By Michael Goodier
An analysis of one of Britain's largest classified ad websites has shown it is storing huge numbers of UK based sex-for-rent adverts.
Nearly 70 adverts were found on the website Craigslist, offering potential tennants free or cut price rent in return for "fun", or coming to "an arrangement".
Although the company has taken action to remove some of the more explicit adverts, some landlords are avoiding censorship through the use of innuendo, meaning that their ads stay up on the site for longer than a month.
Despite David Liddington (the then Justice Secretary) saying last year that the practice of advertising housing for sexual favours may breach the Sexual Offences Act, on average two adverts are posted to Craigslist a day.
The practice of asking for sex instead of rent is a grey area for consent, as people who rent in such situations may feel like they have to agree to sex in order to avoid homelessness.
Neither Craigslist nor any of the landlords I reached out to responded for comment.
Where are these adverts found?
A London-centric phenomenon
Although sex-for-rent adverts were found for properties in 23 different UK towns and cities, 61% - a majority - of them were based in London on this occasion.
This suggests that the practice of offering sex-for-rent could be tied in to a lack of housing options, as the capital is the highest populated city in the UK, and also suffers from the highest house-prices.
Brighton, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham all had the second highest number of adverts over the month period.
What language do they use?
The adverts are not always explicit
Although some adverts are explicit in the way that they advertise, most use code words and phrases, which may seem innocent enough to the unaware. Most adverts would specify that there was no rent, so long as prospective tennants were "open minded".
The use of innuendo means that these adverts will avoid being flagged, and will stay on the website for longer.
"Must Read Fully, Understand it wisely before you reply."
One advert hinted at its use of innuendo, saying "Must Read Fully, Understand it wisely before you reply."
Many others offered the change to negotiate an "arrangement".
Some adverts asked for help with chores as well as hinting at sex. One said you "must be willing to earn your keep by helping out with things like Cleaning and Shopping runs."
On top of that, not all of the adverts were free. One advert for a flat in North West London was asking tennants for £70, in return for "massages, occasionally prepare the odd meal" and being "a girlfriend with no strings attached adult fun on occasions."
The most commonly used words were "free", "female", "rent" and "flat".
The most commonly used word pairs were "open minded", "a female" and "in return".