Learn how to identify discrimination by a landlord
Question & Answer
What can I do if a landlord discriminates against me?There are many ways that can happen in housing.
Direct discrimination
A person or an organization might treat you worse than they treat other people because of a that is protected by the Human Rights Code. This is sometimes called direct discrimination.
Here are some examples:
- A landlord refuses to rent to you because of your colour or religion.
- The building superintendent makes sexual advances knowing that you do not want them.
- Some tenants use racial slurs against other tenants from a different ethnic group.
Constructive discrimination
Sometimes a rule or practice is applied to everyone in the same way. The rule might affect one group of people differently and can lead to unequal treatment. This is called constructive discrimination or “adverse effect” discrimination.
Here are some examples:
- A building has no ramp at the main entrance. This discriminates against people who use wheelchairs.
- A landlord only rents to people with a credit rating. This can discriminate against tenants who are young or new to Canada.
Even if they don't mean to discriminate, landlords who will not change things like these could be breaking the law.
Rental advertising
A landlord must not advertise a unit in a way that discriminates. For example, they must not say that:
- the building is adults-only (unless it is a seniors' residence)
- you must have a job to rent there
- the place is “suitable for young professionals”
Proving discrimination
It can be hard to prove discrimination. If you talk to other tenants or other people, you might get information to help prove what is happening. If you're trying to rent a place and the landlord is saying the place is already taken, you could have a friend ask about it, or see if it's still being advertised.
It's a good idea to keep notes of events and conversations because you might have to remember these things much later.