Time to end discrimination against benefit claimants by buy to let mortgage providers is the call by the RLA

October 22, 2018

URGENT action is needed to tackle discrimination against benefit claimants by buy-to-let mortgage providers, this call is being made by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) following news that a landlord has had the mortgage on a property revoked because she is renting to a benefit claimant.

In a letter being sent to the Treasury Minister responsible for banking, John Glen MP, the RLA is calling for:

The Government to use the influence it has in those banks in which it currently has shares to end such discriminatory practices.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), working with the Bank of England, to undertake a full investigation into the extent of this problem and prepare plans to end it. The RLA believes such practices breach a number of principles within the FCA’s ‘Treating Customers Fairly’ agenda.

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission to undertake a review of whether such practices breach equalities law.

David Smith, Policy Director for the RLA said:

“With growing numbers of benefit claimants now relying on the private rented sector, it is shameful that many lenders are preventing landlords renting property to some of the most vulnerable in society with little or no justification.

“The Banks have had long enough to get their house in order. It is now time to take firm action to stop such unjust practices.”

Read the RLA news release ‘Time to end banks discrimination against tenants on benefits’ in full click here.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Fledgling homeowners cut costs by taking on fixer-uppers to achieve dream home

66% of first-time buyers bought a cheaper home because it needed DIY or renovation work done Many choosing a ‘fixer-upper’ were able to buy in their preferred location, add value and put their stamp on it DIY almost mandatory among first-time buyers, with 93% completing at least one project since moving in But three quarters…
Read More →
Breaking News

House Price Index for April 2026 – Thoughts from the Indutry

The latest Halifax House Price Index for April 2026 shows that: – On a monthly basis, house prices remained largely static, down by just -0.1% between March and April 2026. Annually, house prices were up 0.4%, albeit this rate of annual growth had slowed from 0.8% the previous month. As a result, the average house…
Read More →
Breaking News

House prices remained broadly stable in April

• House prices edged down -0.1% in April, following a -0.5% fall in March • Average property price now £299,313, compared with £299,609 in March • Annual growth slowed to +0.4%, from +0.8% in March • Northern Ireland continues to record the strongest annual growth at +7.6%   Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages, Halifax, said:…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 7/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The Hidden Economics of AI Agents: Why Businesses May Spend More Than They Ever Did on SaaS AI agents are rapidly being positioned as the next evolution of enterprise software. The problem is that many companies are still evaluating them through a SaaS lens…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

£15m property market accounts for 0.04% of all homes

The latest analysis from AgentWise has found that while more than 30,000 homes are currently for sale across Great Britain with an asking price between £1m and £5m, properties priced above £1m account for just 6% of all available housing stock, with the market becoming dramatically smaller and increasingly relationship-led as values rise. With so…
Read More →
Home and Living

Beware of the underinsurance risk created by property alterations

Property owners are being warned that while alterations may well improve a building, they can also change its rebuild cost. Where works materially affect a building’s size, layout, specification or services, the amount it is insured for may need to be reviewed, as a matter of urgency, according to experts at RebuildCostASSESSMENT.com “It’s a common…
Read More →