A flat in Cork city has been advertised as rent-free, in return for sex twice a week.

According to the Cork Echo, the property in The Lough area of the city was posted on Wednesday on a website run by a foreign-registered company.

The advert said "Looking for a female tenant who's into sharing their body twice a week for payment."

It was put up on the website by a man aged in his mid 40s, but has since been removed.

John-Mark McCafferty is CEO of the housing charity Threshold.

He says ads like this highlight the housing crisis and vulnerability of some tenants.

"They point to the abject lack of supply in the private rented sector - and they point to the wider crisis in housing and the vulnerability of certain tenants: younger tenants, lower-income tenants.

"We are there to advise tenants in this very, very challenging private rented sector market."

He says listings like this are unacceptable.

"It's rare and it's something that needs to be immediately reported to the Gardaí.

"It's clearly not an acceptable part of the private rented sector - or any kind of arrangement in Irish society".