Guides › Rent and Deposits › Landlord Refuses Tenants on Benefits or With Children
Landlord Refuses Tenants on Benefits or with Children
Landlords and letting agents in England must not refuse you, put you off, or offer worse terms because you have children or receive benefits. This covers anyone acting for the landlord, and includes blanket "No DSS" adverts. Affordability checks are still allowed. Councils can fine landlords and agents up to £7,000.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
What Is Banned
Who and What
Landlords must not act to make you less likely to rent a property, or to stop you renting it, because you have children or receive benefits. The rules cover anyone acting for the landlord, such as letting agents and referencing services. They apply when you look for a home, when your circumstances change during a tenancy and when your landlord chooses to sell. It still counts if the treatment is based on something untrue. source
Examples
Prohibited conduct includes withholding information about a property, stopping you from viewing it, knowingly offering unreasonable viewing times, refusing to let it to you and offering worse rental terms. Tenancy terms that could be used to discriminate are not valid and cannot be enforced. source
Enforcement
The Fine
This includes overt practices such as "No DSS" adverts and indirect practices. Affordability-based referencing remains allowed. Councils can impose civil penalties of up to £7,000, with appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- £7,000Maximum civil penaltyPer breach, set by the council
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Keep the advert, messages and emails. Take screenshots with the date visible.
Step 2 of 5
Ask the landlord or agent in writing why you were refused.
Step 3 of 5
Complain to the letting agent and, if they are a member, their redress scheme.
Step 4 of 5
Report it to your local council.
Step 5 of 5
For discrimination on other grounds, such as disability or sex, see Citizens Advice.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Local Council
Housing or environmental health team. It can act on landlord breaches.
Shelter England
Free advice on deposit claims and eviction notices.
Citizens Advice
Free advice on any renting problem.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Affordability checks, such as whether you can pay the rent, are still allowed. Refusing you because you claim benefits is not.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules for renting.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 14 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/rental-discrimination-tenants/overview Checked 14 October 2026
- gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act Checked 14 October 2026
- england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/check_your_tenancy_deposit_is_protected/deposit_not_protected Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk Checked 8 October 2026