Only Muslim, only Hindu tenants: Sting Op exposes illegal ads by Indians in London

A sting operation has uncovered an alarming practice in London, where landlords of Indian descent were allegedly advertising rental properties exclusively for specific religious groups. The listings reportedly carried tags such as "Muslims only" and "Hindus only".

According to an investigative report by UK-based daily The Telegraph, listings on platforms such as Facebook, Gumtree, and Telegram openly included phrases like "only for Muslims", "for two Muslim boys or two Muslim girls", and "Muslims preferred", violating the UK's Equality Act 2010.

Some advertisements also targeted specific regional or linguistic groups, with references to Punjabi and Gujarati speakers or people from Kerala and Haryana.

A company, named Roshan Properties, which also operates on TikTok, had posted multiple listings stating "prefer Muslim boy", "one double room is available for Muslims", and "suitable for Punjabi boys," The Telegraph reported. The Facebook page was later removed after The Telegraph published the report.

A reporter working with The Telegraph contacted a landlord advertising a room for £450 per month marked "Muslim boy or girl". The landlord reportedly refused to consider non-Muslim tenants and ended the call.

The investigative report also uncovered listings specifying "Hindus only", while some prospective tenants were themselves seeking accommodation along religious lines.

All such ads breach the Equality Act 2010 in the United Kingdom, which prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, and other protected characteristics. According to The Telegraph, landlords and letting agents are not allowed to specify a preference for a particular religion or race when letting a property, and adding phrases like "Muslim only" is considered "unacceptable and discriminatory".

There is, however, a limited exception under the law. A person renting out a room in their own home and sharing accommodation, such as a kitchen or bathroom, with the tenant can take dietary preferences, like wanting only vegetarians, in order to avoid meat in the kitchen.

A spokesperson for Gumtree, a UK-based online classified advertisement and community website, told The Telegraph, "Gumtree has clear policies in place that prohibit unlawful discrimination, and we take reports of inappropriate listings very seriously." The spokesperson added that some listings might relate to shared accommodation, where "existing occupants may express preferences about who they live with," which is treated differently from renting out an entire property.

The Gumtree spokesperson said, "We expect all users to advertise responsibly and inclusively."

The advertisements were found across several parts of London, including Ilford, Newham, Barking, Dagenham, East Ham, Redbridge, Walthamstow, Upton Park, Harrow, and Newbury Park.

"These adverts are disgusting and anti-British. It goes without saying that there would be national outrage if the tables were turned. All forms of racism are unacceptable, and no religious group should get a special exemption to discriminate in this way," the Reform UK political party's Economic Spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

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