Property to Rent

Renting: How landlords can refuse to permit to tenants with children

Landlords can refuse capacity tenants with kids whilst letting out a UK property, which has induced court cases from some of the ones that became down. Some families trying to find a domestic to lease say it is unfair and discriminatory to rule out tenants with kids. But landlords factor out that not all homes are suitable for youngsters and that they’re within their rights to refuse.

Renting: How landlords can refuse to permit to tenants with children 1

The debate has been performed out on the BBC News Affordable Living Facebook page. Tenant: ‘It felt a bit harsh – it became a really perfect small own family home’ Tom Dedynski has children, elderly 9 and five, however, has separated from his wife. He was searching out a -bedroom home to lease in Peterborough, so he had sufficient room for his youngsters to come to stay with him all through various weekends and at other instances. He notion he had located the suitable vicinity – a semi-detached house with storage and driveway.

“I turned into honest with the letting agent that the children might go to,” the 33-year-old says. “I had now not rented for 15 years and desired to be honest about the scenario. “I become informed the owner did not want children – and that turned into that. He subsequently found any other assets to lease; however, he says that the enjoy did not feel truthful. Other tenants say they have had similar reports and argue that this amounted to discrimination. One says that the deposit must cover any mess or damage because of youngsters, but that children no longer necessarily create more damage than older human beings.
Landlord: ‘You must make a judgment’

Darren Minkin lets out 9 properties within the Bournemouth area, and he’s satisfied for tenants with youngsters to live in a maximum of them. Yet, in his 20 years’ revel in, he says that some are not always appropriate for youngsters. One is a conversion; that’s now a house in multiple careers. Several older tenants live there, and there are various communal areas. As a result, he says, it isn’t always appropriate for young youngsters. Another is a flat adjoined to a few scholar digs. Sometimes, the scholars will be analyzing, and on occasion, they may be partying in the evening.

The result is that the near-neighbors can easily disturb each other. As a result, he regulations out capability tenants with children – even though all of us who have children simultaneously as they live there are constantly allowed to live, he says. “They are not rigid guidelines,” the fifty one-yr-old says. “But you have to make a judgment. It is intestine instinct – on occasion, you’re wrong and on occasion proper.” John Stewart, the Residential Landlords Association’s policy supervisor, says a bigger percentage of homes rented privately (35%) have kids residing in them than within the social rented region.

“That said, no longer all privately rented houses are suitable for children, for example, Houses of Multiple Occupation or metropolis center blocks of residences that may have no close by space for kids to play,” he says. “Landlords should usually make sure that the properties they hire to families with children are suitable and safe to meet the wishes of such tenants.”

What are the guidelines?

There is nothing in law across the UK that compels a landlord to rent to tenants with children. Such tenants stay a significant part of the condominium quarter. In England, 1.7 million families increase children in apartment properties, among four.7 million families in total in the region. In Scotland, 24% of the 360,000 households within the personal rental quarter are households with kids. While landlords can decide whether or no longer to have tenants with kids in their houses, if they set policies that apply to everyone but indirectly make it more difficult for ladies to rent, this will be intercourse discrimination.

If a landlord refuses to hire a single mother or a pregnant person, the tenant may argue that she is being discriminated against in opposition to the landlord. Under the Equality Act, the regulation says someone can not be handled unfairly or otherwise if linked to who they’re. That can include housing. So, for example, a tenant ought to argue in opposition to being denied housing if they can show it was the result in their intercourse, sexual orientation, religion, race, or incapacity. Citizens Advice has toolkits for all who desire to take action in England and Wales, and Scotland.

Judith Barnes

I am a freelance writer and blogger based in New York City. I love to write about home design, landscaping, architecture, gardens, real estate, and exterior design. I also run a blog called Mypropertal, where I share tips about home and garden improvement projects. In addition to writing, I work part-time as a social media manager for a real estate company in NYC.

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