Father in u-turn over lesbian daughter eviction
A woman from Helsingborg, in the south of Sweden, was facing eviction from a flat she had been renting from her father for 16 years because he didn't approve of her "lesbian activity".
Despite not having been on speaking terms for some time, the father visited his daughter in February this year, informing her that he was planning to hike up her rent substantially.
According to the Swedish union of tenants paper Hem & Hyra, the daughter was told that her rent would be increased from 2,500 kronor ($394) per month to a whopping 10,500 kronor per month, if she continued to engage in ”lesbian activity”.
The woman turned to Sweden's Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO) for assistance, but was told that it would be impossible to proceed with the case.
Jamal Nijim, lawyer at DO, explained to Hem & Hyra that Swedish discrimination law contains a few loopholes.
”Since the lease is within family, the law doesn't apply,” Nijim said, confirming that the case would most likely have had a different outcome if the landlord and tenant had not been related to each other.
However, the father relented and has decided to let the daughter stay on as a tenant.
"She can stay. At least for a year or two," he told Hem & Hyra.
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Despite not having been on speaking terms for some time, the father visited his daughter in February this year, informing her that he was planning to hike up her rent substantially.
According to the Swedish union of tenants paper Hem & Hyra, the daughter was told that her rent would be increased from 2,500 kronor ($394) per month to a whopping 10,500 kronor per month, if she continued to engage in ”lesbian activity”.
The woman turned to Sweden's Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO) for assistance, but was told that it would be impossible to proceed with the case.
Jamal Nijim, lawyer at DO, explained to Hem & Hyra that Swedish discrimination law contains a few loopholes.
”Since the lease is within family, the law doesn't apply,” Nijim said, confirming that the case would most likely have had a different outcome if the landlord and tenant had not been related to each other.
However, the father relented and has decided to let the daughter stay on as a tenant.
"She can stay. At least for a year or two," he told Hem & Hyra.
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