Study Reveals Widespread Racial Bias in French Real Estate Agencies

It is within the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that SOS Racisme published these results according to which 136 agencies, located in different cities in France, received a telephone call from SOS Racisme activists, who pretended to be owners demanding discrimination in rental for their property. Nearly half of the agencies (48.5%) complied with the demands of the pseudo-owners, reports France info.

People of Maghreb or sub-Saharan origin "have a one in two chance of falling on real estate agencies with a tailor-made discriminatory policy, even if the law punishes this kind of behavior with penalties of up to three years in prison and 45,000 euros in fines. But the practices have not diminished in recent years.

The association points out that one in four agencies refuses to make the selection itself, but leaves the owner to choose their future tenants. "Arab or black profiles are not retained to avoid neighborhood problems" in 32 out of 136 agencies. The same proportion (34 out of 136 agencies) agrees to directly make a selection of potential tenants based on a racial criterion.

During the investigation, 70 agencies refused to choose tenants on the basis of racial discriminatory criteria. But one agency director admitted to practicing this kind of discrimination herself. "We are in a rather affluent neighborhood. And we can’t place just anyone... Well, I completely understand what you’re saying."