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We are in the process of buying a house. We were offered a mortgage verbally with no conditions atttached but then the bank decided that they would not release the money until I go back to work from maternity leave. Is there anything we can do about this? I am getting the same money on maternity benefit as I was working and will be going back to work.
You're on protected leave, therefore you are guaranteed employment, it shouldn't make a difference. Your bank has effectively told you that they are not giving you a mortgage because you are pregnant, I'm not entirely sure that's prudent or legal. Personally I'd raise it as a complaint within the bank and see what their response is.
Your mortage is based on both incomes so I think it makes sense.
I know a few people who didn't return to work after mat leave. A friend of mine isn't returning in a few months but is holding off telling her employer just in case anything changes.
In fairness, they can use whatever criteria they want when deciding who to give their money to.They can't use pregnancy as a reason to refuse a mortgage.
There are two distinct pieces of legislation in place in Ireland which set out important rights for people and specifically outlaw discrimination when it occurs. The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2008 and the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008 outlaw discrimination in employment, vocational training, advertising, collective agreements, the provision of goods and services. Specifically, goods and services include professional or trade services; health services; access to accommodation and education; facilities for banking, transport and cultural activities.
Under the equality legislation discrimination based on any one of 9 distinct grounds is unlawful. These grounds are:
What is discrimination?
- Gender
- Marital status
- Family status
- Sexual orientation
- Religion
- Age (does not apply to a person under 16)
- Disability
- Race
- Membership of the Traveller community.
Discrimination is defined as less favourable treatment. A person is said to be discriminated against if he/she is treated less favourably than another is, has been or would be treated in a comparable situation on any of the 9 grounds. To establish direct discrimination, a direct comparison must be made, for example, in the case of disability discrimination the comparison must be between a person who has a disability and another who has not, or between persons with different disabilities.
no service provider is allowed to discriminate on any of the grounds set out in the Equal Status Act and it appears, in this case, that they are.
from www.citizensinformation.ie
Tell that to my insurance company.no service provider is allowed to discriminate on any of the grounds set out in the Equal Status Act and it appears, in this case, that they are.
Sorry, but mortgage lending (and insurance) are all about managing risk. The bank has obviously decided that pregnant women are in a higher risk group and have refused the mortgage on those grounds.
Dont insurance companies provide differing quotes based on gender and age? By your argument, that should also be illegal.
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