Letting agents and landlords in Weston are excluding renters on housing benefit, even when they can afford the rent.

Saying ‘no DSS’ without checking a persons individual circumstances pushes people closer to homelessness. It is unfair, discriminatory and morally wrong.

Renters should be treated equally and as individuals. Their suitability to rent a property should be based on if they can afford the rent, not where their income comes from.

Weston Central Ward Labour candidates are calling on all letting agents in Weston to:

• End blanket bans against renting to tenants on housing benefit/Universal Credit.
• Stop using discriminatory adverts which state or imply that properties are not available to tenants on housing benefit e.g. “No DSS”, “professional tenants only”
• Stop advising landlords not to rent to tenants claiming housing benefit.
• Provide all staff with training on the benefits system so they understand how it works and can advise landlords about letting to tenants on housing benefit/Universal Credit.

We are calling on all landlords to:

• Stop using letting agents who have bans on letting to tenants on housing benefit/Universal Credit.
• Treat every tenant as an individual - check their suitability for a property, based on whether they can afford the rent, not where their income comes from.