The Workplace Relations Commission found that landlord Carmel Kelly Bourke discriminated against Mary Louise Mcandrew by refusing to rent her a cottage because she received Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Adjudication officer Patsy Doyle ordered Bourke to pay €2,500 compensation. The decision was dated 17 May 2022.
Mcandrew said she disclosed her HAP status during a meeting about the property and left distressed after the conversation changed. Bourke denied making the remark attributed to her, said she had apologised and offered to meet, and said she had asked the auctioneer to offer the property to Mcandrew on the same terms. The officer accepted Mcandrew’s account of the disputed exchange. She found that both women had contributed unwittingly to the HAP discussion, but that HAP was given as the reason the tenancy was refused. The officer concluded that Mcandrew was treated less favourably because of her housing assistance status.
The officer also directed Bourke to write an apology and, if she relisted the property, to use an unbiased application form. A separate complaint against the auctioneer was not properly before the officer.