In August 2020, the 大象传媒 Shared Data Unit reported thousands of landlords were trying to avoid renting their properties to benefit claimants, despite a judge ruling a blanket ban was unlawful.
About 75% of more than 9,000 listings on the website OpenRent said the landlords would not accept people on benefits.
It came after the ruling a single mother-of-two had experienced indirect discrimination when a letting agent refused to rent to her. That case established "persuasive authority" in law rather than a legal precedent, so it may have helped guide other courts in reaching future decisions, but was not binding.
OpenRent said it advised landlords to assess tenants "on their own merits".
Data and sources
The data and background methodology released to partners is available here:
Interviews and quotes
- Kurzon and Helen Morris who were both unable to work because they had myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. They had been looking for 16 months for a property in north-west England.
- Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter
- The Equality and Human Right Commission (EHRC)
- OpenRent founder Adam Hyslop
- Daniel Twycross, who had been on benefits for most of his life and had been trying to rent somewhere in Sowerby Bridge to be closer to a friend.
- The National Residential Landlords Association's deputy director for policy and research, John Stewart
Partner usage
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to the wider news industry as part of the 大象传媒 Local News Partnership. Stories written by partners based on this research included:
- Cornish Stuff: 28 August 2020
- The Irish News: 28 August 2020
- Islington Gazette:
- The Oban Times: 28 August 2020
- Surrey Live: 28 August 2020
- Wigan Today: 28 August 2020
- Welwyn Hatfield Times: 28 August 2020
- Liverpool Echo: 28 August 2020
- Peterborough Matters: 28 August 2020
- East London & West Essex Guardian: 28 August 2020
- Watford Observer: 28 August 2020
- Hendon & Finchley Times: 28 August 2020
- Harrow Times: 28 August 2020
- Gedling Eye: 28 August 2020
- Epping Forest Guardian: 28 August 2020
- Hillingdon & Uxbridge Times: 28 August 2020
- Ealing Times: 28 August 2020
- The Tottenham & Wood Green Independent: 28 August 2020
- Enfield Independent: 28 August 2020
- This Is Local London: 28 August 2020
- In Your Area: 28 August 2020
- Biddulph Nub News: 28 August 2020
- Portsmouth: The News: 28 August 2020
- Sunderland Echo: 29 August 2020
- Wales: The Leader: 30 August 2020
- News Shopper: 31 August 2020
- Northumberland Gazette: 1 September 2020
- Dorset Echo: 1 September 2020
- Nantwich News: 2 September 2020
- Cornish Times: 2 September 2020
- Northamptonshire Telegraph: 5 September 2020
The story was also used by 大象传媒 South Today.
Other usage
- The Big Issue: 28 August 2020
- The Independent: 1 September 2020