Can A Landlord's Mortage Refuse To Rent To A Disabled Person On Benefits But Accept Retired People?

FusionFury

Is this legal? surely that's discrimination.. I don't see the difference between disabled and retired people.. disabled people it is not a life choice..

I feel I'm punished for been disabled.. it makes me really depressed as I was born this way and getting punished for it..

The landlord said his mortgage provider won't accept people on benefits but the previous tenants was retired elderly couple.. what's the difference and is there anything I can if this isn't legal!?

I'm trying to figure out of this is an excuse by the landlord not to rent to me or if the mortgage provider actually is so anti-disabled..

I can understand not accepting people on benefits (drinkers/drug users etc who might wreck the property) but I have a diagnosed disability.. surely that changes the rules otherwise most disabled people would be homeless!?

Carrot007

Yes many BTL mortgages specify no benefits. It is becuase such people would be harder to get rid of.


Ity is nothing to do with disability.


Being retired is not benefits.

davidmcn

FusionFury wrote: »

The landlord said his mortgage provider won't accept people on benefits but the previous tenants was retired elderly couple.. what's the difference and is there anything I can if this isn't legal!?

The difference I suspect is that a pensioner may be able to demonstrate that they'll have a certain level of pension income for the rest of their life, whereas someone on benefits is subject to the whims of government policy. I think there have been legal attempts to challenge "no benefits" policies in general because they indirectly discriminate against the disabled, though not sure how they have got on.

Cakeguts

FusionFury wrote: »

Is this legal? surely that's discrimination.. I don't see the difference between disabled and retired people.. disabled people it is not a life choice..

I feel I'm punished for been disabled.. it makes me really depressed as I was born this way and getting punished for it..

The landlord said his mortgage provider won't accept people on benefits but the previous tenants was retired elderly couple.. what's the difference and is there anything I can if this isn't legal!?

I'm trying to figure out of this is an excuse by the landlord not to rent to me or if the mortgage provider actually is so anti-disabled..

I can understand not accepting people on benefits (drinkers/drug users etc who might wreck the property) but I have a diagnosed disability.. surely that changes the rules otherwise most disabled people would be homeless!?

It is not quite the same because a lot of retired people are not living only on the state pension. They often have company or private pensions that will cover the rent. I am not sure how much rent a state pension would cover on its own so you are not comparing like with like.

Cakeguts

You are actually getting annoyed with the wrong people. You should be getting annoyed with the social housing providers because they should be providing housing for disabled people.

xylophone

Being retired is not benefits.

Their income might be low enough to qualify them for Pension Credit (which, like State Pension) is certainly a benefit.

In such a case they would almost certainly also qualify for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.....

theartfullodger

Carrot007 wrote: »

............


Being retired is not benefits.

Piffle: Of course the retired are benefits


Me, 71, on 6 benefits....
- state pension
- winter fuel allowance
- £10 Xmas bonus (bonkers, must cost that to run..)
- 'bus pass
- free eye tests
- free prescriptions...

Comms69

FusionFury wrote: »

Is this legal? surely that's discrimination.. I don't see the difference between disabled and retired people.. disabled people it is not a life choice..

I feel I'm punished for been disabled.. it makes me really depressed as I was born this way and getting punished for it..

The landlord said his mortgage provider won't accept people on benefits but the previous tenants was retired elderly couple.. what's the difference and is there anything I can if this isn't legal!? - Who says they were on benefits?

I'm trying to figure out of this is an excuse by the landlord not to rent to me or if the mortgage provider actually is so anti-disabled.. - does it matter, either way you aren't renting this property

I can understand not accepting people on benefits (drinkers/drug users etc who might wreck the property) but I have a diagnosed disability.. -and? surely that changes the rules otherwise most disabled people would be homeless!?

not homeless, just not living in this property,


To be honest your attitude to people on benefits is questionable. No reason to think they are drinking any more than you are.

Comms69

theartfullodger wrote: »

Piffle: Of course the retired are benefits


Me, 71, on 6 benefits....
- state pension
- winter fuel allowance
- £10 Xmas bonus (bonkers, must cost that to run..)
- 'bus pass
- free eye tests
- free prescriptions...

would have guessed 50s, not 70s. Many congrats on the pension!

poppy12345

FusionFury wrote: »

Is this legal? surely that's discrimination.. I don't see the difference between disabled and retired people.. disabled people it is not a life choice..

I feel I'm punished for been disabled.. it makes me really depressed as I was born this way and getting punished for it..

The landlord said his mortgage provider won't accept people on benefits but the previous tenants was retired elderly couple.. what's the difference and is there anything I can if this isn't legal!?

I'm trying to figure out of this is an excuse by the landlord not to rent to me or if the mortgage provider actually is so anti-disabled..

I can understand not accepting people on benefits (drinkers/drug users etc who might wreck the property) but I have a diagnosed disability.. surely that changes the rules otherwise most disabled people would be homeless!?

Yes absolutely and it will be because you're claiming benefits, not because you're disabled. Simply because the landlords mortgage company won't allow them to rent to anyone claiming benefits.


The landlords previous tenants may have been long term and they may have previously worked. Their circumstances maybe totally different to yours. Without knowing the previous tenants full circumstances you can't judge them.


Sorry but privately renting when claiming benefits is no easy ride. Finding that landlord that will accept you is extremely difficult. I know this because i'm in the same boat myself. It's definitely not because of your disability.

Murphybear

We were looking for a rental a while ago. 2 pensioners with state pensions plus 3 works pensions between us. We were eligible for top up housing benefit.

One agency had some nice houses within our price range and when I told them this we were told the “no housing benefit” rule didn’t apply to pensioners. :rotfl:

As it happened we found a 3 bedroomed house in a lovely over 55s complex. No referencing, no deposit, no fees (before the new rules) and security of assured tenancy after the first year.

Under 55s with disabilities also welcome.