The Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 (‘the Acts’) prohibit discrimination in the provision of goods and services, accommodation and education. They cover the nine grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community. In addition, the Acts prohibit discrimination in the provision of accommodation services against people who are in receipt of rent supplement, housing assistance, or social welfare payments.
INCLUDE LINK TO IHREC WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFO.
Does the landlord have to sign my Housing Assistance Forms or Rent Supplement forms?
The simple answer is yes. People in receipt of housing assistance payments or other social welfare payments can no longer be discriminated against in relation to the provision of accommodation or related services or amenities. If people feel they have been discriminated against they can take a case against the landlord to the Workplace Relations Commission. (Link to Doc 14, How to take things further)
In circumstances such as this a Threshold advisor can write to your landlord informing them of these rules. In many instances this is enough to resolve the matter. However, there are instances when the matter has to be taken further, as described above. One of our advisors can assist you every step of the way if a dispute is needed.