Flatmate Preferences and Fair Treatment
Last updated: 5 October 2026
Choosing who you live with is personal. Moov lets you set preferences so you see people who fit, and so they see you. This page explains what you can and can't do, in plain English.
This isn't legal advice. If you're a landlord letting several rooms, or you're unsure, please get advice.
Why this matters
The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination when renting a home. It also recognises that sharing your home is different from letting a property, so there are exceptions for shared homes, especially where the person letting the room lives there too.
Moov's preferences are designed for that situation: people choosing who they'll share a home with.
What you can set on Moov
| Preference | Who can set it | When it's okay |
|---|---|---|
| Gender of flatmate or tenant | Hosts and renters | When you'll be sharing the home with that person, for example you live there, or you're renters looking for a flatmate to live with. |
| Age range | Hosts and renters | Age isn't currently a protected characteristic for renting homes in the UK. Please keep ranges reasonable. |
| Students, professionals or mixed | Hosts and renters | This is about lifestyle and household type. |
| Smoking and pets | Hosts and renters | These are house rules, not protected characteristics. |
| LGBTQ+ friendly household | Hosts can say their home is. Renters can look for these homes. | Renters can't filter LGBTQ+ friendly homes out. That's deliberate. |
These are preferences, the same way a flatshare ad might say "female flatmate preferred". They help you see the people most likely to be a good fit. They are not a way to shut people out.
What you can never do
Whatever your situation, you must never refuse or exclude someone because of their:
- race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin
- religion or belief
- disability, including needing an assistance dog
- sexual orientation
- gender reassignment
- pregnancy or maternity
You also must never refuse someone because they receive benefits (such as Universal Credit or Housing Allowance) or because they have children, or may have children living with or visiting them.
Moov doesn't offer filters for any of these, and we'll remove listings or messages that use them.
How to word things
Say what you're looking for, not who you're shutting out.
| Better | Not okay |
|---|---|
| "Female flatmate preferred, as the rest of the house is women" | "No men" |
| "Quiet household of professionals, mostly in our 30s" | "No foreigners" / "English speakers only" |
| "We'd love someone who's up for the odd house dinner" | "No DSS" / "No benefits" |
If you're a landlord who doesn't live there
If you're letting a room in a property you don't live in, the shared-home exceptions are much narrower. In most cases you shouldn't use gender preferences at all. You're responsible for making sure your listing follows the law.
If you see something unfair
Report the listing or message in the app. We review every report and we'll remove content that breaks this policy. Repeated or serious breaches lead to a ban.
Questions: support@moovhome.co.uk