Dealing with ‘No DSS’

For years tenants have been complaining that landlords refuse to even consider them as tenants as soon as they learn that they are on benefit.  Often they are just told that there is a ‘company policy’ not to take on ‘benefit tenants’.

‘No DSS” is commonly found on adverts for rented property – despite the fact that the Department for Social Security (which used to be responsible for benefit payments) closed down years ago.

However many tenants would be able to afford the rent, are able to provide guarantors and would make great tenants.  

Shelter have been campaigning agaisnt this practice for a long time, and have supported several legal challanges to the practice, most recently in the case of Tyler v. Carr where the Judge declared the practice to be indirect discrimination and illegal (you can find out more about this case in Tessa’s interview with the barrister on YouTube here).

In this episode we speak to Shelter’s Assistant Director of Research, Policy and Public Affairs, Chris Wood, and discuss the work that Shelter have been doing in this campaign.  We also look at the problems that landlords may or may not face when accepting a tenant on benefit.

Listen to the podcast to find out more…