KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): We have all heard of Sugar Daddy stories where sexual favours are given in return for presents or cash but the housing crisis in urban centres of the United Kingdom (UK) has given rise to the phenomenon of landlords getting sex by offering rent free accommodation.

The Observer Sunday newspaper in the UK recently highlighted this problem in an article entitled “Sex for rent: the rogue landlords who offer free rooms in return for ‘favours’”, saying that this social ill is a “byproduct of a housing crisis where young people are unable to find somewhere to live without spending exorbitant sums”.

The weekly said that such activities are rife “in university towns, where young women are targeted by rogue landlords”.

Lawmakers are now targeting the problem, calling for landlords who offer their properties in exchange for sex to be prosecuted.

According to The Observer’s report, such adverts hoping for sexual favours “typically offer free room or bed share in exchange for ‘intimacy’, ‘benefits’ or ‘fwb’ — friends with benefits”.

These “sexy” advertisements appear in “sites such as Craigslist.”  

The Observer found some advertisements which ran like this (they were later removed after being flagged by users):

“I have a spare room for someone who likes to get naked at home. Send naked pic and details if interested.’

“Female of any age to share room. King-size bed. I don’t want payment. Just company. Nothing sexual unless we both want it.”

“I am looking for a female tenant … I would offer a suggestion of a different arrangement instead of money, but I am happy either way.”

A recent documentary made by the BBC showed how lecherous landlords are preying on poor and vulnerable women who are prepared to take up their offer of sex for free rent.

Reporter Ellie Flynn from the broadcasting corporation went undercover to find out how bad the problem was by messaging men on Craiglist.

“The landlords I met did not seem to grasp that what they are doing is wrong,” said Flynn.

Flynn also met a 24-year-old landlord in Scotland who just wanted “…sex, every second day or something… I’m treating it as a business transaction.”

According to a report by the MailOnline, more than 250,000 women have been asked if they want sex for free rent arrangement, citing figures from housing charity Shelter.

“Many women are driven to offering their bodies in return for rent, after struggling to pay booming rents,” reported the news portal.