rent allowance.
Advocacy organisations have long campaigned for recognition of this form of economic discrimination. The move was welcomed by housing charities which also encouraged further action from Government on housing issues. Focus Ireland labelled it as a “positive move” while emphasising the need to increase rent supplement rates and to bring in greater rent regulation. Peter McVerry Trust also welcomed the announcement, and called on the Government to bring forward other measures to reform the private rental sector to prevent homelessness such as affordable rental accommodation, rent regulation, and review of rent supplement levels.
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