An investigation has uncovered that landlords in England are offering people a place to stay...with no cash involved! But if you think this is some new age charity, think again. While prospective tenants may not have to part with cold hard cash, they will have to put their bodies on the line...literally.
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In a disturbing new trend, people who can't afford to pay rent are being lured by landlords, who are offering them a place to stay in exchange for sex.
The 'Sex for Rent' scandal was exposed by a recent BBC investigation. Hundreds of advertisements featuring the indecent proposal were published on popular classifieds websites like Craigslist.
Here are a few advertisements posted on Craigslist, which indirectly mention the mode of payment:
"There are some stipulations to the living arrangements.... This would be a mutual-benefits arrangement. Free rent, paid in other methods."
An owner of a small two-bedroom apartment, located near Hull, posted: "Money is not an issue, I would prefer some company."
Another landlord, aged 35, posted a creepy ad highlighting a rent-free luxurious and spacious apartment located in central London, in return for "a dominant attractive woman, who in return will place me beneath her beautiful feet and boss me around".
A woman, who answered one such ad as a last resort, revealed to the BBC the she was taken to the home-owner's living room for drinks, after which she was taken upstairs to return the "favour" for letting her stay.
"I think these adverts go as close to the edge of the law as they possibly can without breaking it. The [landlords] would argue [tenants] have chosen voluntarily to enter that situation," said Andrew Wallis, from anti-slavery charity, Unseen.
"The trouble is when you have a vulnerable person who then becomes exploited, the concept of choice soon disappears," Wallis added.
