Racism in the housing market: “It doesn’t fit” because Sinteza

“I don’t think she earns enough and is Roma/Sinti – I’m not sure if that fits.” The employee of a real estate company sent this note after viewing an apartment in Neumünster. What the employee apparently overlooked: Her email not only ended up on the company's internal mailing list, but also went to Kelly Laubinger, the woman who was interested in the apartment. Their lawyer is now demanding compensation in accordance with the General Equal Treatment Act. This is not the first case of this kind for Laubinger.

“I actually had a very good feeling about the inspection,” reports Kelly Laubinger. The Neumünster native is looking for an apartment, and the real estate company's ad that she found on an internet portal matched her needs. According to Laubinger, it is particularly important to her that her new apartment is close to her place of work.

The 37-year-old works as managing director of the Sinti Union Schleswig-Holstein. The association organizes, among other things, events and training courses. The members advocate for the interests of the Sinti and Roma; the fight against discrimination is an important part of their daily work. In recent years, thanks in part to Kelly Laubinger's efforts, the association has become known in the state and at the federal level as a loud voice for the Sinti and Roma community.

“When inspecting the apartment, I consciously mentioned my work with the Sinti Union, precisely because it is an established association supported by public funds,” reports Laubinger. The fact that she has a secure income is ultimately important information for a potential landlord.

But she also mentioned that in addition to her permanent position, she regularly receives fees as a freelancer. “But there were no questions about it,” she remembers. Overall, from her point of view, the conversation was pleasant and open. She signaled clear interest in the apartment and was actually hoping for a confirmation.

Instead, the email landed in her inbox with the note “is Roma/Sinti”. Shortly afterwards, a second email arrived in which the company employee expanded on the note. It was about her monthly income, which the employee classified as significantly lower than Laubinger had told her. The reference to the second financial source of income from freelance work was completely missing. Again the email, which the taz has available as a screenshot, ended with the assessment: “I don’t know if that fits.”

When asked by taz, the head of the real estate company spoke of a “misunderstanding”. The note came from his sister, who also works at the company. He denies that she meant the reference to “Roma/Sinti” to be discriminatory: “That is a misinterpretation.” There are also experiences of discrimination in his own family: “Our mother was a traveler, she worked in the circus,” he reports. He finds Laubinger's commitment to fighting discrimination admirable. He hopes for an agreement and a clarifying conversation to put the matter to rest.

Laubinger and her lawyer, on the other hand, see clear signs of discrimination and thus a violation of the General Equal Treatment Act. “What is this reference to my belonging to the Sinti minority?” asks Laubinger. She is also annoyed that the employee reduced her salary and did not take her self-employed income into account. “I’m actually pretty well known in town,” says Laubinger. “A quick internet search would have shown everything I do.”

Sinti have been living in Schleswig-Holstein for over 600 years; the minority was first mentioned in documents in 1447.

In November 2012, Schleswig-Holstein became the first federal state to include the German Sinti and Roma as a minority in the state constitution, thereby putting them on an equal footing with the other minorities in the state, Frisians and Danes.

Today, around 5,000 members of the minority live in Schleswig-Holstein, and there are around 70,000 Sinti and Roma nationwide.

“Sinti” refers to the Roma living in Central and Western Europe and Northern Italy.

It would have been noticed that Kelly Laubinger has taken legal action against discrimination on several occasions. So in 2021 she was rejected when she wanted to join a gym. Apparently there were no more free places, but when Laubinger asked friends to sign up on a trial basis, it worked effortlessly. Apparently it was because of the last name, which is known in Neumünster as “typical Sinti”.

Laubinger sued – and won. That was the start of her career as an activist. She went to court again in 2024 after a Sinti Union hotelier refused a room that Laubinger wanted to book for the author Max Czollek. The proceedings ended with a fine for the hotel owner.