'No-DSS' ban: Tenant Rosie Keogh 'right all along'

Rosie Keogh took legal action in 2016 after she was ruled out as a tenant because she claimed housing benefit

A single mum who brought legal action over a ban on refusing to rent homes to people on housing benefit says she was "right all along" and the practice "had to stop".

Rosie Keogh won compensation in 2018 from a lettings agency that refused to consider her as a tenant because she was on benefits.

On Tuesday, a judge ruled so-called "no DSS" practice was unlawful and discriminatory.

Ms Keogh said it was "long overdue".

"I knew I was right all along, it was just convincing other people because it was such a new area of the law to explore," she said.

"I hope that now we have this judgement, this will give people more confidence to come forward and enforce their legal right not to be discriminated against when trying to find a home."

Ms Keogh noticed an improvement in her son's health after they moved to a new home

The mother-of-one settled her sex discrimination case out of court after arguing the lettings agency refused to consider her as a tenant because she was on state benefit.

She had been told by the agency in 2016 it would not proceed with her application for a property in Kings Heath, Birmingham, before it had looked into her individual circumstances or assessed how reliable a tenant she would be.

She had lived in her previous property for 11 years and paid the rent in full every time.

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The housing charity Shelter supported Ms Keogh through her legal claim where she argued the agents' refusal amounted to indirect discrimination.

This is because women and disabled people are proportionately more likely to be claiming housing benefit, according to official figures.

Commenting on the ruling, Ms Keogh added: "It's been a very long road but we're finally here, it's long overdue."