SLEAZEBALL LANDLORD IN SEX FOR RENT SCANDAL
Daily Record investigation reveals vile coercion tactics used to lure women
A SLEAZY dad who tried to let a room for free in exchange for sex is today exposed after a Daily Record probe into lowlife landlords.
Divorced Steven Anderson told our female reporter, “I won’t treat you like a piece of meat,” after she responded to an online advert for his flat.
He was just one of several men we found touting for female “rent-free” flatmates
Are you happy to do something a couple of times a week?
I don’t want to be disrespectful or treat somebody like a piece of meat
PREDATORY “sex-for-rent” landlords looking to exploit vulnerable Scots during the pandemic are operating in plain sight – despite a pledged crackdown.
A investigation by the Daily Record has found efforts to block sleazy online adverts offering free accommodation in return for sex across the country are failing miserably.
We unmasked one of many would-be landlords targeting desperate and destitute Scots on sites such as US classified giant Craigslist.
We can today reveal the depraved tactics used to manipulate those in dire need – with many camouflaging their perverted propositions as offers of “help” or a chance at “a better life”.
Thousands of Scots are believed to be targeted in this way every year with charities reporting a spike in recent months due to the impact of Covid-19.
It is illegal to force or coerce someone into sexual activity but while online adverts offering these arrangements are illegal in England, cases in Scotland are investigated on and individual basis and no one has been convicted yet.
Craigslist’s billionaire founder, Craig Newmark, previously pledged to crack down on these ads, fitting “custombuilt filters” to screen posts using words like “sex”. But they are still slipping through the net. A trawl of the classifieds threw up a string of suspect adverts offering “free” rooms available in Scotland this month. Within nine minutes of clicking on one, our reporter was chatting to a man who offered a spare room in Lanarkshire in exchange for “sexual favours”.
Our investigation identified him as Steven Anderson, from Uddingston, who told us he was 45 and offering someone the chance to put themselves in a “good position for the future”. He told our undercover reporter: “I’m not wanting to do anything that is not OK with you and I’m not thinking anything more than twice a week.”
He then bombarded us with messages and offers to meet before sending pictures of himself and the flat he owns.
Anderson offered us a night in with booze and optional “sniff” provided, to get to know him first.
When our reporter revealed her identity during a video call and asked Anderson if he realised what he was offering could amount to exploitation, he replied, “No” and hung up the phone. He has not responded to our request for further comment.
Meanwhile, a 28-year-old male student from Edinburgh University also responded to our message. He said he was looking for a female to share his accommodation in Leith, saying said he was “clean, disease-free” and prepared to “use protection” and share his money.
Another ad, in the Falkirk area, offered a “lux bed share for lady aged 18-25”, selling it as a “beneficial agreement for better life”.
It offered the “possibility of longterm bed-share relationship” saying “mutual agreement can make it very low-cost living”.
Another in the area offered “luxury bed space for teen girls” with the option to “bring a friend”.
In Glasgow, women aged between 18 and 30 were being offered free accommodation in Glasgow’s Merchant City to share a bed with a 41-year-old man.
The landlord said: “I’m looking for a single female to share my room with for free in exchange for regular sex and see what develops. This would be particular for anyone who is desperate, including students.”
At the start of the pandemic, Scottish Labour housing and equalities spokesperson Pauline McNeill challenged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the issue of rising homelessness and highlighted evidence that these propositions impact about 2000 men and women in Scotland every year.
The Glasgow MSP said: “No one should be forced into this situation. This practice is completely abhorrent and unacceptable. Landlords must not be allowed to exploit those suffering from homelessness or job loss due to Covid-19.”
Kirsty Thomson, legal director of the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre, said: “It is alarming to see a spike in the number of ads soliciting sex in exchange for housing at a time when loss of income, domestic abuse and immigration rules are pushing women into homelessness and destitution.
“We would like to be clear that non-consensual sex and sexual exploitation are criminal offences in Scotland and women have options.
“We therefore echo the calls for better regulation of ‘sex-for-rent’ ads and much more clarity on the rights of women affected.”
Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland, said a lack of affordable housing was driving the problem, which is believed to have seen about 30,000 women propositioned in the
UK since March She added: “To the people targeted by these ads, I say, ‘You have another option’.
“Shelter Scotland is here to help and make sure your housing rights are enforced even when councils try to turn you away.”
We contacted Craigslist for comment but have not received a reply.
Detective Superintendent Fil Capaldi, of Police Scotland’s public protection team, said: “We urge anyone who is concerned that they may be, or have been, a victim of such a crime to report it to us.
“We thoroughly investigate all complaints received and, if any criminality is established, a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
“I would urge anyone who has any information about individuals who may be preying on people in this way to report it to us by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”