Young and vulnerable females being targeted by rent for sex landlords

[quencher]

It's always vulnerable people who will end up in situations like this. The same way prostitution targets those in need the most, this does the same thing. The amount of women who will be abused and raped through this will be countless. A lot of them will feel like they don't have a choice and to go a long with whatever the landlord wants, in order, to keep a roof over their heads. It's sad to think that there are lots of people who are willing to do this to anther human being. To feel it's justifiable, a choice from a coerced person is ok in their eyes.

One landlord, who spoke to BBC South East on condition of anonymity, defended the deals as a "friend with benefits" arrangement.
He said: "You can argue that high rent charged by landlords is taking advantage too. There's no compulsion for them to do this. Everyone goes into it with their eyes wide open.
"I am the last type of person who'd like to take advantage. Both sides have something the other person wants. I see it as a win-win situation." This comment is very similar to those who advocate for prostitution.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39568458

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/13/homeless-people-exploited-sex-online-adverts/

[GuardianLions]

[TitaniasCloset]

The gap between rich and poor us increasing and the biggest problem most poor and working class women have is housing. Especially women under 25.

Which the government has royally fucked.

[PhoenixJasmine]

Oh wow. I can't believe that this is legal..... how is it legal?!?!???

If your choice is between living on the streets and living with someone who rapes you three times a week....bloody hell.

What would happen if the women didn't want to have sex once they had moved in?

Are contracts signed as you would for a standard lodger? I know lodgers have fewer rights than tenants anyway.

If the landlord doesn't live at the property (but visits for sex), would that not contravene a tenants right to peaceful enjoyment of their home, if a standard tenancy agreement was in place?

Could this be fought via housing laws, exploitation/slavery laws?

Obviously, sufficient affordable housing for vulnerable women in the first place would be a good start.

I really am shocked this is happening openly in the U.K.

[PhoenixJasmine]

I feel sick

[LB6002]

Jesus Christ here's a choice quote from Phoenix's link

must be open minded to have a loving caring relationship and a person who likes to be spoilt and cared as well loved and respected and treated like a lady at all times

I feel so naive right now.

[Nutterfly]

I had my eyes opened to this about a decade ago after somewhat naively putting an ad up on Gumtree looking for a house share. I got a LOT of calls from men looking for lodgers who were cagey about the rent (or actually said 'don't worry about that. We'll make an arrangement/come to an agreement/sort something out).
Ugh.
Interestingly, I also got a call from a woman who said she and her husband were looking for a housemate and was similarly weird when I asked about rent. So it's not just lone men doing it.
Fortunately, I was in a position where I could tell them all to do one, but I imagine it must be horrendous if you've got no money and no options and don't think you have another choice.

[starzzzz]

I think there are a number of ways that people never likely to earn much get round that, and this is one of them. I know what you mean by it not really being a choice, but at the same time, it is, isn't it?

[NotCitrus]

My friends were discussing this yesterday. It's not a new concept - I remember looking for cheap rooms in the 90s and half the places I looked at didn't have locks on the room door and the landlord clearly had expectations - not to mention all the rooms I didn't go see as the person on the phone gave me the willies.

The only change is how blatant the adverts are. And the increasing holes in the safety net of benefits to enable people to have somewhere to live.

As Shelter say, sex work should never be the only alternative to homelessness.

[DJBaggySmalls]

The CHB cuts to young people have allowed this.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

If the landlord doesn't live at the property (but visits for sex), would that not contravene a tenants right to peaceful enjoyment of their home, if a standard tenancy agreement was in place?

Yes it would. It would breach the civil contract. In Scotland would also be a breach of the landlord's registration requirements ( all landlords in Scotland have to register with the local authority and can be barred from receiving rent if not registered)

[isthistoonosy]

I rented rooms privately, on 6 month contracts, for 12 yrs (97-2009) and never came across anything like this. Was it really this common and brazen back then as well?

And does it matter if it was, that wouldn't make it OK now esp as other options are being erroded through zero hour contracts, reduced benefits, high rents and more pressure on charities who offer help.
Cant beleive its legal tbh.

[ChocChocPorridge]

If someone wanted to, surely this could be spun as living off immoral earnings couldn't it?

The landlord is taking sex in lieu of rent, ie. it's not materially different from him paying to rape her, and she's giving the money straight back to him in rent.

So he's profiting from her prostitution? That's illegal isn't it?

[QuentinSummers]

Glosswitch has published this today
www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2017/04/if-you-think-sex-work-work-how-can-you-be-against-sex-rent
Might create a thread for it

[OneFlewOverTheDodosNest]

I saw this looking for a room in London about 6 years ago - I'd previously been living in Manchester so hadn't really gauged the right prices for London flats, so thought £400 a month for a room was a standard price and I didn't want to pay the massive deposits that lots of places required so these no upfront cost deals looked good.

It soon became clear that it was considered a "subsidised" price - one of the rooms I saw had bars on the window and a lock on the outside of the bedroom door as well. Really opened my eyes to how grim some men could be.

[MissTerry2r]

My DOH pays all the rent, bills and costs. Damn right I give him sex in return. We're not married and he's often working long days and late night s but I appreciate he puts a roof over my head as well as being mindful of my mental health by providing me with a source of sex. not entirely sure how this is any different to renting from a landlord who may agree a FWB relationship. So long as both parties agree and there is no obstacle such as mental health issues or insecurity detrimental to making a sound decision then the woman has a right to freedom of choice. For a thread in the feminism category its a bit contradictory to label all women engaged in such agreements as vulnerable. This feminist craze is more annoying than a weeks worth of facial from a crusty old mans nutsack. You want equality but self label as vulnerable to support your campaign against gender discrimination. You can't have your period and eat it! Man up!
My DOH is 47 and I am 18. It insults me to be called vulnerable when people know the age difference. I am definitely not. I am completely independent and have full control over how I spend the £30 a week of his hard earned cash that he gifts me. He tells me often my domesticity is endearing. I am not vulnerable.

#savetheblowjobagainstfeminism #dohknowsbest

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I am assuming the post above is satire.

[Sparkyduchess]

Lass, you'd REALLY hope so, wouldn't you. The alternative is horrifying.

[PoochSmooch]

missterry, you are kidding, aren't you?

Aren't you?

[PoochSmooch]

Also, what is a DOH? Bloody acronyms on here...not seen this one before.

[isthistoonosy]

I think DOH is dear other half - I mean if you were him would you marry a girl (OK very young woman) and risk losing half of everything you have when she is willing to have sex / give blow jobs as and when you want and by the sound of 'domesticity' be your housekeeper, and general handy person for the princely sum of £30 a week?

By vulnerable I mean the women in the article not all women, if there are boys/ men in the same position I would call them vulnerable as well.

For example I'm not vulnerable as I can financially and emotionally support myself and my children alone. I however choose to live with my OH and we have sex when we both feel like it, not when one of us demands it, or talks us into it.

[WhereYouLeftIt]

"The only change is how blatant the adverts are."
Blatancy seems to be the order of the day on all things lately though, no? It's as if they've sniffed out that the police are overstretched, the government doesn't care to pass laws, and that many people's boundaries are so trampled on of late that some have difficulty seeing the wrongness of something and just think 'the rules' have changed again and they didn't get the memo. If anyone objects, they just respond along the lines of bigot/old-fashioned/Daily Mail reader.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I rather doubt MissTerry is an 18 year old girl.

The sex in lieu of rent scenario falls foul of various provisions in legislation relating to landlord and tenant, and in Scotland certainly would fall into the category of situations which are civil offences with potentially large fines, future bans on being a landlord and potentially criminal offences.

Those provisions don't apply in a lodger / house share arrangement but in either situation it is legally impossible to have given irrevocable consent to sex. Each and every demand for sex would need consent each time- if a refusal is ignored it is rape.

[user1491148352]

This is about young, vulnerable PEOPLE. There will be boys/young men in this position too.