Humaida Waseem was discriminated against when looking for an apartment because of her background. Now the broker has to pay compensation – that gives hope.
A In the German housing market it is often not the income that decides, but the name. Anyone who thinks this is exaggerated should look at the case of Humaira Waseem. Many people with a migration background had the same experience. Waseem, a woman with a Pakistani surname, filed a lawsuit against a real estate agency, thereby highlighting a problem that has long been structural in the German housing market.
After she applied for an apartment using her real name, she was rejected. It was only through the testing process, a legally permissible means of providing evidence, that the extent became visible: several applications with different German-sounding names, with identical requirements, each led to confirmations of viewing appointments. This proved that there was a clear case of discrimination here.
The case is not an isolated one. Many people with foreign-sounding names have similar experiences. This is exactly why this procedure is so relevant nationwide. The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) prohibits discrimination based on, among other things, gender, age or ethnic origin. But many of those affected do not use it – often out of ignorance, fear or often a lack of support.
The recently published study also confirms how current and real the problem is „As usual, unequal: racism and housing conditions“. It empirically shows that racially marked people are systematically disadvantaged. Black and Muslim people, but also Asian and Eastern European groups, are particularly affected – with measurable effects on health and residential satisfaction. The study proves what many people who are not affected still do not want to believe: Housing is not an equally accessible fundamental right in Germany.
The verdict on Waseem’s lawsuit gives hope. The BGH ruled in favor of the plaintiff. The decision shows that discrimination is legally vulnerable – and at the same time sends a clear warning signal to the housing market. It is all the more fatal that four anti-discrimination centers in Bavaria are now being closed because neither the federal nor the state are providing funds. The Waseem case makes it clear: equal treatment needs more than laws. It needs visibility, support – and the political will to stop normalizing discrimination.
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