Hong Kong estate agent refuses flat viewing as client was Indian

In an apparently blatant example of illegal racial discrimination in the city, an estate agent has told a client he was unable to view a flat because he is Indian.

Simran Singh Sethi, 30, who works for a major US-listed technology company in Cyberport, was interested in renting a sea-view apartment in Kennedy Town's The Sail at Victoria, describing it as "a perfect [and] really beautiful apartment".

However, in a text from a Centaline property agent named only as Yvonne, Singh, who is happy to pay about HK$22,000 a month in rent, was told the landlord refused to rent to an Indian.

"I've travelled all around the world and never in my life have I been subjected to profiling or racism ever," said Singh, describing his surprise that he could experience racism in 2015.

He said Yvonne had not even met him.

"When somebody hasn't met you, somebody hasn't asked you questions, doesn't know anything about you, just for someone to label you - you then miss out on an opportunity just because you're a certain nationality," he said.

The estate agent told the Sunday Morning Post that she assumed he was Indian because he had been referred to her by another client who is also Indian.