An undercover reporter put an advert online looking for student digs — and was deluged with offers of a free room in return for sex. More than ten seedy landlords responded in just one city.
The sting emerged as an MP called for a clampdown on such offers — and a survey found 140,000 prospective tenants had been propositioned in the last year.
Claisse Opulencia, editor-in-chief of the Canterbury Christ Church University student newspaper in Kent, put her plea for a room on ad website Craigslist.
One landlord wanted her to perform a sex act on him every day and have sex once a week.
Another said: “I’ve had one before who was an international student.“She stayed with me for eight months.“She’s graduated now.
“She got what she wanted and so did I.“As long as you kept the place tidy, don’t mind showering with the door open, wearing underwear around the house, then you get the idea.”
Sex-for-rent offers can be classed as incitement into prostitution, which has a maximum seven-year jail sentence in UK.
Justice Minister Edward Argar was asked in the Commons about the lack of successful prosecutions.
Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse said: “It’s illegal but it continues, targeting vulnerable women and men.”
Mr Argar said: “The decision to prosecute rests entirely with the CPS.
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