Landlords across London and the south-east have been caught illegally advertising properties exclusively for Muslim tenants, in apparent breach of equality laws. Listings uncovered across platforms including Facebook, Gumtree and Telegram include phrases such as “Muslim only”, “only for Muslims” and “for 2 Muslim boys or 2 Muslim girls”, raising fresh concerns about discrimination in the private rental sector.

The investigation found that some adverts went further still, specifying preferred nationalities or languages, including requests for Punjabi or Gujarati speakers, or tenants from regions such as Kerala and Haryana. Separate listings also restricted vacancies by gender, with some job adverts specifying “men only”.

A number of the posts were linked to a property firm operating on social media, where multiple listings stated “prefer Muslim boy”, “one double room is available for Muslims” and “suitable for Punjabi boy”, reported The Telegraph.

In other cases, landlords advertised for “Hindus only”, while some tenants themselves sought accommodation along religious lines, including requests for alcohol-free and smoke-free homes.

Facebook subsequently removed one of the pages hosting such listings. However, similar adverts remain visible elsewhere, particularly on smaller or less regulated platforms.

Telegram, which automatically deletes messages after a set period, was found to host dozens of posts specifying religion, nationality, or gender requirements.

Under the Equality Act 2010, landlords and letting agents are prohibited from discriminating against prospective tenants on the basis of protected characteristics such as religion, race, or gender.

Advertising a property as “Muslim only” or imposing similar restrictions is considered direct discrimination and can expose landlords to legal action in civil courts.

There is a limited exception where a landlord is renting out a room within their own home and shares facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom with the tenant.

Outside of these circumstances, however, the law is clear: blanket restrictions based on religion or ethnicity are not permitted.

Some landlords attempt to justify preferences on practical grounds, such as dietary habits or lifestyle choices. While it may be lawful to request, for example, a vegetarian tenant to avoid certain foods in shared spaces, framing such preferences in explicitly religious or racial terms crosses into unlawful discrimination.

The listings identified span areas including Ilford, Newham, Barking, Dagenham, East Ham, Redbridge, Walthamstow, Upton Park, Harrow and Newbury Park, suggesting the practice is widespread rather than isolated.

In some cases, discriminatory wording was removed from properties’ listings on formal estate agency websites, even though it had appeared in earlier versions of the adverts.

Direct contact with landlords revealed little ambiguity. One individual advertising a room in Walthamstow for £450 per month, described as suitable for a “Muslim boy or girl”, refused outright to consider non-Muslim tenants.

Others responded similarly, with one landlord in Chadwell Heath rejecting the idea and another in Barking dismissing enquiries from those of different faiths.

Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick said: “These adverts are disgusting and anti-British. It goes without saying that there would be a 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.”

Express.co.uk has the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.

A Gumtree spokeswoman said: “Gumtree has clear policies in place that prohibit unlawful discrimination, and we take reports of inappropriate listings very seriously.

The ads referenced appear to relate to private rooms within shared homes, where existing occupants may express preferences about who they live with. This is different from renting out an entire property, which is subject to stricter rules under the Equality Act.

However, we expect all users to advertise responsibly and inclusively. We actively monitor listings and have tools in place for users to report content they believe breaches our policies, which we actively review and will take action on where appropriate.

We are continuing to review listings in this area to ensure they meet both our guidelines and legal requirements.”