Fair Housing, Anti-Discrimination & Community Standards
LiviQ is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive housing. This page explains your legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, our anti-harassment standards, what landlords can and cannot specify in a listing, and how to report any violation. It applies to all users — seekers and landlords alike.
The short version: You cannot discriminate against someone because of who they are, and you cannot harass or intimidate other users. Both are grounds for immediate removal from LiviQ. Use the Report button on any listing or profile to flag a problem.
1. Our commitment
LiviQ believes everyone deserves a fair chance to find a home. We take discrimination seriously — not only because it is illegal, but because it is wrong.
All users of LiviQ agree to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and any other applicable UK fair housing and anti-discrimination legislation as a condition of using the platform. This is a non-negotiable requirement, not a guideline.
LiviQ's AI matching system uses lifestyle and personality data only. It does not factor in, store, or process any protected characteristic for the purpose of matching or ranking users. Match scores cannot lawfully be used as a basis for discrimination.
2. Protected characteristics
Under the Equality Act 2010, the following nine characteristics are protected. You must not discriminate against anyone on the basis of any of these, whether directly or indirectly, in relation to accommodation.
| Protected characteristic | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Age | A person belonging to a particular age group (e.g. "no over-40s" is prohibited). Note: requiring tenants to be 18+ is not age discrimination. |
| Disability | Physical or mental impairments that have a substantial and long-term effect on day-to-day activities. Includes conditions such as depression, autism, and chronic illness. |
| Gender reassignment | A person who is proposing to undergo, is undergoing, or has undergone gender reassignment. |
| Marriage & civil partnership | People who are married or in a civil partnership. Note: this characteristic only applies to direct discrimination in most contexts. |
| Pregnancy & maternity | Being pregnant, recently pregnant, or breastfeeding. "No children" policies may indirectly engage this characteristic. |
| Race | Colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin. This is one of the most commonly violated characteristics in housing. No exemption applies. |
| Religion or belief | Any religion, religious belief, or similar philosophical belief. Also includes lack of belief. |
| Sex | Being a man or a woman. A limited exemption may apply for live-in landlords in specific small-premises situations (see section 4). |
| Sexual orientation | Whether a person is attracted to people of the same sex, opposite sex, or both. |
Discrimination can be direct (treating someone worse because of a protected characteristic) or indirect (applying a rule that disproportionately disadvantages a group). Both are illegal.
3. The small premises exemption (live-in landlords)
Section 33 of the Equality Act 2010 provides a narrow exemption for live-in landlords who share accommodation with their tenants. It is often misunderstood and frequently overstated. Here is what it actually says.
When the exemption applies
The exemption may apply only when all of the following conditions are met:
- The landlord (or a near relative of the landlord) lives on the premisesand intends to continue doing so.
- The premises include shared accommodation (such as a kitchen, bathroom, or living room) used by both the landlord and the tenant — not simply common areas.
- The premises house no more than six persons in separate households (not counting the landlord and near relatives).
What the exemption permits
Where the exemption applies, a landlord may take into account the following characteristics only:
- Sex — e.g. a woman wishing to share only with women
- Sexual orientation — in very limited circumstances (e.g. a person with a strongly held personal belief about cohabitation) — this is a contested area and legal advice is strongly recommended before relying on it
- Religion or belief — e.g. a deeply religious person who wishes to share with someone of the same faith for shared practice reasons
What the exemption never permits
No exemption exists for race, disability, gender reassignment, age, pregnancy, or marriage/civil partnership. A live-in landlord cannot lawfully refuse a tenant on these grounds regardless of how small the property is or how closely shared the accommodation is. Doing so is unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, full stop.
If you believe the small premises exemption may apply to your situation, we strongly recommend seeking independent legal advice before relying on it. LiviQ cannot provide legal advice and will remove listings that appear discriminatory pending clarification.
4. What landlords can and cannot specify
The table below gives practical guidance. It is not exhaustive — if you are unsure, err on the side of inclusion or contact us before publishing your listing.
| ✅ Generally permitted | ❌ Not permitted |
|---|---|
| Specifying a minimum age of 18 (platform requirement) | "No over-35s", "Young professionals only", age caps or age ranges |
| Stating the property is pet-friendly or pet-free | Refusing someone because of a registered assistance dog (this is disability discrimination) |
| Stating preferred working hours or a typical household schedule | "No shift workers", "Must work 9–5" — if these disproportionately exclude a protected group without justification |
| Specifying gender preference only if you are a live-in landlord in a qualifying small premises (see section 3) | Gender preference for a property where the landlord does not live |
| Stating cleanliness expectations, social preferences, or noise tolerance | "No foreigners", "British only", "No Eastern Europeans", "No Asians" — any racial preference |
| Stating whether couples are welcome (house rules on occupancy) | "No couples" as a blanket policy if applied to exclude people based on sexual orientation |
| Stating smoking and alcohol rules for the property | Refusing a tenant because of a mental health condition or disability |
| Stating the household is quiet, professional, or social | "Professionals only" if used in practice to exclude people receiving benefits (this can be indirect discrimination) |
| Stating a religion-only preference only where the small premises exemption applies and the reason is genuine shared religious practice | Refusing a tenant because of their religion where no small premises exemption applies |
| Asking about lifestyle compatibility (sleep schedule, cleanliness, social habits) | Asking about ethnicity, religion, disability, pregnancy, or sexual orientation |
5. Language to avoid in listings
Even well-intentioned wording can be discriminatory. Below are examples of phrases that are not permitted on LiviQ, and suggested alternatives.
| Instead of… | Try… |
|---|---|
| "No DSS" / "No housing benefit claimants" | State your income/referencing requirements clearly — this is a financial requirement, not a blanket exclusion. Blanket "no DSS" can be indirect discrimination on grounds of sex or disability. |
| "Young professionals only" | "Looking for someone who works full-time or is in education" |
| "No mental health issues" | (Remove entirely — this is unlawful disability discrimination) |
| "Must speak English" | If communication is genuinely necessary, "English-speaking environment" is borderline — seek legal advice if uncertain |
| "Couple-free house" | "Single occupancy room — one tenant only" |
| "Christian household" | Only acceptable if small premises exemption applies and the reason is genuine shared religious practice — not aesthetic preference |
| "No over-40s", "Under-30s preferred" | Describe the household vibe instead: "sociable house", "laid-back flatmates" |
LiviQ's content moderation reviews listings for discriminatory language. Listings containing prohibited language will be removed without notice. Repeated violations will result in permanent account suspension.
6. AI compatibility scores and discrimination
LiviQ's AI matching uses only lifestyle and personality data — sleep schedule, cleanliness, social preferences, noise tolerance, and similar factors. It does not use, infer, or process race, gender, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
AI match scores cannot be used as a reason to discriminate. A low compatibility score based on lifestyle does not give a landlord grounds to reject a seeker on the basis of a protected characteristic, and vice versa. If a pattern of rejection correlates with a protected characteristic, it may constitute indirect discrimination regardless of the tool used to generate the score.
If you believe LiviQ's AI has produced a biased or discriminatory output, please report it to hello@liviq.uk immediately. We take algorithmic fairness seriously and will investigate all such reports.
7. Reporting discrimination
If you experience or witness discriminatory behaviour — in a listing, in messaging, or elsewhere on the platform — please report it immediately.
- Report a listing: Use the "Report listing" option on the listing page
- Report a user: Use the "Report user" option on their profile page
- Contact us directly: hello@liviq.uk
All reports are reviewed by our team. We aim to respond within 2 business days. Reports are confidential — the reported user will not be told who made the report.
If you have experienced housing discrimination and wish to pursue it formally, you can also contact:
- Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): equalityhumanrights.com — can take legal action on your behalf in serious cases
- Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk — free advice on your rights
- Shelter: shelter.org.uk — housing charity, legal advice line available
8. Anti-harassment & community standards
LiviQ is a platform where people look for a home — a personal and sometimes vulnerable process. Harassment of any kind is not tolerated.
What counts as harassment
The following behaviours are prohibited and will result in account suspension:
- Threatening or abusive messages — threats, insults, intimidation, or language designed to make another user feel unsafe
- Discriminatory language — slurs or hostile remarks targeting a protected characteristic in any message or listing content
- Unsolicited contact — repeatedly messaging someone after they have not responded, or after they have asked you to stop
- Sharing personal information without consent— posting or forwarding another user's private details (address, phone number, workplace) without their explicit permission
- Fake listings or impersonation — creating listings that do not exist, or impersonating another person or organisation to deceive users
- Fraud — requesting deposits, rent payments, or personal financial information outside of a legitimate and verified tenancy process
How to report harassment or abuse
Every listing and user profile has a Report button. Use it to flag any of the behaviours above. You do not need to contact us separately — the report goes directly to our review queue.
- Report a listing:scroll to the bottom of any listing page and click “Report listing”
- Report a user:visit their profile page and click “Report user”
- Email us directly: hello@liviq.uk — include screenshots if possible
Your report is confidential. The person you report will never be told who reported them. All reports are reviewed within 2 business days. In urgent cases (threats of violence or safety concerns) we will act as quickly as possible — email us directly with "URGENT" in the subject line.
What to do while you wait
- Stop engaging with the person — do not reply to further messages
- Save screenshots of any abusive messages or content
- If you feel your personal safety is at risk, contact the police (999 for emergencies, 101 for non-emergencies)
9. Consequences of violations on LiviQ
LiviQ will take the following actions against users who discriminate, in proportion to the severity of the violation:
- Listing removal — discriminatory listings are removed immediately without prior notice
- Warning — first-time, less serious violations may receive a written warning with an explanation of the rules
- Temporary suspension — the account is suspended pending review
- Permanent ban — repeated or serious violations, including racial discrimination, result in permanent removal from the platform
- Referral to authorities — in serious cases, LiviQ may share information with the Equality and Human Rights Commission or relevant law enforcement
These enforcement actions are in addition to any legal liability the user may face under the Equality Act 2010. Civil claims for housing discrimination can be brought in the county court and can result in significant awards of damages and injunctions.
10. Further reading
- Equality Act 2010 — full text (legislation.gov.uk)
- EHRC: Your rights in housing
- GOV.UK: Discrimination — your rights
This page is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. LiviQ is not a law firm. If you need advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified solicitor or contact Citizens Advice.
11. Contact
Questions about this policy or fair housing on LiviQ?
Email: hello@liviq.uk
See also: Terms of Service · Privacy Policy