Horrified women have moved out of Aberdeen city centre flats after grubby visitors asked “if they were the sex workers they had arranged to meet”, it has been claimed.
A fresh row has erupted over allegations that short-term let flats at Fraser House are being hired out by prostitutes on sites like Airbnb and Booking.com.
Last month, we revealed how tensions between residents living in the 34-apartment block and operators have reached boiling point.
At that time, fuming families argued that “dolled up” sex workers were trailing clientele through their Aberdeen flat block.
However, on that occasion, councillors waved away the concerns about the building on the corner of Union Street and Market Street – which was home to the House of Fraser department store.
Amid furious denials from the owner, permission was granted for 34 Fraser House to remain on offer as an Airbnb.
What happened at latest meeting about Fraser House sex work claims?
Residents rallied for a fresh battle this week, with the stakes doubled as permission was sought to continue using a pair of flats for short-term let stays.
Applicant Bukky Abdulazeez was seeking official consent to continue operating the two-bedroom flats at 25 and 26 Fraser House.
This licensing hearing offered residents a second chance to argue their case, and nine residents in the block lodged objections.
Both neighbours and the applicant made impassioned pleas to council decision-makers in tense showdown talks.
‘I saw woman take man into flat in question with my own eyes’
Neighbour, Graham Barclay, made his return to the Town House after unsuccessfully fighting against the licence granted last month.
At the latest meeting, he stressed that objections to the use of the second floor flats had come in from residents on all levels.
The worried dad said it was “highly likely, maybe 100%, a lot of sex work was going on in the building” on dates last March.
He told the licensing chiefs that one female resident on the second floor “was approached and asked if she was ‘the girl for today'”.
Mr Barclay continued: “That pretty much backs up the claims there.
“I did see one of these girls going up and down the lifts on these days…
“And I can guarantee the girl took a man from downstairs into flat 26 because I followed them.
“I also have a message from a resident who has admitted that the main reason she left Fraser House is because she lived on that corridor… And all the reasons related to those flats is why she left. Due to noise and not feeling safe in her own property.”
‘There was only one conclusion I could draw…’
Meanwhile, Jason Ting claimed he witnessed women leading men to the apartments “on multiple occasions throughout the night”.
The Fraser House flat owner lives on the same floor as the properties in question.
He conceded: “There’s no solid evidence for me to guarantee they were sex workers.
“But from sharing a lift with those individuals, there was only one conclusion I could draw…
“It was the same two women in bathrobes and they were coming down to greet men, and bring other men to the rooms on multiple occasions throughout the night.
“Also, the other flat owners who are female have been approached by random men on the street asking if they were ‘the girl for tonight’, which has sadly led to them leaving the building as well.”
Mr Ting also bemoaned parties taking place “until 3am during weekdays causing disruption”.
What does Fraser House Airbnb operator say in response to allegations?
During the recent meeting, Ms Abdulazeez fired back at the other residents seeking to scupper her business.
She blasted the claims as “all false” while insisting she followed “all rules and regulations”.
The operator said: “It’s so unfortunate that all the allegations being levelled against us were all false.
“They mentioned something about sex workers. In the history of Fraser House, particularly flats 25 and 26, we have never entertained sex workers.
“Not in the past, present or do we have plans to do that in the future.”
Sex workers claim at Fraser House is ‘very alarming’
She argued that the flats are most commonly rented out by builders, doctors or foreign researchers spending time at Aberdeen University.
The affronted applicant added: “For them saying we are renting out to sex workers is very alarming… It would be good for them if they were able to provide evidence.”
“Parties are not allowed,” she maintained, in an emotive address to councillors.
“We don’t allow that and, from my own experience, there have never been parties.
“It has never happened.”
She argued that residents simply “hate Airbnbs being in Fraser House”.
‘Fraser House sex workers do not make for a good living environment’
Mr Barclay summed up things by stressing that the residents’ anger was “nothing personal” against the applicant.
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He added: “All this has happened because of the guests coming into the building, you can not control who is staying in your property.
“You do get good guests, but you also get bad guests.
“But that’s my permanent residence and a lot of the time I work from home… I am more than aware of what goes on in that building. It’s not a good living environment when this is going on.”
What did council decide?
Convener Gill Al-Samarai told Ms Abdulazeez she was “not satisfied” that she had the correct measures in place to “deal with public nuisance or public safety”.
Both applications for flats 25 and 26 were unanimously refused.
‘We don’t tolerate anti-social behaviour’
An Airbnb spokesperson stressed that the global firm has “zero tolerance for anti-social behaviour”.
They added: “Our reservation screening technology aims to prevent issues before they start.
“We want to be good partners to local residents who can contact us via our Neighbourhood Support Line to report urgent concerns, and we investigate all reports received.”
Booking.com was also approached for comment.
Read more about the claims of sex work taking place at another Fraser House flat here:
Horrified Aberdeen families claim sex workers parade their clients through city centre flat block
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