How to tackle discrimination when allocating, renting out or managing accommodation

Good-practice examples

- Fact sheet on the research project -

Authors: Barbara Nägele, Nils Pagels and Myrna Sieden (Zoom – Sozialforschung und Beratung GmbH, Göttingen), commissioned by the the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency Year of publication: 2022

Brief overview

The General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) protects people from discrimination when accessing and providing publicly available goods and services, including housing (section 2 subsections 1 and 8 of the AGG).

The numbers of requests received by counselling centres shows, however, that there is still discrimination in allocating, renting out and managing accommodation. Many players on the housing market are still unaware of approaches and strategies to tackle discrimination when allocating accommodation. Nevertheless, there is growing awareness among stakeholders of the importance of the issue.

The study collected good-practice examples for allocating, renting out and managing accommodation. 58 measures were identified, of which 24 were analysed in depth. The study report looks at the research methodology used and the selection and analysis of the examples, and presents the selection criteria and quality requirements for the examples.

An in-depth analysis of the 24 examples describes what motivated stakeholders, how the measure was implemented, how it was embedded and how effective it was, and provides guidance on the transfer of the measure.

You can look for good-practice examples here.

You can look for good-practice examples (available only in German language) here.

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Main results

Use of anti-discrimination measures on the housing market

The results of the study show that the housing sector as a whole has not yet been active enough in meeting its responsibility for ensuring a discrimination-free allocation and management of accommodation. There are also gaps in the knowledge of the range of possible preventive and reactive options for action against discrimination in renting out accommodation and housing. As the public debate about discrimination in the housing market has only recently started to become increasingly important to the housing industry, the search for suitable measures was quite a challenge. Developing and publicly communicating anti-discrimination measures is often viewed as disclosing weaknesses rather than enhancing quality.

Results of the cross-cutting research findings and in-depth analysis of examples

Most of the identified examples relate to measures aimed at preventing discrimination. This includes informing potentially affected people of their options for action and rights, all activities related to raising awareness, public relations and networking as well as knowledge transfer regarding discrimination in housing, anti-discrimination training of housing-sector stakeholders, and low-threshold and non-discriminatory information and communication with tenants. Developing fair and transparent procedures for marketing and renting out accommodation is preventive in nature because they promote equal opportunities and limit individual scope for decisions and thus potential risks of discrimination when allocating accommodation.

Some of the identified measures include compensatory measures and positive action that aim to ensure equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups and offset any disadvantage they face and promote their access to housing. Such compensatory measures are often jointly implemented by social welfare authorities, civil society stakeholders and housing companies.

Measures to intervene in cases of discrimination are mainly implemented by civil society stakeholders such as anti-discrimination bodies, only occasionally by the housing sector itself.

The study found that only few measures to tackle discrimination in housing companies were implemented in a structurally sustainable and comprehensive manner – e.g. through anti-discrimination concepts that include clear responsibilities, obligations, guidance, processes and structures on the topic.

Apart from local housing enterprises and cooperatives, key stakeholders in combating discrimination in the housing market mainly include municipalities and civil society organisations. The research did not find any measures taken by private landlords, building management companies and housing associations.

Many of the examples come from cities and conurbations, also because groups at risk of discrimination in areas with a tight housing market find it increasingly difficult to receive equal opportunities in allocation processes.

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Options for action

The courses of action identified in the research are suitable for use by housing market stakeholders of any type and size as well as public and civil society organisations.

A variety of exemplary measures to promote equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups on the housing market can be found in the following areas: