19th
Jan 2022
Following the House of Lords’ ‘policing’ of the proposed Police Bill amendments, it has passed the clause for any landlords found to be ‘offering’ sex for rent’ to hopeful tenants, will face a jail sentence of up to seven years in ‘strong arm tactics’ against the appalling practise.
The Lord’s peers vote ended on 206 – 176 in favour to make it far easier for police to prosecute and potentially jail perpetrators who prey on vulnerable renters.
The HOL also supported the clause for police to prosecute websites and media allowing these types of adverts with the threat of a £50,000 fine.
In 2017 it was confirmed that landlords to ‘sexually prey’ on tenants is illegal, however the House of Lords was told that over the last four years only one ‘sex for rent’ case had been prosecuted……. and that was last year.
When proposing the important amendment to the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, the Labour frontbencher Lord Ponsonby said: “The law itself has been made extremely difficult for sex for rent victims to seek justice.
“According to the law, victims must be legally defined as a prostitute, which is a huge deterrent in their access to justice.
“Another reason why this scandal continues virtually unchecked is that landlords are able to advertise sex for rent in their properties very easily.”
Baroness Williams, Home Office minister, described sex-for-rent as “an abhorrent phenomenon which takes advantage of very vulnerable people, and it doesn’t have any place in our society”.
She told peers that the current offence for ‘sex for rent’ already carries a seven years’ jail term
She continued: “Action will be taken against landlords who exploit vulnerable people – this behaviour is simply not tolerated.”
The supported amendment will now be passed back to the Commons and ministers will decide whether to accept it or not before the legislation is introduced.
News Archive »