Step 3: check if your problem is a type of discrimination

It could be against discrimination law if someone treats you unfairly or differently. It has to be because of a protected characteristic or because you challenged discrimination before.

Someone might treat you unfairly by:

• stopping you from renting or buying a home, charging you more or offering you a worse contract

• trying to evict you

• stopping you from using facilities such as a communal garden, or making it harder for you to use them

• giving you a worse service or refusing to help you, for example taking longer to respond to your request for repairs   

It might not be discrimination if the person is treating you unfairly or differently for a reason that isn’t connected to a protected characteristic. For example, you might pay more rent than your neighbour because your flat is slightly bigger, not because of your race.

Check what type of discrimination it is

It’s important to work out what type of discrimination you’re facing so you can decide what action to take and get the right evidence.

You’ll need to check which of the 6 types matches your problem - it could be more than one. It’s worth checking - having more to mention if you complain or take legal action could help you.

You might be able to take action about these 6 types of discrimination:

• indirect discrimination

• direct discrimination

• harassment

• failure to make reasonable adjustments

• discrimination arising from a disability

• victimisation

Deciding what to do about discrimination

There are different options depending on if you’re:

• being evicted - you’ll need to use discrimination law to challenge it

• being discriminated against in a different way - decide what action to take