A gay couple in the UK thought they’d found their dream home, but the listing turned out to be a total nightmare once they contacted the sellers.
Lachlan Mantell, 37, a television producer for ITV, and his partner Luke Whitehouse, 33, had been looking to buy a house for a “long time,” Mantell told the Daily Mail.
The couple finally found a listing they loved in Surrey, just outside of London, through estate agent Purplebricks. They contacted the sellers — Luke Main, 33, and his wife, University of Cambridge medical physicist Dr Joanna Brunker, 34 — to set up a viewing.
But first, the sellers had some questions. “Would you mind telling us a bit about your position and circumstances?” they asked Mantell and Whitehouse.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Mantell shared their employment information and explained why they liked the neighborhood, but the sellers’ response was the real bombshell.
“We’re sorry if we seem intrusive,” Main and Brunker said, “but we just want to make clear that we would be unwilling for two men in a partnership to view or buy our house.
“As it is contrary to the gracious teaching in God’s Word, the Holy Bible, eg Romans 1:24-28 and Jude 7 (King James Version).”
Those passages refer to “unnatural lust” and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
“Initially for the first 10 seconds I laughed. I thought it was a joke,” Whitehouse said.
“But then I was upset and angry and I had a cry on the phone to my mum. Homophobia still exists, it is still out there. I did not see it coming. I was blindsided by it.”
The couple shared the comments with Purplebricks, which promptly removed the listing and issued this statement: “The sentiments expressed in this message are completely opposed to Purplebricks’ views and values.
“We have contacted the seller to return their fee and request that they sell their property with a different agent.”
Gay rights activist Sasha Misra additionally told the Daily Mail in a statement: “It is shocking to hear that a gay couple were turned away from buying a property because of their sexuality.
“Gay people should be able to rent or buy property wherever they choose and should not expect to be treated differently because of who they love. Instances like this hark back to an era when it was commonplace to treat lesbian, gay, bi or trans people unfairly, refuse their custom or turn them away from accommodation – and it simply has no place in Britain today.”
When the sellers were contacted for comment, Main said he would need to speak to his wife first.
“Not that we’re ashamed of what we said in any way,” he added.
Don't forget to share:
Prax07
UK doesn’t have anti-discrimination laws when it comes to things like this?
jfabz
If it doesn’t, neither does the U.S.
HenryCameron
Actually, the US has the Fair Housing Act, and most states have similar laws, which prohibit most discrimination in housing transactions. HUD announced last year that they would now interpret discrimination based on sex to include sexual orientation/gender identity.
winemaker
This wouldn’t happen here in the USA due to housing discrimination laws. I recall many years ago there were subtleties that kept Latinos, blacks and asians from purchasing homes and renting in white neighborhoods. And I thought England was with the times, maybe not. Possibly this is just a fluke, hard to say and maybe there are housing discrimination laws on the books in England, I don’t know.
BTW: As someone who has sold houses before, I really don’t give a rats ass who the buyers are as long as they’re qualified financially and the purchase goes through without a hitch. When you sell a house, you relinquish ALL connections and interest in the property once the papers are signed the finances are in place and the sale becomes a ‘done deal’.
Essie
If you are selling your home, what difference would it make who buys it, as long as you get what you are asking? It’s not like the current owners are going to live there with this couple. It makes no sense and I hope every real estate (estate agent?) they contact refuses to list the home. Also, to echo Prax07: are there no anti-discrimination laws in the UK?
Man About Town
Of course it makes no sense, but if you and your wife are bible-thumping idiots, senseless religious beliefs, rather than sense, are going to be your top priority.
Openminded
It’s still wrong, but if they had family and/or really good friends living next door who they felt would hold it against them if they “sold out” to same sex buyers, I could understand the motivation, but still not condone it. This is why I live in the middle of a farm. I’m so tired of people buying their little 100′ wide building lot and thinking they have control over the whole neighborhood. I’m betting the neighborhood will be better once the current owners move out, no matter who buys the house.
powersthatbe
Main said he would need to speak to his wife first.
“Not that we’re ashamed of what we said in any way,” he added.
But I need to ask the wife first for permission?
You can’t make this shit up.
Heywood Jablowme
And the wife is a “medical physicist”!
heath0043
The Bible says that the man is the head of the house. Why does he have to talk to his wife. But then again, typical of so called Christians, pick and choose verses instead of following all the bible.
charlietex
Hi clearly doesn’t know anything about the Bible, or he’d know that a husband never has to ask a wife anything.
Heywood Jablowme
Doesn’t know British history either since King James I, sponsor of the KJV Bible, was notoriously bisexual and a big fan of “unnatural lust,” to the dismay of many nobles and politicians back then.
WSnyder
People should treat others as they themselves expect to be treated. Buying a cake, booking a reception hall or buying a house, we should all be treated the same, and if people cannot do this of their own accord, then then the law should make it so that they must behave as such.
Hank31
Obviously, the discrimination is ridiculous and outrageous. Possibly illegal.
But then we get this:
““But then I was upset and angry and I had a cry on the phone to my mum”
This is a 37-year old grown adult man, buying real estate. And when faced with unfairness, he literally cries to his mommy. And then tells a newspaper about how he cried to his mommy. He doesn’t need a house. He needs to go back to his parents and have his father take a second shot at teaching him how to be a man, since it didn’t work the first time.
Dijonaise
Thanks for a full load of toxic masculinity bro! Why don’t you go kick your dog or whatever it is you do to convince yourself you are “Manly”.
white-queer-african
Good heavens above! Having read some of your banal, ALWAYS, comments over time, I have come to the conclusion that you either a bot, a troll of note or you desperately in need of a good…….
Not that that I can imagine anything to do with you will be good!
Bosch
What the hell, Hank? Aren’t you too old to be acting like a macho douchebag? Major small dick energy.
Heywood Jablowme
Hank31 always reminds me of this:
When I’m watchin’ my TV
And a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts can be
But, he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarettes as me
– Rolling Stones, “Satisfaction”
Cam
@Hank31
Awwww, the right wing troll account brought out this old burned out screename to do what it always does. Deflect from the bigot and attack the victims of discrimination.
You said….
Obviously, the discrimination is ridiculous and outrageous. Possibly illegal.
But then we get this:…And then you spend the rest of the post attacking the victims of discrimination.
Your trolling is sad and weak. The only thing more sad is how many different screenames you’re going to bring in here to try and attack the victims.
Hank31
@Bosch My peen is above average, but as a general matter, a man with 3 inches who deals with adversity in life is a better, and more attractive, man than someone with 13 inches who weeps on the phone to mommy. A large peen attached to a fem is a waste of peen.
Bosch
And yet, small dick energy.
samfw
What di
jaack
Homophobia is still RAMPANT throughout the “Christian” world. Throughout the bible is strewn murder, extra-marital sex, i.e concubines is a euphemism for unpaid whore, homosexuality. You name it it is in the bible. Everywhere there are bible passages cherry-picked by bigots to justify their discrimination. Put the bible up to scrutiny and see if as clean as some claim, sib=nce it was written by men and not the almighty.
KyleMichelSullivan
Y’know what, @Hank31? You can just f*ck off with your bitchy crap. I’m sick of these nonsensical condescending queens who look down on the rest of us because we’re not like them and tear into those they feel like cutting down. It’s disgusting.
winemaker
Am I the only one here who finds this strange, a grown man pissed ’cause the sellers / owners of the house he wants won’t sell the place to him ’cause he’s gay? Move on and don’t waste time and energy on this kind of BS. Really when you’re selling your house, most people really don’t give a rats ass about who the buyer sleeps with, their religion or lack of or any other irrelevant issue other than they’ve got the dough to buy the place. When you sell a home, you’re giving up all rights to the property or ‘am I missing something here or what? I’ve sold homes and really don’t care if the people are gay or straight or something irrelevant just as long as they have the funds to purchase the place and the check clears the bank. On the other hand, I’d tell the sellers to F**K themselves, that is after they realized they lost out on a great offer. In the world of real estate, there are millions of other houses where the sellers don’t care about such things so what’s the problem here?
white-queer-african
@winemaker, Bravo! For once I like your comment and couldn’t agree with you more!
WSnyder
@winemaker – SO move on from having to sit at the back of the bus? Don’t going crazy over not being able to drink at the White Man’s fountain? Don’t go crying when they take away your homes and businesses and send you to the ghettos then the camps? Don’t go spilling the tea when they tax you and won’t allow representation or order you to house suppressive troops living in your homes and having to feed them? In your narrow view, it’s no big deal, principles mean nothing, the End justifies the Means? Imagine the world if your view point was the guiding light? No Thanks, I’ll fight for Principles and what’s right. Because owning a home in your version of the world just Sucks.
Cam
This is another Screename for @Hank31 As always, attacking the victims of bigotry.
Ronbo
Cam, you’ve made that accusation against 27 individuals now. Is this a hint of about your actions… or is it just your way of attempting to shut down and censure free speech?
Be careful about the things you wish for… free speech is what has helped the LGBTQ community break out of the closet.
Kangol2
Winemaker, you are essentially yet again rationalizing discrimination. A buyer should have every right to ANY home for sale, if that buyer can afford the downpayment and find a mortgage. That person’s sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, religious background, social class, etc. should have NO bearing on the sale. None. If a seller excludes someone based on these social identities or categories, the Fair Housing Act in the US should kick in, and the same should apply in the “liberal” United Kingdom. Your argument about moving on or just accepting whatever you’re given akin to the arguments underpinning segregation, so no, unacceptable. We’re not going to go backwards if we can help it!
Cam
@Ronbo
And as always you switch screenames to come back and defend your original comment.
Your troll game is, as always, sad and weak.
cheks
I don’t know the market in Surrey or greater London is anything like it is where I live, but there are definitely not “millions of houses” on the market. I suspect it’s as tough for buyers there as it is here.
In fact, it’s such a sellers market, I’m sure the assholes will, unfortunately, have no problem selling their house.
Openminded
Winemaker, I generally feel the same as you when it comes to “personal property” items like cakes, services and such. Those things can be bought elsewhere and taken any place you want. With “real property” such as a house, the buyer likely wants the location as much as the actual house. By having a discriminatory seller, the buyer is prevented from paying the same $$ that someone else is willing to pay to get the house. This house could easily be the ONLY house for sale in a particular school district. It could easily be in a district that is beginning to be known as “gay friendly” and the seller is just getting the last blow in before they leave the area in protest.
WSnyder, the problem with your argument is that NONE of the wrongs you listed have happened for decades now. Those problems have mostly been taken care of. It’s unhealthy to keep rehashing the shortcomings of our previous generation(s).
cuteguy
Of course homophobia still exists. As does racism. And does misogyny. Just turn on Fox News
Bosch
You don’t even have to go to fox news, you can just read the comments on Queerty posted by certain bad-tempered, self-tortured individuals who are overflowing with internalised homophobia
Jim
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah never states what their “evil” was., but most scholars believe it has to do with not welcoming the stranger.
Therefore, the sodomites in this story weren’t the home buyers but the home sellers.
Bosch
They do love blaming the gays for natural disasters. Apparently, we are THAT powerful.
dougie
don’t you get weary of Christians using their religious beliefs as cover for their own hatefulness? I’d have a bit more “respect” for them if they would just admit that they hate gay people without feeling the need to quote chapter and verse. Haters, just own your hatefulness and quit foisting it off on Jesus.
Bosch
Everyone’s god is of their own making. The homophobe creates a homophobic god. The angry create an angry god. The forgiving create a forgiving god. The vengeful create a vengeful god. The loving create a loving god.
I find it difficult to accept that societies made of adults allow people to blame their behaviours on self-invented deities.
Openminded
Bosch, VERY good comment
Heywood Jablowme
Is that the house in question? (I realize Queerty uses a lot of stock photos.) It looks like Hyacinth & Richard Bucket live next door. They had a flamboyantly gay son (off-camera) but Hyacinth was eternally oblivious to his gayness and went on hoping he’d settle down with the right girl.
Kangol2
Keeping Up Appearances, starring Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket–Boo-kay a/k/a “The Bucket Lady,” is one of the legendary British comedy shows of all time. I think the son’s name was Sheridan, and his eventual boyfriend/roommate was Tarquin. And let’s not forget Hyacinth’s siblings, the working-class Daisy, married to layabout Onslow, and promiscuous Rose, and her wealthy sister, Violet, with her own outrageous husband.
Bosch
Sheridan!! How psychic of you to call mummy!
JohnMc888
There are so many Christianities, and individual interpretations of a person’s brand of Christianity. Years ago I talked to a gay couple about their experience buying a house on a lovely block of older homes inhabited by Irish-American practicing Catholics. Everyone welcomed them, and the neighbors were so happy to learn that that the new couple intended to restore their new house, as best they could, to its original charm, with many unique features.. In fact a neighbor showed up with albums full of photos of all the original features of the house. She had taken the photos before the previous owner “upgraded” and “modernized” the house.
JohnMc888
There are so many Christianities, and individual interpretations of a person’s brand of Christianity. Years ago I talked to a gay couple about their experience buying a house on a lovely block of older homes inhabited by Irish-American practicing Catholics. Everyone welcomed them, and the neighbors were so happy to learn that that the new couple intended to restore their new house, as best they could, to its original charm, with many unique features.. In fact a neighbor showed up with albums full of photos of all the original features of the house. She had taken the photos before the previous owner “upgraded” and “modernized” the house. Her hope was that some new owner would restore the house. She even had lists of the best vendors to buy from. The gay couple were invited to all the events and parties on the block, a place mainly inhabited by people with multiple children and grandchidren who were always at the parties.Contrary to common perception there is a long traditio among some Irish-American Catholics and many in Ireland of ignoring what the priest had to say about family matters, sex, hell and any other themes other than kindness and neighborliness. Of course they believed that the Bible can simply be wrong and one is better guided by modern science and informed Biblical scholarship (which disputes or denies the forbidding of same sex relationships and the subordination of women in some misinterpreted passages).
Saps48
I think when confronted with Bible-quoters, one thing we should do is be armed with their own source, namely quote back at them other Biblical prohibitions such as not eating shrimp and other shellfish, not wearing clothes of mixed fabrics, stoning to death your unfaithful wife or disrespectful children…
That book is full of absurd rules and prohibitions and we should throw a few of them back in their bigoted/ignorant faces.
hansniemeijer
Purplebricks can decide not to help certain people selling their property.
ptb2016
When will these so called Christians stop with their hate? They seem to miss the point that their beloved Jesus, if he even existed, said he was the new covenant and to forget all that came before. He also said the most important commandment of all was Love one another. He didn’t qualify that into as long as it is between and man and a woman inside marriage. Paul of Tarsus, himself a failed Rabbi hooked on Old Testament teachings, again if he actually existed, dragged the Old Testament hate into the new religion long after Jesus was dead. So if they want to quote the Bible they should maybe learn about their religion and what Jesus actually taught and said before spreading their obnoxious hate!
ptb2016
Saps48 agreed. Best such defense was in the West Wing episode in series 2 or 3 when Martin Sheen’s president went for a Bible basher and tore her to shreds!
johncp56
One word Religions !!!!!
Navycut57
To WSnyder – “So move on” etc., excellent post. Openminded – “The problem with your argument” etc., seems to echo the stance of White Supremacists – being ignorant of/or ignoring history, allows it to repeat itself. Jim – “The story of Sodom and Gomorrah” etc., their “evil” was that the inhabitants wanted to “know” the two angels visiting Lot, but, as he was such a righteous man, he offered them his virgin daughters instead so, himself and his family were chosen to be spared from the destruction of S&G. If Lot was such a righteous man trying to spare these angels, he should have offered up his own ass instead of condoning the rape of his daughters! ptb2016 – “When will these so called” etc., In my experience I find most people who claim “Christianity” as their justification, have no clue when it comes to what the “good book” says, as they have never read it through.