Single parent housing rights: what you need to know

If you are a single parent renting privately or living in social housing, you have the same legal rights as any other tenant. You may also have additional priority for housing assistance in some circumstances. Below, we run through the key housing rights relevant to single parents.

Do I have the same rights as other tenants?

Yes. Your rights as a tenant do not change because you are a single parent. Your landlord has the same duty to carry out repairs, protect your deposit, and follow the correct eviction process regardless of your family situation.

Your landlord cannot treat you less favourably on the basis that you have children. Under the Equality Act 2010, you are protected from discrimination based on sex in housing. While family status is not itself a protected characteristic in the same way, treating someone unfairly because they have children can in some circumstances amount to indirect sex discrimination if the policy disproportionately affects women.

Will I get priority on the housing register?

Single parents with children are often given priority on the council housing register, particularly if:

• The household is overcrowded for the number of people living there
• The children are in unsafe housing conditions (damp, cold, structural problems)
• The household has a medical need linked to the current housing

Each council has its own allocations policy. Being a single parent with children in need is generally treated as a factor in priority assessment, but the level of priority varies between councils.

What if I am facing eviction as a single parent?

If you have dependent children and you are threatened with homelessness, you will almost certainly be in the priority need category for homelessness assistance from the council. This means the council has a stronger duty to provide you with temporary accommodation while your application is assessed.

Contact the council as soon as you receive any eviction notice. Do not wait until you have left or been evicted before asking for help.

Can a landlord refuse to rent to me because I have children?

Private landlords in England cannot refuse to rent to someone because they have children, under the Equality Act 2010, as this is likely to amount to indirect sex discrimination, given that single parents are predominantly women.

"No DSS" (refusing to rent to people on benefits) clauses have also been challenged in the courts and have been found in several cases to be unlawful indirect sex discrimination. If you are a single parent on benefits and a landlord refuses to rent to you specifically because of your benefit status, this may be challengeable.

What if my home has damp or mould and I have children?

Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of damp and mould. Respiratory problems including asthma, bronchitis, and persistent coughs can be worsened by mould spores. If your home has damp or mould that your landlord has failed to fix, you should:

1. Report it in writing to your landlord immediately
2. See your general practitioner and ask them to note the housing conditions in relation to your child's health
3. Contact the council's environmental health team
4. Get legal advice about whether you have a housing disrepair claim

The health of your children is relevant to the urgency of any enforcement action and to any compensation in a disrepair claim.

What if my landlord tries to evict me because of my children?

A landlord cannot evict you for having children. They can only evict you through the lawful process. If you believe you are being targeted for eviction because of your children, get legal advice. If the eviction follows a complaint about disrepair, a section 21 notice served in retaliation may be invalid.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

We handle housing disrepair claims. If your rented home has damp, mould, or other disrepair affecting you and your children, you may have a claim.

Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Housing Act 1996, Part 7 (homelessness) (legislation.gov.uk)

Related articles

• Homelessness application, what happens next
• Free housing legal advice in England