Property magnate facing legal action over ‘coloured’ ban
Human rights group takes exception to policy
A human rights watchdog has started legal action against a millionaire property mogul over his controversial lettings policies.
Fergus Wilson hit the headlines over his banning of “battered wives”, single parents and zerohours workers from renting his properties across Kent, including Maidstone and Ashford.
The former boxer, from Boughton Monchelsea, later sparked outrage after revelations he had forbidden lets to “coloureds” because of what he claimed was the cost of removing the smell of curry at the end of their tenancy.
The ban emerged in a leaked email Mr Wilson sent to his lettings agent.
Evolution, which manages hundreds of the former boxer’s properties, condemned the policy and said it would never implement it.
Rebecca Hilsenrath, Equality and Human Rights Commission chief executive, said: “We have asked the court if it agrees with us that Mr Wilson’s lettings policy contains unlawful criteria and, if so, to issue an injunction.
“As this is now formal legal action we will release further information at a later date.”
Refusing to rent or let a property based on race is unlawful as it breaches section 13 of the Equality Act 2010.
If the court grants an injunction, and Mr Wilson complied, no further action would be taken.
But if he persisted with the policy, it may be considered contempt of court and the magnate could be fined.
Mr Wilson said he was mystified by the injunction as the ban was not a matter of race. He said the last Asian customer to apply for one of his properties was in 2012.
He said: “I personally find Pakistani and Indian people, like Chinese people, to be extremely clever people and thrifty.
“That means a disproportionately high number of them own their own homes. Conversely, a disproportionately low number of them are tenants.
“There are two sides to every sheet of paper.”
The case is due to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Friday.