Best Consumer Campaign
Family Discrimination in Renting
@LexiLevens
Credit: Sarah Brick / Prima Magazine
Lexi Levens secured a landmark win against discriminatory landlords and letting agents who issue blanket bans against renting to tenants with children.
The Campaign
Lexi Levens led a campaign against the discriminatory policies and blanket bans imposed by landlords and letting agents against families with children.
After receiving a Section 21 no-fault eviction notice, Lexi, her husband, and their four children were met with blanket refusals when applying for rental accommodation by landlords who chose not to even consider allowing children to move into their property.
Forced almost to the point of homelessness, Lexi led a national radio and press campaign (BBC TV and radio, Woman’s Hour, The Guardian, The Times, The Mirror, Prima Magazine and more) to expose the devastating effect such bans have on families and children.
Lexi was supported by Shelter to bring this forward as a case to The Property Ombudsman. This led to a landmark victory that ruled refusal to accept children into properties for no valid reason is discriminatory and a breach of their code of practice.
@LexiLevens
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Credit: Sarah Brick / Prima Magazine
I am absolutely thrilled that this cause so close to my heart would be recognised. Having seen how this kind of discrimination directly affects families and children, the exposure of these practices was the tip of the iceberg. The fact that children could be discriminated against purely on the basis that they exist is abhorrent and should never have been able to happen. The recognition of this campaign gives more traction to keep pushing this further to get it written into law so that families can be treated equally and fairly.”
Lexi Levens
Credit: Sarah Brick / Prima Magazine
I am absolutely thrilled that this cause so close to my heart would be recognised. Having seen how this kind of discrimination directly affects families and children, the exposure of these practices was the tip of the iceberg. The fact that children could be discriminated against purely on the basis that they exist is abhorrent and should never have been able to happen. The recognition of this campaign gives more traction to keep pushing this further to get it written into law so that families can be treated equally and fairly.”
Lexi Levens
The Change
As a result of Lexi’s leadership, alongside the charity Shelter, the unfairness of the current renting system has been exposed on a national scale. The Property Ombudsman found that such discrimination was in breach of its equality rules, as it disproportionately affects women.
Letting agents and landlords will no longer be able to include blanket ‘no kids’ bans without reasonable evidence or justification. This was a landmark ruling, meaning that any landlords that seek to reject rental applicants based purely on their number of children may be required to pay the applicants compensation.
As a result of this, new guidance agreed by The Property Ombudsman and Shelter gives families in search of a home guidance and reassurance of their rights, and how to engage with letting agents and landlords when searching for suitable properties.
The Future
Lexi is urging the UK government to pass the delayed Renters Reform Bill 2023 and supports wider campaigns on this, such as Shelter’s campaign to end Section 21 no-fault evictions, criminalise blanket discrimination in the rental sector, further protect the rights of tenants, and in this case protect children from discrimination in the form of blanket bans.
Who else was involved?
The Housing charity: Shelter, and Rose Arnall (Lawyer)
