A Canadian landlord dropped a student’s rental agreement because she didn’t like her “scary” tattoos.
Kadince Ball, an 18-year-old graduate eager to become a med student at Ontario’s Western University, was denied a rental deal because of her tattoos.
As per Unilad, the landlord refused to give her a place to stay because she didn’t like her “scary” ink.
Speaking to CBC, the student said:
“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor and medical schools are getting more competitive now, so it’s important to have a good university bachelor degree and Western is one of the top-rated ones in Canada.”
When Kadince saw the property in an online ad, she contacted landlord Esther Lee and paid a $50 deposit. The future med student even signed a lease and traveled two days from Saskatchewan to London.
Unfortunately, once the landlord laid eyes on her tattoos, she instantly canceled the contract.
Kadince recalls:
“‘I don’t want you living here.’ I was like, ‘Hey, a lease has been signed, my deposit has been sent over – what is the problem?’ Every time I would ask her, ‘Why not? Is there anything I can do? Do we need to revise the lease?’ But there was nothing from her end. It was just, ‘I don’t want you living here.”
Esther Lee responded:
“It[Ball’s tattoos] covered almost 70% of her arm. That’s why I don’t want to rent it to her because it’s scary, so scary.”
Luckily, Kadince was able to find another apartment in the area. What’s more, her landlord even let her move in early. Nevertheless, Lee’s actions left her “speechless.”
She adds:
“A lease was signed and because I look a certain way, I was denied tenancy. None of my tattoos are offensive. They are works of art, they are somebody’s works of art on my body.”
Ian Dantzer, a lawyer at the university’s Community Legal Services Clinic, says the student has a reason to sue Lee, explaining:
“It’s a binding contract and she’s entitled to possession. It’s a morally reprehensible act if not illegal.”
