Christchurch woman says she was denied rental because she's Māori - 'I just don't want your sort'

A Christchurch woman claims she was denied a rental property by a prospective landlord due to being Māori.

Iwi Kemp had applied for 10 private rentals over two weeks using Trade Me but was told none were available, the Herald reports.

Ms Kemp said she received three responses - including one call to set up a viewing - after reapplying under the name Maria.

Ms Kemp claimed when she confronted the landlord over the sudden availability of the home under the false name, he laughed in response.

"He said: 'Yeah well, I just don't want your sort in my house,'" she recalled. "'You're Māori, aren't you? You wreck houses, and have gangs and the drug life.'"

She claimed he then swore at her before ending the call, which she called "kind of disheartening" and "a massive slap in the face".

"He hadn't even met me and just made that judgment based on my name."

A Human Rights Commission spokesperson told the Herald the landlord was breaking the law for discriminating against his potential tenants.