{"id":6048,"date":"2017-11-09T18:30:49","date_gmt":"2017-11-09T18:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.buyassociation.co.uk\/?p=6048"},"modified":"2023-10-01T14:22:16","modified_gmt":"2023-10-01T13:22:16","slug":"fergus-wilson-buy-to-let-landlords-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buyassociationgroup.com\/en-gb\/2017\/11\/09\/fergus-wilson-buy-to-let-landlords-the-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Fergus Wilson: a lesson in why buy-to-let landlords must abide by the law"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy-to-let landlords take note: you must play by the rules to avoid getting your fingers burnt<\/strong><\/p>\n

Buy-to-let property magnate Fergus Wilson, who made headlines earlier this year for his controversial policy to ban Indian and Pakistani people from renting his properties<\/a>, has now been told his policy is unlawful<\/a> and “abhorrent” by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).<\/p>\n

Wilson’s views came to light after an email he’d sent to a local lettings agency was leaked, in which he asserted that he did not want “coloured people because of curry smell”.<\/p>\n

Maidstone County Court issued an injunction against the policy, although Wilson, who historically owned around 1,000 homes<\/a> across Kent, denied any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a problem with a tenant who had dogs, which fouled the carpet. I say no pets<\/a> and no smoking, and no one gets upset about that. I tacked on to the email \u2018no coloured people because of curry smells\u2019. When you rent a property, no one is going to take it if it smells of curry.”<\/p>\n

Discrimination<\/h4>\n

Judge\u00a0Richard Polden, delivering the injunction, said Wilson’s views amounted to discrimination.<\/p>\n

“I find the policy is unlawful,” Polden added. “Such a policy has no place in our society. I reject Mr Wilson\u2019s case that this was a joke. This was not consistent with his pre-action correspondence with EHRC.”<\/p>\n

After the verdict,\u00a0Rebecca Hilsenrath, CEO of the EHRC, took to Twitter to express her views:<\/p>\n

\n

Mr Wilson just found out the law is not an optional extra. Everyone has a right to a home, regardless of race.https:\/\/t.co\/BPFiUOpekN<\/a><\/p>\n

— Rebecca Hilsenrath (@RJHilsenrath) November 8, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n