The issue of ‘rent for sex’ – tenants offered free or discounted rent in return for sexual favours – is now a problem amongst letting agents it has been claimed.

Previously it was widely thought to be an issue amongst landlords who dealt directly with tenants but a new statement from the activist group Generation Rent suggests otherwise.

The group says it’s conducted a survey which received 1,045 responses. And it states: “4% of private renters who responded to the survey reported that they had been offered discounted or free rent by a landlord or letting agent … Shockingly, this figure rose to 1 in 10 respondents with incomes of less than £20,000.”

The activists demand a dedicated ‘Sex for Rent’ law targeting predatory landlords and letting agents; increased legal aid so that tenants “can access representation, support, and justice”; and increased support to protect financially vulnerable renters from being forced or coerced into ‘Sex for Rent’ arrangements by raising Local Housing Allowance, scrapping the benefits cap, and increasing Discretionary Housing Payments funding to local authorities.

Ben Twomey, the new director of Generation Rent, says: “With the cost-of-living crisis raging on, not enough is being done to ensure that private renters are kept safe in their homes. 

“More must be done to protect women with lower and insecure incomes, minority ethnic women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people who have no recourse to public funds.

“A new law would enable victims of ‘Sex for Rent’ to seek justice, however without adequate court funding and support for struggling renters, this exploitative and predatory practice will remain a disturbing feature of the Private Rented Sector.”