Pop up brothels

Pop up brothels

Landlords: Know your tenant and help prevent organised crime from exploiting rental properties

Officers are warning that organised crime groups may be using rental properties across Lincolnshire to establish pop-up or short-term brothels.

Our priority is to identify, protect and safeguard vulnerable people who may be victims of exploitation, trafficking or modern slavery.

Our warning follows reports that some landlords and managing agents are renting properties to organised crime groups, either unknowingly or by failing to carry out sufficient checks. These groups may use the accommodation to establish short-term brothels and exploit sex workers, some of whom may have been trafficked into the UK.

We are urging landlords and letting agents to carry out thorough identity and address checks before renting out properties. Criminal groups may use false documentation to secure accommodation and then exploit vulnerable people through illegal activity. By carrying out appropriate checks, landlords can help prevent their properties being used by organised criminals to exploit vulnerable people.

Residents may become concerned if they notice a regular flow of visitors arriving at a property throughout the day or night and staying only for short periods. While this does not automatically indicate criminal activity, it may warrant reporting to police.

PC Dan Thompson, from our Intelligence team, said: “If anyone thinks they may have a suspected brothel being set up or run in their community we would like to know. Any piece of information no matter how small or insignificant is useful; ever bit of information goes to build a bigger picture.”

Anyone who does have information can email daniel.thompson@lincs.police.uk or contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111 or online at CrimeStoppers-uk.org.

What is a brothel?
Generally, a brothel is a property used by more than one person for the purposes of sex work. Sex workers who work independently from separate premises are treated differently under the law.

What is a pop-up brothel?
A pop-up brothel is a temporary brothel established in rented accommodation, holiday lets or other short-term rental properties.

Sex work itself is not illegal in many circumstances in the UK. However, several activities associated with it are criminal offences.

Workers cannot solicit for sex in a public place. Kerb-crawling, which is searching for or approaching people for paid sex from a vehicle, is also an offence. Owning or managing a brothel is illegal, as is exploiting or controlling someone else's sex work. Paying for sex with someone who has been forced or coerced into sex work is also illegal.

It is a criminal offence to knowingly allow premises to be used as a brothel. Landlords should take reasonable steps to understand who is occupying their property and how it is being used.

While not all sex workers are victims of exploitation, police investigations frequently identify vulnerable people who have been coerced, controlled, trafficked or otherwise exploited.

For information on modern slavery: Modern slavery and human trafficking | Lincolnshire Police