‘Curry smell’ row landlord ordered not to discriminate

A court has ruled a policy by controversial landlord Fergus Wilson banning “coloureds” living in his homes is unlawful.

The 69-year-old said it was because of the cost of removing the smell of curry at the end of their tenancies.

But this week an injunction was issued by Maidstone County Court, ordering him to scrap the policy after the UK’s equality watchdog took legal action.

The ban, revealed in a leaked email, prompted the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to contact Mr Wilson, requesting he drop the policy, which he refused to do.

The body then began legal proceedings, saying Mr Wilson’s actions denied Indian and Pakistani people the chance to live in his homes.

Refusing to rent or let a property based on race is unlawful as it breaches Section 13 of the Equality Act 2010. In court, Mr Wilson denied he was a racist and told the court he was one of the few landlords who would take black tenants.

At first he insisted he was joking about the ban in his email to the letting agent. He later defended it, saying it was put in place on economic, not racial, grounds due to the costs of cleaning properties left with curry smells.

Mr Wilson, from Boughton Monchelsea, near Maidstone, insisted the injunction was “political correctness gone mad” and he was being made an example of by the courts.

He also argued the injunction was not necessary, as he had not been asked to rent a property to tenants from Indian or Pakistani backgrounds since 2011.

“I’m more likely to get an Eskimo come along,” he said.

Passing his verdict, circuit judge Richard Polden said: “I find the policy is unlawful. Such a policy has no place in our society. This country has proud traditions, which this court upholds, of welcoming people from various ethnicities and origins.”

An injunction was passed, banning him from applying criteria discriminating against “coloured” tenants or those of Indian or Pakistani backgrounds. It will remain in place for three years. He was also ordered to pay costs of £2,665. If Mr Wilson complies with the ruling, no further action will be taken.

If the magnate were to persist with the policy, it may be considered contempt of court and he could be fined.

Fergus Wilson blamed the ban on ‘curry smells’