Lesbian’s Told: ‘Change Lifestyle’

Better off apart, that’s what a bank clerk told a Swedish lesbian couple recently when they applied for a mortgage.   The bank clerk also told them that they should change their lifestyle as well as living apart!

The shock revelations and mortgage refusal came after Sara Evaldsson, 29, and Maria Engström, 31, decided to move in together in Maria’s home town of Västerås. They both  good permanent jobs, good credit ratings and had secured a good price for a 2-bedroom apartment in Västerås they wanted.   However, what should have been just a formality,  turned into a nightmare  -

“The woman at the bank was very dismissive. We were going to buy the flat for a good price and we knew that it was a bargain. We had all sorts of papers with us, but she wasn’t interested.” Said Maria to Swedish Local paper.

The bank clerk at Swedbank in Skiljebo, Västerås, said that the 490,000 kronor ($67,500 or £43,412) loan the couple wanted to borrow was “a lot of money” and insisted that a ten percent deposit would be necessary, Maria said.

Of course the couple questioned the decision, and when they did the clerk said:

“You should reconsider your personal situation and continue to live in different places.”

“We were shocked. We wondered what on earth she meant. We also wondered whether a heterosexual couple would have been given the same advice.  We were also surprised that she said it was a lot of money, as we knew that it was a bargain.” the couple said.

They’ve now reported the bank to Sweden’s Discrimination Ombudsman.    “We didn’t think that this was an acceptable way to behave,” Maria told The Local,  and later the same day  they went to a rival bank, where there mortgage was approved.  “They said immediately that it was a good purchase and that one of us alone would almost have qualified for that mortgage,” Maria said.

Anna Sundblad, Swedbank’s head of PR said    “We take these kinds of incidents very seriously. We have a clear policy that we never discriminate on the grounds of religion, gender or sexual orientation. We also aim to set a good example in questions like this – we sponsor the Stockholm Pride festival for instance.”

However,  according to locals,  there are many cases of gays and lesbians being refused loans,  mortgages or credit cards at Swedbank!    “It’s common place,  staff are often rude to gays”  claims one gay rights campaigner.

© 2010 Copyright Jason Shaw