'The benefit is you sleep with me': Seedy world of landlords who demand sex from young woman in exchange for rent
Landlords offering free rent for sex have been exposed in an undercover sting - with one demanding that his female tenant sleep with him once a week.
Two men were outed by a journalist after they posted adverts on Craigslist seeking sexual favours in exchange for a free place to live.
In one advert a tenant was offered a double room "in return for your booty", the Bristol Post reports.
Another landlord boasted that they had "a high sex drive" and "no limits", and he was looking for someone to "surrender" to him a couple nights a week.
The programme BBC Inside Out West focused on Bristol landlords offering free rent for sex, working with the charity Safe Lives.
Journalist Rachel Stonehouse went undercover, posing as a prospective tenant, to discover what has become an insidious disease as a result of Britain's housing crisis.
Tom: "If you want to make love, make love"
The first landlord Rachel met was from just outside Bristol, in the BS20 area, which includes Portishead, Pill and Sheepway.
In his advert, Tom asked for a young lady to share his house - and bed - offering free rent, gas, electric and wifi.
He exchanged more than 50 emails with Rachel, asking her for a picture of herself and was keen to arrange a meeting.
In his 60s, Tom lives in a one-bed flat and wanted her to share his bed.
When she asked about the arrangement and if sex is required, he answered: “Do what you want, and if you want to make love, make love."
When Rachel revealed she was a reporter with the BBC, he declined to comment.
Mike: "The benefits part is that you sleep with me."
He described himself in his advert as a professional single male in his late 50s, with a designer two-bed flat and “everything provided”. There were no bills to pay - bar a “Friends with Benefits (FWB) relationship”.
When they met, she enquired about the rent.
He said: “That depends on what arrangement you take. So the room, the rent, all the bills, everything paid for.
“And I’ll even give you an allowance every week so that you feel that you’re looked after."
He added: “Well, it’s up to you... The benefits part is that you sleep with me once a week.”
When told he was being filmed by the BBC, he said he was “pretending to be a landlord” and was actually doing research for his novel about the exploitation of women.
Group sex for rent
One Bristol woman said she had been asked to take part in group sex and get rent free.
“Everyone I spoke to just seemed a bit dangerous. One guy expected me to sleep with him, but also having group sex with a lot of his friends.
“It’s not worth it, doing it for a bit of money.”
Offering accommodation in return for sex is illegal. Just placing an advert can land you in trouble.
In one advert, a 35-year-old man asked for a picture and wrote the following advert:
"£1 room for female services (Bristol)
“Hi! I’m a 35-year-old male, fairly good looking. I have my own house with a spare room available.
“I am looking for a female lodger, possibly rent free, depending on services offered. Please reply with pic and a bit about yourself, thanks.
“I have a high sex drive, and am very adventurous and have no limits. Therefore (and this has worked over the last year) I am thinking of a couple of evenings a week where you surrender to me.
“Sometimes I will not want anything but will to play with you. Sometimes we will play online together. Sometimes we will role play. One thing I can guarantee is you will be satisfied and it won’t be boring.
“You must like sex, and be adventurous as well. On the other nights of the week, we would be like any other people sharing a house.
“Please let me know what you think and let me know your limits and experience as well.”
What are the police saying?
Avon and Somerset Police Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Watson said: “It’s worrying that in this day and age anyone believes it to be appropriate to advertise accommodation in return for sex.
“This appears to be an emerging issue with incidents not being reported to police locally or nationally. I’m very concerned that vulnerable people could be exploited in these circumstances.
“I welcome debate on this issue and would call for national co-ordination between the Ministry of Justice, Crown Prosecution Service and police to find a way forward. I would also call on classified ad providers to step up their processes to identify and reject such adverts.
“Sexual exploitation is wrong and I’d encourage anyone who has been affected by it, or who suspects someone is being subjected to it, to report it to the police.”
One of the adverts offering free rent in exchange for sex
