Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that the police fully investigate cases in which women have alleged that they have been exploited by their landlords; and if he will ensure that during those investigations any other tenants of the same landlord are also interviewed.

Everyone should be able to feel safe in their home and the sexual exploitation of tenants has no place in our society. It is important that local authorities and the police work collaboratively to tackle this issue and take action against criminal landlords.

The Renters (Reform) Bill includes provisions which will help to drive out criminal behaviour. These include increased investigatory and enforcement powers to help local authorities crack down on criminal landlords, and amending the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 to provide local authorities with new powers to issue fines, as an alternative to prosecution, to those who illegally evict or harass tenants.

Furthermore, the Government launched a call for evidence on ‘sex-for-rent’ arrangements, which closed on 30 June. We are currently analysing the results and will provide a response in due course. There are existing criminal offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 that may address this practice and both the police and Crown Prosecution Service have produced guidance on it.