A 28-year-old hair stylist claims she was not allowed to rent a property because of her gender.

Lorna Pearce said that when she asked letting agency SAMS Accommodation about a maisonette in Plymouth, Devon, she was told she could only rent it if she could move in with a man.

She says the agency said this is because of a request from the landlord, and the position of door into the property.

A manager at the agency was unable to deny the claim and said they were investigating.

Lorna Pearce, 28, claims she was not allowed to rent a property because of her gender

The Manager at SAMS Accommodation, which is based above a Pizza King and general store, was not able to deny the claim but said they weren't aware of a property not available to a single lady

Lorna, who is in a relationship with a woman, said she was outraged that she was refused the property 'purely because of my gender'.

She said: '[The agent] said ‘the problem is the landlord requested a male and female couple to move in’.

'I couldn’t believe it. It’s really strange.'

When Lorna ran back to double-check she was told: 'The landlord requested as due to safety I would need a man present to keep me safe.

'I’m shocked to be honest. It’s 2019.

'Not only is it completely wrong, as a business they shouldn’t accept that behaviour.'

Lorna Pearce, who is dating a woman, claims she was also refused it because of access points to the property

The manager of SAMS Accommodation said: 'I came back from the office at 2pm and I believe one of my colleagues spoke to the lady concerned.

'I don’t know where the ‘single lady’ has come from and I do not know why this would have been said.

'I have spoken to all staff members except for one who is not in the office today.

'I can confirm that we will continue to look into the complaint on behalf of the lady concerned.'

She claims the agent said in the phone call: '[The agent] said ‘the problem is the landlord requested a male and female couple to move in. I couldn’t believe it. It’s really strange.'

Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal to discriminate against tenants based on characteristics such as age, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or beliefs

A spokesman said there are two ways to enter the property: 'The front door of the maisonette can be accessed from either the front of the main building by walking through the communal hallway and out the back or it can be accessed from the open car parking area in the back lane which has a dead end.'

SAMS Accommodation also said it has been 'inundated' with requests for the property and 'single females have already viewed with the landlord'.

The landlord is now carrying out more groups of viewings on a first-come-first-served basis, they added.

Under the Equality Act 2010, discrimination in housing is illegal. Landlords and agents cannot refuse potential tenants on the basis of characteristics such as age, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or beliefs.

Lorna contacted the agency on Wednesday as she is planning to move back to Plymouth after living in London for the last 10 years.

The situation came to a head on Twitter.

Lorna tweeted: 'I was informed today by SAMS-ACCOM that I wasn’t able to rent a certain property in Plymouth because I didn’t have a man accompanying me on the tenancy, due to safety... The landlord will not accept single females.

'Outraged.'

SAMS Accommodation replied: 'I am sorry for your complaint. Female status is not the reason you cannot view.

'We have a waiting list of over 40 people as landlord has been away. Single ladies have already viewed. Please be assured of our best efforts always and we never discriminate against single females.'