This week’s letter comes from Lisa Peach-Hill in response to the article: NatWest tells landlord to evict tenant on benefits or pay £2.5k in ERCs.
Peach-Hill said: “It’s hugely discriminatory towards people who claim benefits.
“There are so many reasons people end up on benefits, often it’s not by choice.
“The days of benefits being a ‘lifestyle’ choice are well and truly over, given recent changes in support to unemployed and disabled people.
“Many working families receive housing benefit and other benefits to supplement their income.
“I don’t think the interest rates should be loaded at all – tenants have a tough time as it is, with lack of security, inability to save deposits because of high rents, and substandard property conditions.
“We are in a housing crisis, why make things any harder than it already is for those unable to buy a home?
“It’s difficult enough for a tenant to get a private rented property while on benefits, without lenders making the situation worse by having restrictions on who is able to reside in a buy-to-let property.
“Lenders have a social responsibility in working directly with the housing sector.”
She added: “We talk about discrimination on grounds of race, sex, religion, disability and it’s a big deal.
“Discrimination against people on benefits seems swept under the carpet in my view. This should be a legal form of discrimination also.”
