Injunction granted over policy of landlord to ban Indian and Pakistani tenants

A landlord’s policy of banning Indian and Pakistani tenants was unlawful, a county court has ruled in a case brought by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The Commission secured an injunction against Fergus Wilson at Maidstone County Court this week.

Its chief executive, Rebecca Hilsenrath, said: "We welcome this outlawing by the court of Mr Wilson’s discriminatory letting policy. Our homes are fundamental to our private lives and to who we are. Denial of a home on the grounds of race or colour is abhorrent conduct we do not accept in today’s society.

“There are still deep inequalities in our country, as our race report earlier this year demonstrated, and sadly some of the causes of those inequalities were illustrated by Mr Wilson’s comments over the summer. However, today takes us one step closer to a more equal Britain."

According to a report on the BBC, Wilson, who is said to own more than 1000 properties, claimed his decision not to rent was made on economic grounds and not based on the colour of people's skin.

He is also said to have described the remarks in an e-mail to his lettings agency (and subsequently published in The Sun) as "adolescent banter".