Differences in the quality, size and location of people’s homes are often linked to differences in individuals’ economic status. This disparity in housing is known as housing inequality. The article displays how the interplay between law and economics enables and enhances housing inequality. The concept of “the law of housing inequality” is introduced to demarcate an object for further research. The article argues that housing inequality is a necessary feature of the neoliberal economic paradigm, but not necessary in relation to other paradigms. Addressing the problem of housing inequality therefore requires a holistic view of the legal-economic system.