Commentary on Sections Part 2: Discrimination on Grounds of Religion or Belief Section 47: Premises
181.Section 47 covers the disposal and management of premises, making it unlawful for anyone selling or letting premises to discriminate against potential buyers or tenants because of their religion or belief and for landlords or other managers of premises to discriminate against tenants or other occupiers. This would include refusing to dispose of premises to people of a certain religion or belief; offering less generous terms to people of a certain religion or belief; or deliberately discriminating against people of a certain religion or belief on a list of those requiring housing.
182.Subsection (2) refers specifically to managers of premises (which would include landlords) and their treatment of tenants. It makes unlawful any discriminatory behaviour by a manager of premises on account of the religion or belief of a tenant or other occupier (for example a licensee). This would cover all aspects of a manager’s duties towards a tenant or other occupier, including the facilities he would provide and the terms under which he would evict a person.
183.Subsection (3) relates to a situation where a person’s permission is required for the disposal of someone else’s interest in a property – the executor of someone’s will for example – and it ensures that such permission cannot be withheld in a discriminatory way.
184.Subsection (4) restricts the operation of this section to premises in Great Britain. It does not extend to premises abroad, even if the actual sale or letting of the property takes place in this country.