A Hobart father who allowed his underage daughter to have sex with her boyfriend at home has been charged under a law designed to stop adults soliciting children.

In what is believed to be an Australian first, the 59-year-old father of two has pleaded guilty to permitting a person under 17 to have sex on a premises.

The Supreme Court in Hobart heard the single dad let his 14-year-old daughter regularly have sex with her 26-year-old boyfriend in the family home because she threatened to run away.

The father's lawyer said it was a choice between his daughter having sex in a safe environment or going elsewhere.

The charge is normally used on adults who have solicited children.

The prosecution said it was unaware of any precedent anywhere in Australia for its use on a parent who has allowed an underage sexual relationship in the family home.

The case against the father has been adjourned until next week.

The boyfriend has been jailed for having sex with a person under 17.