An investigative report by the UK-based daily The Telegraph has brought to light a troubling pattern of illegal rental advertisements in London, where landlords were allegedly seeking tenants based explicitly on religion. These listings, which appeared across platforms such as Facebook, Gumtree, and Telegram, openly used phrases like “Muslims only,” “only Hindu,” “Muslim preferred,” or specified combinations such as “two Muslim boys or two Muslim girls.” Such wording directly violates the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination on grounds including religion and race in housing and other services.
The sting operation revealed that some landlords, reportedly of Indian origin, were not only posting such discriminatory advertisements but were also enforcing them in practice. In one instance, a landlord advertising a room for £450 per month explicitly refused to consider non-Muslim tenants during a phone conversation and terminated the call when challenged. This indicates that the issue goes beyond wording in advertisements and extends into actual rental decisions.
The investigation also found that discrimination was not limited to religion alone. Some listings targeted specific regional or linguistic communities, mentioning preferences for Punjabi or Gujarati speakers, or individuals from Kerala and Haryana. A company identified as Roshan Properties was reported to have posted multiple listings with phrases like “prefer Muslim boy,” “one double room is available for Muslims,” and “suitable for Punjabi boys.” Following the publication of the report, its Facebook page was taken down.
Under UK law, such practices are clearly unlawful. The Equality Act 2010 mandates that landlords and letting agents must not restrict access to housing based on protected characteristics such as religion, ethnicity, or nationality. Even stating a preference in advertisements is considered discriminatory. However, there is a narrow exception in cases where a landlord is renting out a room within their own home and sharing facilities like a kitchen or bathroom. In such situations, limited preferences—such as dietary compatibility, for example wanting only vegetarians—may be considered permissible, but even this does not extend to broad religious exclusion.
Platforms hosting these listings have responded by reiterating their policies. Gumtree stated that it has clear rules prohibiting unlawful discrimination and that it takes action against inappropriate listings. At the same time, it noted that in shared accommodation scenarios, existing occupants sometimes express preferences about who they live with, which is treated differently under policy, though still subject to legal limits.
The advertisements were found across multiple London areas, including Ilford, Newham, Barking, Dagenham, East Ham, Redbridge, Walthamstow, Upton Park, Harrow, and Newbury Park, indicating that the issue is geographically widespread rather than isolated.
The findings have triggered political reactions as well. Robert Jenrick criticised the practice, describing such adverts as discriminatory and unacceptable, and emphasised that no religious group should be allowed to bypass anti-discrimination laws.
Overall, the investigation highlights a significant enforcement gap between legal protections and real-world practices in the housing market, raising concerns about systemic discrimination and the need for stricter monitoring and accountability.
