UK
Gays Make Best Tenants, Major New Property Survey Finds
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A major new survey carried out by Outlet Accommodation Agency has found that a surprising sixty-seven percent of landlords would rather have gay and lesbian tenants in their properties, believing them to be more ‘easy-going, clean and open-minded’ than their heterosexual counterparts.
The survey has revealed important insights into the needs and desires of gay men and lesbians in the housing market. The research, carried out by Outlet , the UK’s largest gay accommodation company, has found that while landlords now actively seek lesbian and gay tenants for their properties, estate agents are failing to recognise the needs of their gay customers.
Importantly, many gay people still feel the need to seek out ‘safe areas’ in which to find a home, and are far less concerned with living in a ‘trendy’ area. On a lighter note, many of those who took part in the survey reckoned they could spot a ‘gay house’ as soon as they walked in the door.
Where do gay men and women want to live?
The survey showed that 62% of respondents thought that the most important issue as lesbians and gay men is the need to live in a ‘safe’ area, where they can be themselves. Anecdotal evidence from respondents suggests that very few estate agents understand this.
“Agents really don’t understand the prejudice faced by many gays and lesbians. When I pointed out to an agent that I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking home with my partner through a local estate, he said ‘Why, a little name calling doesn’t matter does it?’,” commented Michelle from London.
Contrary to stereotypes, only 12% felt it important to live in a ‘trendy’ area, whilst a massive 84% of respondents said that estate agents use ‘it’s in a trendy area’ as a reason for pushing a particular property to lesbian or gay house hunters:
“One agent we used was really reluctant to show us a property that was in an area we had identified as desirable to us because, she claimed, ‘gay men don’t live there, they only live near the nightlife.’ She refused to believe that we wanted a house with a garden, not a loft in the gay village.” (Jez, Manchester)
The Outlet survey looked at the experiences of lesbian and gay flat-sharers. Many gay men and women find their first independent homes in rented accommodation. This is especially true of younger gay men and women, who may be recently ‘out’, or have been forced to leave the family home. It appears that many letting agencies are not focused on the housing needs of gay men and women.
“As a heterosexual man, when someone recommended advertising for gay tenants I wasn’t sure if I would be seen to be discriminatory. Now I don’t hesitate. Gay tenants have always been more easy-going, clean and open minded.” (Jonny, London)
“I’d rather rent to Will Young or Will Truman than Gareth Gates or Grace Adler! The gay men and women who have rented my flats have always looked after them and been considerate tenants. When I’ve rented to groups of straight men or women (and I’m speaking as a straight man myself) they’ve been a nightmare from start to finish. I suppose it’s a case of ‘Queer Eye for the Straight House!” (John, Brighton)
n 87% of lesbian and gay tenants preferred to have a lesbian or gay ‘landlord’, with 30% claiming to have experienced homophobia from a straight landlord.
n 81% of gay and lesbian flat-sharers said that they would rather share with other lesbians or gay men, with 34% having experienced homophobia from heterosexual flatmates:
Are estate agents are failing their gay customers?
n 94% of respondents thought that that lesbians and gay men have specific issues when looking for housing. The issues most commonly highlighted were living in a safe area (62%, as above) and wanting to live in an area where they could ‘be themselves’ and be accepted as part of a community (30%). Importantly, 71% thought that estate agents have failed to recognise these needs.
n 29% of those surveyed felt that they had been compelled to ‘come out’ to an estate agent to get the service they needed.
“It would have been funny if it hadn’t been so rooted in prejudice. Our agent refused to show my boyfriend and me any one-bed flats because he had made an assumption that we would need a bedroom each. I eventually had to explain to him that we were a gay couple, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He eventually showed us a couple of one-bed properties, but got very shifty when showing us the bedrooms.” (Sean, Bristol)
76% felt that if they knew a local estate agent was gay-friendly, they would be more likely to take their business to them:
“I wish we had a gay-friendly agency around here. I’m fed up with giving my hard-earned cash to ‘jack-the-lad’ types who I know snigger about me when I leave their office” (Paul, Chester)
“I put my flat on the market with an agency who were by no means the closest to the property, but I knew at least one agent there was gay, so his colleagues were all gay-friendly, and I felt more comfortable asking them to come in to value my home. I was really pleased with their service, and would use them again” (Steve, East London)
“Landlords across the UK are realising that gay men and lesbians make great tenants, are often more house-proud, and are more likely to look after a property. Outlet is able to find the right tenants for these landlords, and also match the flat-seekers with the most suitable property, leading to longer, happier relationships between landlord and tenant,” commented Darren Brady, the founder of Outlet.
“Outlet has always known that lesbians and gay men have certain criteria when house-hunting that their straight friends don’t have. Our survey shows that estate agents across the UK have failed to recognise these needs, and as a result are letting down their lesbian and gay customers, which in 2004 is unacceptable. Too many agents assume a gay man or woman just wants to live in a trendy apartment in the centre of town, when our survey shows gay customers are much more concerned about living in safe areas, and living in households where they are free from discrimination, and are able to be themselves.”
“As for people being able to work out the sexuality of the vendor or landlord of a house on the market just by looking at the décor; well, gay people being more stylish may be a cliché, but it looks like there may be some truth in it. It seems it is possible to walk into a house and know straight away that it’s a ‘gay’ house,” he said.
26 April, 2004