One of the largest property website providers, Zoopla is to prohibit postings with “No DSS” as a measure against discriminating for the financially weak. Indeed it is illegal.
I would encourage OpenRent to follow suit and remove the “DSS/No DSS” option from the website in compliance to UK equality laws and also ban DSS mention in ad descriptions.
Removing the legality of putting No DSS will waste a lot of time. For many landlords either their mortgage, or their insurance forbids taking DSS applicants. For others they cannot afford the wait for payment which currently occurs. The proper course is to put pressure on mortgage conditions to be changed. Not sure if insurance companies could be so encouraged as they can always charge more for increased risk. It is a complex problem not simply solved by putting landlords in the middle!
I am new to Openrent. Aris supporting this nonesense does not do much to reassure me. I will not take tenants reliant on housing benefit and I do not want to waste the time of applicants with no chance…
Hi David, Great to hear you’re a new OpenRent user.
If you’re interested in this issue, I’d recommend having a look at this thread where we outline our position on the DSS issue in a letter to the Work & Pensions Select Committee.
I hope OpenRent works well for you! Do shout if you need any support, either on the Community or by emailing FAQs | OpenRent.
Sam
Sam . I m not sure if this in in the correct heading. Why is it that I get a high proportion of applcants on benefit when clearly my advert wants someone in employment? Also people who have pets still apply when clearly the advert says .“no pets”. This is ridiculous and makes me not trust what they may tell me.
Hi I am looking for 1 bed room frat please in E17, or E18 please
Its terrible im trying to find somewhere to live in my area and Openrent state no DSS but you click on the X it then state’s the local housing benign will not cover the stated amount, for example £450 for a single room in a shared house, the local housing benifits would not pay it. This is definitely very wrong, where i live at the moment my universal credit covers my rent at £500 per month, so saying this openrent are lieing on there site. This situation if you put a uk search in for a one room rental is the same. So very wrong. I am in the process of collecting evidence against openrent for discriminate behavior and untruth in their advertising.
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