I have recently been denied an application to rent a property and I have been left to only assume that I am being discriminated against because of my gender. My brothers partner (Holly) had messaged the landlord on Open Rent enquiring for me and he was only too keen to invite me for a viewing tomorrow when he thought it was Holly viewing the flat, lol! I think it’s disgusting tbh because he stopped the conversation so I was unable to reply and said I was unsuitable due to affordability and referencing issues? I found that highly strange as I had just told him that I am currently in a flat in another town where I am on brilliant terms with my landlord and never defaulted on rent payments. My current rent is actually more than the flat that I am wanting to rent from this landlord. Clearly it was not about affordability and referencing as I have both of them covered. I don’t want to stand for it and I want to make a complaint but I don’t know how to get the full details of the landlord from open rent?
possibly had another applicant even better than you. I had many applicants for a recent property and turned down a higher salaried couple for a single person on a lower wage simply because I liked him better . Gut feeling.
Gosh you sound very bitter and making an assumption about gender. You didn’t use your own profile and now you want the landlords personal Information when you didn’t give your own.
It’s a bit of a red flag if someone applying seems not to be the person the tenancy is actually for. And that would naturally raise questions of referencing if not affordability and credibility.
And somebody else applying might have a much higher income so be seen as better able to afford than you
Speak to some letting agents. Many will have stories of people who’ve been verified online but turn out to be scammers - they have no interest in occupying a place themselves and plan just to (illegally) sublet.
Good luck with your search, maybe just don’t reveal personal info in future if you feel it isn’t relevant to your application and don’t want it used to help choose whether your application is successful or not. (Sorry 2020 hindsight is wonderful I know).
You are right that for a landlord to refuse to rent based on gender is illegal but unless you have some evidence OR are unlikely to investigate.
Also maybe there’s a silver lining…you probably wouldn’t want to rent from (and therefore help support) someone who discriminates on that? Just like as a landlord I wouldn’t want to rent to such people (I personally know of a landlord who was taken to court by a neighbour because he didn’t take enough action to stop his tenants chanting (in this case racist) abuse at the neighbour) - not a good situation for anyone, the LL did get the tenants to move out but not till after much upset, calling the police etc