A GROUP REPRESENTING Irish landlords has said that it was “wholly inaccurate” of RTÉ to portray men who were offering rooms in its ‘Sex for Rent’ investigation as landlords.

In a statement today following the Prime Time broadcast last night, the Irish Property Owners Association (IPOA) called said the actions of the men involved “is in no way representative of the industry as a whole”.

The IPOA said that while it condemns the actions seen in last night’s report, the people who were portrayed as landlords are not governed by any legislation as they were operating under the rent-a-room scheme.

Last night’s report revealed what it is like to come face-to-face with the people posting sex for rent ads in Ireland – and showed how some seek sex, from often vulnerable prospective tenants, in exchange for reduced or free accommodation. 

The IPOA said: “The overwhelming majority of landlords operate their properties in a professional, reputable manner; and deem this behaviour to be utterly deplorable.”

However the group said that “an important demarcation” was that those who are operating under the rent-a-room scheme are not landlords “and therefore to portray them as landlords, who are regulated, is wholly inaccurate”.

The IPOA said that the “failure” by RTÉ to make the distinction has “demonised landlords”, which the group labelled “unfair and unjust”.

It added that if there are tenants who have experienced what was seen last night, they should report the behavior to An Garda Síochána.

‘Absolutely horrendous’

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, justice minister Helen McEntee said what was seen in last night’s programme was “absolutely horrendous” and believed that no one, “particularly vulnerable people”, should be put into the position where they are offered sex in exchange for somewhere to live.

“I’ve committed to, as have my colleagues, making sure that we address this and where there are loops or gaps in law that we can address that,” McEntee said.

“The work is being done, it is being looked at as. It is part of my zero tolerance strategy to address this particular issue.”

A statement from the group said: “IPOA members subscribe to the highest professional standards of property management and operate under a stringent, robust Code of Practice and Ethics.

“This Code establishes provisions which maintain that IPOA members do not perform, or cause to be performed, any act which would tend to reflect or bring into disrepute any part of the private rental sector.

We therefore contend that, while deeply concerning, this behaviour is not systemic and is in no way representative of the industry as a whole.”

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan, ahead of the broadcast yesterday, called for “clear and unambiguous” legislation on the issue. RTÉ found the men online, where they were looking for “females only” or stated they were seeking a “special arrangement”.

O’Callaghan, the party’s spokesperson for housing, last year tabled the Ban on Sex For Rent Bill 2022. This would have created an offence of requiring or accepting sex as a condition of accommodation, with penalties of up to seven years in prison or a €50,000 fine. 

“The government didn’t refuse to back it as such,” he said. “They let it go to committee stage and then it was killed off at committee stage.”

This is often what happens to pieces of legislation that the government don’t necessarily want to oppose but then they don’t work to get it progressed.”

O’Callaghan added that he was “more than happy” to work with the government on the bill, making changes as it sees fit.

McEntee said today she wants to get legislation through “as quickly as possible” to address the issue but added that it will take time to make sure that the “right type of law” is constructed.

Additional reporting by Mairead Maguire