Angry residents have told of “dolled up” sex workers trailing clientele through their Aberdeen flat block as it becomes “plagued” by short-term lets.
The claim was made during a licensing hearing for an Airbnb within Fraser House, on Market Street.
But those living within the flats just off Union Street were left “disappointed” when their lack of hard evidence failed to convince councillors to throw out the plans.
A fierce row about the short term let licence for 34 Fraser House, the building once home to the House of Fraser department store, also led to suggestions of racism, anger about covert cameras and key safes, and even “defecation in the staircase”.
Flat owner Mercy Brown furiously refuted claims her property was being used for sex work.
“It’s a character assassination,” she said.
“It is ok not to like Airbnb business, but it is not ok to spread false allegations and rumours. This is evil and unacceptable.”
Fraser House residents sleuth on suspected sex workers
There are a handful of other Airbnbs and short-term let properties within the C-listed Georgian building.
It was redeveloped as 34 “trendy” apartments in 2008.
And residents have tried their best to pin down exactly where the women, and their many male callers, have been going once they leave the shared lobbies and lift.
Jason Ting, a neighbour who lives on the second floor, admitted he could not “fully verify” that the women letting various men into the building were sex workers.
He added: “But they were wearing bathrobes, dolled up and they were coming in with different men at different points in the night.
“I feel there is only one conclusion to draw from that.
“I knew they were going to the third floor, because I shared a lift with them until I got off on the second.”
But despite his suspicions at the men queueing up at the door, he has never called the police as he could not be “100% sure”.
Others in the resident Whatsapp group say they raised complaints with police and the council anti-social behaviour team.
‘No accountability’ for Aberdeen Airbnb owners over sex work and anti-social behaviour
Telling of growing anti-social behaviour in the building since he purchased his flat in 2019, Mr Ting complained about properties being let out for parties and even finding “defecation in the staircase once or twice”.
Those complaints were not specifically about Flat 34 though.
But then, he started to notice the suspected sex work sometime last year.
“There is no doubt there is sex work occurring at Fraser House.
“If female residents were to leave for a late night stroll, men would approach them and say ‘I’m here for you tonight’.
“There seems to be no accountability from these flat owners. We have tried to escalate it with Airbnb to no avail.
“It is not improving, which is why we are escalating it here.”
In response, flat owner Ms Brown asked: “Does answering the door in a bathrobe make you a sex worker?
“A lot of times if there are issues, I go there to fix that. I would go downstairs to let workers in.”
Short-term let Airbnbs ‘plague’ Fraser House in Aberdeen
Perhaps the case to sink the Airbnb operation at No. 34 might have been better made if another resident, who had called police, was able to attend.
The timing of the council meeting, at 10am on Wednesday, meant Lewis McArthur next door could not appear.
In a letter of objection however, he confirmed he had called police over “suspected prostitution”.
“My suspicions were justified by neighbours observing the suspected prostitute admitting her own clients to the building in the communal areas.
“It is near impossible for the applicant to appropriately screen all clientele of the short-term let and there are several vulnerable residents (including young children).”
He also complained about key safes being fitted outside the main Market Street entrance and the constant noise of fire doors slamming as visitors trailed the halls.
“Fraser House is plagued by numerous short-term let businesses,” he added.
Aberdeen dad shocked by Fraser House sex worker when with his teen daughter
Councillors were unswayed by the testimony of Graham Barclay, a dad who bumped into a suspected sex worker while with his teenage daughter and his partner.
He produced a photograph to aid his case: “I know it might just look like a man and woman going into the building.
“But it’s the same woman and a number of different men over a number of days – and that is enough for me to see what it was.”
Last March there was a lot of sex work activity on the first and second floors, Mr Barclay claimed.
He then listed two dates in May when he suspected No. 34, on the third floor, was being used similarly.
“[We met them] in the main entrance to our building so it was easy to see which floor she was going to.
“The lift showed she went to the third floor. That gave me suspicions that across the board, it was unfortunately being used for these activities.”
‘They were not in my flat’ – P&J probes claim of Airbnb owner
But flat owner Ms Brown brandished her bookings calendar and said she had no one staying at the flat on those dates.
“I have my calendar. I have all the bookings received by Airbnb. I do all my bookings through them.
“The property was vacant on May 27 and 29. They were not in my flat.”
Despite claims her flat is only available through Airbnb, Booking.com would happily have taken £403 from The Press and Journal to book Flat 34 at Fraser House for six nights in June.
Since publication, Ms Brown has said her property is on a number of sites – but all are tied to a central booking calendar which has provided to the council.
Dad tracks suspected sex worker and client through Fraser House
Unfamiliar visitors often buzz Mr Barclay’s property when they arrive.
On Monday afternoon, a few men called his intercom trying to get in… and so he leaped into action.
“I went downstairs and saw the same woman from two days ago taking a man into the lift. I ran up the back of the building and here’s a photograph of her going into the third floor corridor.”
He then said the time between them leaving the lift and him hearing the key in the lock meant it could only have been Ms Brown’s No. 34.
“Apart from not following them in, it was as close as I could get to confirming,” he said.
“This is about my living standard.
“And I believe that if anyone on this committee had gone through what I have in the last few years, they would be sitting here doing what I have done.”
‘I come from a very recognised family in Nigeria, sex work is a no-no’
But Ms Brown repeatedly rejected the possibility that her flat, which she bought in 2020, was being used for sex work.
She said: “I refute this completely. Saying there are sex workers in my property is personal.
“With my background, coming from where I am, this is a no-no.
“I am from a very recognised family in Nigeria. And I will not let someone ruin my reputation.”
Ms Brown claimed her flat, instead of supporting the oldest profession, was boosting one of Aberdeen’s latest economic focuses.
“It’s helping a lot with the tourism industry in Scotland,” she told councillors.
“My target markets are holidaymakers and tourists, and students needing a place before they find accommodation.”
Reviews included for the committee’s perusal were from tourists, those visiting family, and even performers at His Majesty’s Theatre.
She said guests, who are background checked, had to accept her house rules, referencing “STRICTLY NO PARTIES ALLOWED OR LOUD MUSIC”, and Airbnb’s regulations before she accepts their booking.
‘I take these accusations personally’
Ms Brown, who listed “anxiety and panic attack disorder” among many ailments affecting how she managed the property, suggested the Airbnbs in Fraser House were an easy – potentially racially-motivated – target.
“Vandalism. Vomit. Whenever something happens, it is shoved onto the Airbnb.
“There were teenagers coming in the back door, but before we found that out it was blamed on the Airbnbs.
“If anything goes wrong it’s on the Airbnb.
“There are many of us operating Airbnb businesses and we are all black people, it
makes me wonder if we were all white, will we be treated and not accepted in the same manner?
“Is this about black people’s business and trying to make a living?”
Mr Barclay, the more outspoken of the objectors, denied the inferred racism.
“I think if you look at my objection, you can see it’s pretty professional,” he told councillors.
“I have spoken to the host of the property on many occasions and advised this is not personal.”
‘It’s not apparent which flat is responsible’: Lack of hard evidence means Airbnb’s short term let licence approved despite sex work claims
Councillors on the licensing committee unanimously approved the short-term let licence for 34 Fraser House.
They had been reassured the licence could be reviewed or revoked if new evidence came to light from neighbours, police or the council anti-social behaviour team.
Vice-convener Steve Delaney told objectors: “What I am hearing is that there are illegal activities going on in the building. But it’s not always apparent which flat is responsible.”
“Disappointed” Mr Barclay was then given advice in the halls of the Town House on how to address the anti-social behaviour.
The police licensing officer quietly told him and his neighbours to keep a diary, and report every suspicion to police.
Airbnb was repeatedly invited to comment on its stance on sex work in properties listed on its site.
A spokeswoman has so far declined.
Read more on anti-social behaviour in the east end of Union Street:
Adelphi traders say drug-fuelled troublemakers have turned Aberdeen street into a ‘no-go zone’
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