Talks begin on UK-wide ban on landlords advertising property as ‘no children’

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The Scottish and UK governments are working together to prevent landlords banning children from properties after a BBC investigation revealed the practice was still rife.

Following the launch of the Renters Reform Bill which would strengthen the law to make it illegal for landlords to have a blanket ban on tenants who have children or receive benefits, talks are taking place to extend it to Scotland. Housing Secretary Michael Gove (main picture) has written to Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan to offer a joint approach which he said would send a clear message to providers.

The Scottish government said it would work with UK counterparts to develop the plans.

But a spokesman told the BBC that any talks “must include a close examination of the UK government’s decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates at 2020 levels for the third year running”, saying affordability was “the far more significant barrier to accessing a privately rented home”.

Investigation

An investigation found thousands of adverts for rental homes posted by private landlords and letting agents which said children or pets were not welcome. Almost a quarter of just under 8,000 ads examined on the OpenRent website said families were not allowed to rent the homes, while 300 on Zoopla explicitly said children were not wanted.

The Scottish Association of Landlords says it’s another sign of how the lack of private rented homes is making it harder for many tenants.

A spokesman tells LandlordZONE: “While these actions do not represent the actions of the overwhelming majority of landlords in Scotland, the recent actions of the Scottish government to restrict landlords’ rights to repossess their properties will no doubt make landlords more concerned about who they let their properties to in the future.”

He adds: “We hope to work with others to find a solution that addresses landlords’ concerns while protecting tenants’ rights.”

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