This is in any case already illegal under the Sexual Offences Act, and landlords can already be prosecuted for attempting to engage in sex for rent.
The call for evidence will look at whether these laws go far enough, or if new measures are needed to tackle the issue and better protect vulnerable people from harm.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman says: “It’s wholly unacceptable that vulnerable people, and particularly young women, are being exploited in ‘sex for rent’ arrangements. This is an abuse of power which puts people in desperate situations and has no place in our country.
“The launch of this public call for evidence brings us closer to ending this deeply harmful trend and better protecting victims.
“And it is another example of how this government will not stop in our efforts to bring more sexual and domestic abusers to justice.”
According to research by polling company YouGov, carried out on behalf of the housing charity Shelter, nearly one woman in 50 in England has been propositioned for ‘sex for rent’ in the last five years.
The call for evidence, which will last for 10 weeks, seeks to gain the views of those who have been directly engaged in a ‘sex for rent’ arrangement whether they were deceived, coerced, or compelled into it.
Safeguarding minister Sarah Dines adds: “While advances in technology have brought us closer to family and friends, they can also make it easier for perpetrators to prey on vulnerable individuals, including through so-called ‘sex for rent’ arrangements.
“Our pioneering Online Safety Bill will ensure social media companies take greater action in order to protect their users – but we must continue to expand our understanding of these harmful practices and what more can be done to protect those who need it.”
Deputy Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Prostitution and Sex Working, adds: “This call for evidence is a welcome opportunity to hear from victims and stakeholders on the reality facing women. With many struggling to pay rent, they become vulnerable to predatory landlords, and it is vital we put an end to this.
“Violence against women and girls in all its forms is abhorrent. Policing is going after the violent and abusive men who commit these crimes. This call for evidence offers a first step towards helping vulnerable victims of this behaviour, please come forward.
“If you are ever in danger, please call 999, you will be listened to and taken seriously.”
The call for evidence seeks the views of those who have been involved in a sex for rent arrangement, whether they entered into it in an informed and consensual way or were deceived, coerced or compelled.
It also seeks the views of statutory agencies, law enforcement organisations, internet companies that allow the posting of advertisements for accommodation, and charities and other organisations concerned with violence against women and girls.
You can see the government announcement here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exchange-of-sexual-relations-for-accommodation-sex-for-rent
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Whom could not agree with this, 👮🏻♀️ but I feel wherever there is this kind of power imbalance you are going to find this happening. The way to mitigate it…… build millions of social houses 🤔 but of course they won’t 🤐
No , miss Jones !
Obviously it happens and the article does eventually mention it may sometimes be consensual. Prior to that the words exploited and victim were used. In those cases it's wrong but how often are the advances unwanted? If it's 1 woman in 50 at some point over the last 5 years it's reasonable to assume some of them will have misunderstood and weren't being propositioned at all and some would have been enthusiastic and may even have made the suggestion themselves.
I worked as a taxi driver for 17 years and it's fair to say a certain amount of female passengers were very disappointed to get a female driver. They were certainly hoping for payment options. Is was fairly standard for male passengers to get in the car and jokingly say "Hey, a woman driver, can I offer to have sex with you for a free ride home"? It was a joke. Just something myth and legend obliges drunk people to say. I'm old enough to understand politically incorrect humour. How many of these alleged victims simply misunderstood an inappropriate attempt at humour?
That it is already illegal but still goes on says much about government. It is more about being seen to be doing something than using the already existing laws to actually do something about the problem.
As with substandard housing, there will always be a market when there are not enough affordable decent homes.
And if you go into that type of ‘arrangement’ then quite simply it means you can be bought
The article makes it sound like it is common place which I doubt very much, I'll take the money thankyou, a woman that offers sex for rent is going to be a sex worker, I could think of nothing worse then sex with one of them, thankfully in 30 yrs as a landlord I've never been offered sex in leu of payment
Well that's very presumptuous of you that they are ALL sex workers! :)
Do we really need another law to tackle this problem. I'm sure it goes on but to a very small degree. The Police have the powers to deal with this now. It's just another pathetic way that this current Government is trying to show that it is doing a good job!
Likewise i've never had anybody proposition me to have sex instead of paying the rent and like others here I would not make myself a hostage to a situation like that.
Whilst we have too few prisons no matter what laws are passed it won't change nothing, bit like the housing mess to be honest!
Will this be another avenue for tenants to make vexatious comments against landlords in order to try and gain money? Especially once landlords have no say in the running of their property!
Agreed Nick I also can see this happening, another reason to avoid single mums, they are just not worth the agro
Agree Andy. My infamous Nigerians claimed to be married to each other. Very similar surnames but are actually brother and sister. 4 kids (by how many fathers I will never know). Endless complaints about the house. I think because she wants to give a man some s***. The greedy evil landlord is prime candidate. Also I've been the target of the compensation claim. All 4 kids have asthma from the mould they grew too. Living on UC too.
Absolute nightmare. I would never listen to Gove saying you must allow X people into your property. I did it with S21. I will never do so without.
Well at least we haven't ben accused of eating babies alive YET in all other respects it simply looks like the hate gang relentless propaganda is just recycled hate from 1930-40s Germany they have just replaced the word Jew with the word Landlord and translated it into English.
How very "Green"of them Zero Carbon fully Recycled Nazi propaganda that will help save the planet
Interesting how no other minorities have not been accused of this ,only landlords
Why don't we write to our MPs and the media demanding specific laws to ban Sex for Council Tenancies Given the shortages it will be commonplace and while we are at it Sex for food/ Fuel
So WHAT NEXT if we take our cues from history Jews were accused of sex for rent and sex for jobs and Jewish shops sex for food ,Also jewish families were accused of using their vehicles to mow down innocent christians , So Jews were banned from driving by the Nazis and Yes they were accused of eating christian babies
We should now expect the revelation that research has shown that landlords use their vehicles to drive into tenants , so calls for an immediate ban on landlords holding driving licences
Sex for rent, for power, for wealth, it is happening everywhere. If it comes under a consensual agreement, is it still a crime? Courtesan, sex workers, adultery are illegal? If it is a sexual assault,
the victims can sue the attackers to start the investigation procedure. It has nothing to do with PRS.
There would always be the ones that cry r*** the next day, or even in a few yrs time, just not worth the risk
Especially when once day you want them out.
Whilst wholly wrong and illegal, these instances are of such rare occurrences, - you have to wonder why Govt jump to attention at EVERY complaint, observation or moan by Tenant support groups !
I concur with the last comment - from Possession Friend
What about goodies for sexual favours in the field of employment, hotel/hostel accommodation, and many other walks of life? This is just another shovel by the envious loony left - represented by
Shelter, Generation Rent and the like - with which to to grind the PRS into the dust.
YouGov. Research on behalf of Shelter housing Charity, not them again they are really scraping the Barrel with such an unfounded Allegation like this.
One Woman in every 50 has been Propositioned for sexual favours by their landlords.
Just another whopper of a lie.
I never had this nonsense in 43
years a landlord when is my turn Sulla is a Braverman than me.
I think they are on the wrong page I thought sexpest’s were the reserve of South Yorkshire and accepted there for 30 years before someone thought it was wrong and should be stopped.
Is this Research more flawed than the one Shelter had in 2007 when they Alleged up to 45% of Deposits were withheld by landlords and had the Law changed and New laws introduced based on that, it later turned out the percentage was less than 2%.
Shelter are at it again with such Allegations about Section 21. How many more unsafe laws are we going to have based on false information from non- Housing Associations who have the ear of Government.
We as Landlords take pride and run a legitimate Rental Business against all the odds, not Brothals but I am sure they have less Regulation’s.
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