The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (the ‘Commission’) has today welcomed procedures from leading property website MyHome.ie to manage property advertisements that have the potential to breach equality legislation.
Throughout 2016 the Commission engaged in an information campaign advising the public and property suppliers of the change in the law and providing detailed information on the housing assistance ground.
The awareness campaign led to the Commission receiving a high number of contacts from the public in relation to potential discrimination in the area of private rental accommodation.
Following engagement with the Commission, MyHome.ie has developed practical methods to identify, monitor and block discriminatory advertising on the MyHome.ie website. MyHome.ie has also committed to reviewing and, where necessary, improving the system in light of experience following the roll out.
The Commission hopes that this initiative by a major player in the property advertising market will not only help ensure compliance on the MyHome.ie website but will also create an impetus for other advertisers/publishers/property agents – big and small – to put in place practical measures and systems to ensure that people seeking rental properties are not unlawfully discriminated against.
For more information go to www.MyHome/NewProcedures and MyHome.ie’s equality guidelines www.myhome.ie/EqualityGuidelines
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Síle Murphy Q4PR – sile@q4pr.ie
Phone: 01 475 1444 / 086 0288132
Follow us on twitter @_IHREC
Editor’s Note on discriminatory advertising
Since January 2016, when the Equal Status Act (the ‘ESA’) was amended, discrimination against prospective tenants of rental properties is prohibited on the so-called ‘housing assistance’ ground – the fact that a person wishing to rent a property is on housing assistance or other social welfare supports cannot be a reason to refuse them. The law also extends to a ban on discriminatory advertising, thereby placing an obligation on landlords, estate agents and property advertisers including websites advertisement services.
Information and guidance from the Commission for people who think they may have been discriminated against, or are being discriminated against in relation to accommodation is available at the following link:
https://www.ihrec.ie/your-rights/i-have-an-issue-with-a-service/i-have-an-issue-about-accommodation/
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
The Commission was established on 1 November 2014. It is Ireland’s national equality body for the purpose of a range of EU anti-discrimination measures. It is also the national human rights institution and is so recognised by the United Nations.
Under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, the Commission’s principal functions are –
- to protect and promote human rights and equality,
- to encourage the development of a culture of respect for human rights, equality, and intercultural understanding in the State,
- to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights and equality in the State,
- to encourage good practice in intercultural relations, to promote tolerance and acceptance of diversity in the State and respect for the freedom and dignity of each person, and
- to work towards the elimination of human rights abuses, discrimination and prohibited conduct.