landlord enquiring about health condition? :(

preciousillusions

DaveTheMus wrote: »

Very irritating when an OP 'edits' the thread when their question was answered.

Extremely selfish thing to do; someone might be in a similar situation in the future but now has no way of knowing...

I am so sorry, I really didn't mean any harm but thought the answer to my original question was probably obvious to most and felt stupid for asking. I was asking about how housing benefit is paid if any bills such as heating make up part of the agreement.

I didn't ask why they wanted to know about my health. Felt put on the spot and feared challenging it. I haven't actually moved into the property yet, that's a while odd, but this question was asked prior to the landlord agreeing to let to me. I do wonder what kind of answer would lead to him not accepting me. Yes it is a private landlord.

I am sorry again for the edit.

lighting_up_the_chalice

preciousillusions wrote: »

I didn't ask why they wanted to know about my health. Felt put on the spot and feared challenging it. I haven't actually moved into the property yet, that's a while odd, but this question was asked prior to the landlord agreeing to let to me. I do wonder what kind of answer would lead to him not accepting me. Yes it is a private landlord.

Yes, your landlord has the right to ask any questions he so chooses.
No, your landlord has no right to expect you to divulge personal information you are not happy to share with him.
Yes, your landlord has the right to refuse to let his property to you.

Moving away from "rights", for just a moment, it may be insightful to look at this from the LLs perspective. You have presented him with a set of circumstances that fall outside of what he understands to be "normal". You are also asking him to, effectively, lend you a very valuable asset in exchange for a deposit which is a very small fraction of that value. To a certain extent, he is taking a bit of a punt with any tenant. But a tenant who falls outside the usual may be perceived to be a bigger punt to him. He, understandably, want to be reassured in his own mind that you can manage the tenancy, that you can cover the rent, that you won't cause damage or ASB issues, that your health issues don't present a risk to other or his property, etc etc etc. I would be far more concerned about the landlord who wasn't concerned about his tenant, than one that was.

But the choice to divulge personal information is always yours.

rogerblack

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

Yes, your landlord has the right to refuse to let his property to you.

He does not have that right - in most cases - if the reason he is refusing is solely disability related.

This is of course an issue.

lighting_up_the_chalice

rogerblack wrote: »

He does not have that right - in most cases - if the reason he is refusing is solely disability related.

This is of course an issue.

The prospective tenant would have to establish that refusal was disability related. Good luck with that!.

preciousillusions

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

Yes, your landlord has the right to ask any questions he so chooses.
No, your landlord has no right to expect you to divulge personal information you are not happy to share with him.
Yes, your landlord has the right to refuse to let his property to you.

Moving away from "rights", for just a moment, it may be insightful to look at this from the LLs perspective. You have presented him with a set of circumstances that fall outside of what he understands to be "normal". You are also asking him to, effectively, lend you a very valuable asset in exchange for a deposit which is a very small fraction of that value. To a certain extent, he is taking a bit of a punt with any tenant. But a tenant who falls outside the usual may be perceived to be a bigger punt to him. He, understandably, want to be reassured in his own mind that you can manage the tenancy, that you can cover the rent, that you won't cause damage or ASB issues, that your health issues don't present a risk to other or his property, etc etc etc. I would be far more concerned about the landlord who wasn't concerned about his tenant, than one that was.

But the choice to divulge personal information is always yours.

I understand that, but why is being 'outside the norm' i.e. having a disability deemed a risk beyond any others that may present themselves? It shouldn't be. & I felt upset to be questioned on something that is personal, I think anyone would. I hate now thinking that the landlord may be judging me for the information I gave. I just wanted to know whether asking such a thing was "the norm" I guess, I am still quite unsure about that from the answers here.