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Belgian real estate agent sentenced for discriminating against male tenant

Xinhua, March 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Belgian court sentenced a real estate agency for discrimination on the grounds of gender, the Belgian Institute for the Equality of Women and Men reported Thursday.

The agency refused to rent a property to a male student in August 2012, saying that he preferred to rent to women, according to a statement released by the Institute.

The student was a French national who was completing his PhD studies in Belgium.

After visiting the property, the student received an email message stating "the owner decided not to rent you the dorm room because he wants girls in the entire building. It would be strange to have only girls in the building, and then one man of 32 years. I hope you will understand."

The man filed a complaint of discrimination at the Institute.

The judge confirmed that this amounted to discrimination under the law, and sentenced the real estate agency to pay compensation to the plaintiff, as well as a symbolic payment of 1 euro (1.09 U.S. dollars) for the Institute.

This case highlights that discrimination based on sex in the area of housing persists, said Michel Pasteel, director of the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, in the statement.

"Very few people are arrested for housing advertisements reserved for women or men. In addition, it is often difficult to bring evidence of discrimination. In this case, it was challenging to find that the real estate agency itself justified the refusal of the owner without even being aware of discrimination," said Pasteel. Enditem