Is this discrimination? Landlord charging higher rent than others..

antonyprakash

I live in a flat in Nottingham. I moved in to this flat 4 years ago for a rent of £695/month. The apartments have 12 flats which are similar. I have never checked with other residents about the rent they were paying. But last weekend I came to know from few tenants that they were paying only £550/month. I was shattered and enquired few more tenants and have confirmed that they pay £550/month which is nearly £145/month less. This means I have paid several thousand pounds more than other tenants. I have asked the landlord who accepts no responsibility for this. I have requested for a refund but this has been rejected as well. The CAB advice guide website lists this as discrimination. Can't post the link unfortunately.....

Any advice will be much appreciated.


This is the advice on the CAB website..
Discrimination by private landlords

When renting accommodation, a private landlord must not discriminate against you because of your disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, This means that they are probably acting unlawfully if they:

refuse to let a property to you because of discrimination
rent a property to you on worse terms than other tenants
treat you differently from other tenants in the way you are allowed to use facilities such as a laundry or a garden
evict or harass you because of discrimination
charge you higher rent than other tenants
refuse to carry out repairs to your home, simply because of discrimination
refuse to make reasonable changes to a property or a term in the tenancy agreement which would allow a disabled person to live there.
These rules may not apply in some cases – for example, if your landlord lives in the same property as you.

bizzybee

Have you all lived there for the same length of time?

You may have moved in when a higher rent was achievable, since then the landlord may have had to reduce the rent on the other flats to get tenants in.

p00hsticks

antonyprakash wrote: »

When renting accommodation, a private landlord must not discriminate against you because of your disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation,

So do you believe that your landlord is charging you more than other tenants for one or more of the reasons above ? It's only this that would make it unlawful....

zzzLazyDaisy

OP it is not helpful to post duplicate threads on different forums (and is against forum rules). Please could you ask a board guide to merge your threads.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4717593

G_M

If you have evidence, and can prove, that the reason you are paying more is

because of your disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation,

then yes, it is discrimination and is illegal.

However, as bb says above, market rates change frequently, and what was the market rent last year (when perhaps other tenants moved in) may have been lower than this year.

* did you all move in at the same time?
* which form of discrimination do you suspect (race? sexuality etc?)
* when didyoulast sign a fixed term contract and when doesitend?

There is nothing stopping you negotiating a lower rent:
* if you think you can find a cheaper similar place, you can always move
*if the LL think he can easily find another tenant to pay your rent, he is unlikely to reduce the rent

antonyprakash

Nope. I am the longest staying tenant...
Others have moved in during the last 2 years.
I am not sure why I am being discriminated.....I can't provide a reason.

QUOTE=G_M;62579749]If you have evidence, and can prove, that the reason you are paying more is
then yes, it is discrimination and is illegal.

However, as bb says above, market rates change frequently, and what was the market rent last year (when perhaps other tenants moved in) may have been lower than this year.

* did you all move in at the same time?
* which form of discrimination do you suspect (race? sexuality etc?)
* when didyoulast sign a fixed term contract and when doesitend?

There is nothing stopping you negotiating a lower rent:
* if you think you can find a cheaper similar place, you can always move
*if the LL think he can easily find another tenant to pay your rent, he is unlikely to reduce the rent[/QUOTE]

antonyprakash

Posted it in the wrong place. Now spammed it. Hopefully it would be removed.

QUOTE=zzzLazyDaisy;62579663]OP it is not helpful to post duplicate threads on different forums (and is against forum rules). Please could you ask a board guide to merge your threads.

thesaint

Not sure if this thread is serious.

G_M

Nope. I am the longest staying tenant...
Others have moved in during the last 2 years.
I am not sure why I am being discriminated.....I can't provide a reason.

1) perhaps market rents have dropped since youmoved in. Have you checked?
2) that's like saying "I think this bloke has robbed me. Can I get the police to arrest him? What? No, I don't know what he's stolen....."

ging84

I think the CAB website advice you have quoted is a little bit badly worded
on most of the items it lists it states "because of discrimination" at the end
but it is kind of implied on all the others by being in the section about discrimination, renting to some tenants on worse terms, different prices, etc does not automaticly become discrimination, it is perfectly legal, unless it is for a discriminatory reason

abankerbutnotafatcat

It doesn't sound like you're being discriminated against; merely that you're paying a rent that is no longer market. If it was the other way around I.e. local rents had risen, you wouldn't be complaining.

Ask your LL to reduce your rent. If they won't then move and get a place at the new, lower local rents.

When I rented I offered over the list price for my flat in order to secure it. By the time I left I was paying significantly under market rent as the LL hadn't increased my rent as I was a good tenant so I was paying less than the other tenants. It's just the way it goes.