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The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has welcomed a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) decision finding that a property management company discriminated against a woman by refusing to complete the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) application that would have enabled her to receive housing support.
The complainant had been receiving HAP since 2018. In March 2025, she was forced to leave her home with her children and sought refuge with a women’s support service. She returned home when it was safe to do so, but the Local Authority had terminated her HAP and she was required to make a new application.
Despite repeatedly asking the property management company to complete the necessary HAP form, it refused to do so. The loss of HAP placed the complainant under severe financial and personal strain, including contributing to rent arrears and requiring her to take sick leave from work.
Speaking during the case, the complainant described her situation as one of desperation, saying:
“I am not asking for extra help I am only asking for professionalism and accountability.”
The WRC found that the refusal to complete the HAP application amounted to discrimination on the housing assistance ground under the Equal Status Acts. It awarded the complainant €14,750 and directed the respondent to immediately complete her HAP application.
WRC Adjudication Officer Pat Brady described the circumstances as being “at the extreme of the spectrum of gravity”, finding that the respondent’s actions constituted a “clear breach of the Act on the HAP ground.” He also endorsed previous WRC findings that HAP recipients are particularly vulnerable and that refusal to facilitate HAP can have significant financial and personal consequences.
IHREC Head of Legal Michael O’Neill said:
“This case demonstrates the very real human consequences that can arise when someone is denied access to the housing support to which they are entitled. The complainant was already in an extremely vulnerable situation. The refusal of the property management company to complete the HAP form placed further financial and emotional pressure on her. The WRC’s finding sends an important message that people in receipt of HAP are protected from discrimination and that those providing accommodation must respect those rights. IHREC is pleased to have supported the complainant in securing this important finding.”
The complainant noted:
"I am relieved that the WRC recognised what happened to me was wrong. After everything my children and I had already been through, I was simply trying to access the housing support we needed so we could rebuild our lives. Instead, I was left under enormous financial and emotional pressure at a time when we were already at our most vulnerable."
"I want to thank the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission for believing in my case and for the legal advice, practical support and representation they provided throughout. I hope this decision encourages anyone facing discrimination not to suffer in silence. There is help available, there are people who will listen, and there is practical and legal support to help you stand up for your rights. Access to justice is crucial for people who find themselves in situations like mine. I hope my experience gives others the confidence to come forward and know that they are not alone."