Landlords across London have been illegally advertising rental properties reserved exclusively for Muslim tenants, in what legal experts say amounts to a clear breach of equality law, an investigation has revealed.
Listings uncovered by The Telegraph across multiple platforms — including Facebook, Gumtree, Telegram and the website of real estate agency Roshan Properties — explicitly request tenants be “Muslim boys” or “Muslim girls,” while others specify Punjabi, Gujarati, Kerala or Haryana speakers. The adverts span several London boroughs with significant South Asian and Muslim populations, including Ilford, Dagenham and Harrow.
The practice is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination in the provision of housing on the grounds of religion, race, gender and sexuality. Ilford, where a number of the listings were found, has a Muslim population of approximately 45,757 — around 41 per cent of the borough. Dagenham is home to around 53,389 Muslim residents and Harrow to approximately 41,503.
Some of the listings appeared to use indirect language to signal religious preferences, advertising properties as “alcohol and smoke-free” without making an explicit religious reference. However, the law is clear that landlords cannot seek out tenants from specific religious or ethnic groups, regardless of how that preference is expressed.
There are limited exceptions within the legislation. A single individual renting out a room in their own home may have some leeway, and landlords can highlight specific dietary requirements such as vegetarianism or nut allergies. However, using such requirements as a proxy for targeting a particular racial or religious group is not permitted and could expose landlords to civil action.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, local authorities have the power to issue fines of up to £7,000 where a landlord is found liable for discriminatory conduct. Repeat breaches attract further fines at the same level, with the penalty doubling if violations continue.
Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick condemned the advertisements in strong terms, describing them as “disgusting and anti-British.” He told The Telegraph that there would be “a national outrage if the tables were turned” and argued that no religious group should receive what he called “a special exemption to discriminate.” He added that all forms of racism were unacceptable without exception.
The relevant listing platforms and Roshan Properties had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
