Single parenthood and rentals

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Hmmm. Just got a call from a potential landlord about my application - the agent asked me if I was just going to be living with my son, and was there no husband? What do you all think of that? I know they can do anything they d****d well please because the competition is so fierce, but is there no protection against discrimination (in this case only potential, of course)?

2
I am hoping that he was only thinking at it from an angle of protecting his investment (can she work and support her boy, will the "husband" be making a financial contribution to my rental income) rather than getting at you personally.

German is not always the most polite nor politically correct language... sometimes landlords are the same.

Just think of a reply for the next time you get asked..

(Many job interviews, I would be asked- "are you planning on having children..". I lied )

There are enough single parent renters out there

3
I would agree with that, except that the income I stated on the application was more than ample to cover the rent. It was an agent (female) from the property management company who called, and I'm sure she had the application right there in front of her.

Thanks. I'm hoping that helps.

4
The rental application asks how many persons will be living in the apartment and about your marital status so it should have been obvious if you fillled out the application in detail.

Could the issue have been the source of the monthly income? Is this based on employment income and/or child support? If the latter is a major component, this could be a reason for a landlord to turn you down. Also, most landlords know single working parents of young children require daycare, and perhaps there was a concern about this cost.

Don't despair, there are truly landlords out there who will accept single parents, as long as they are satisfied it is not too great a risk for them. Try to look in buildings where there might be other families and child-friendly. Good luck with your search.

5
Did they actually turn you down because of being a single parent ?

We just organised an apartment for one of our staff, through word of mouth, who is a single parent, and it was no problem at all - she has stable childcare, a stable job (and not particularly highly paid either) and the rent was within her reach.

So, in our case, it was a 'word of mouth' situation with one old retired couple moving out, and a new single mum with small child moving in...

6
I haven't been turned down yet, but I assume that there are several applicants who represent "real" families (in the prop. mgr's view) who are more eligible. (Interesting side point: does my Swiss citizenship offset my single parenthood?) Of course the application showed clearly that there was no second parent. My son is 17, and it says so on the application, so we're not talking about little children going unmonitored.

Of course, that triggers different prejudices - a 17-year-old boy without a dad on site? Unheard of in Switzerland, I suppose.

As I mentioned before, I had to put my salary on my application, and it is enough to make me eligible for this apartment. I am waiting to see whether I WILL be turned down for it, as I fully expect to be.

And yes, there were other families with children in the building. Including in the apartment in question.