There are escalating worries about the use of short-term holiday rentals as unlawful bases for sex work, where women are being exploited and bookings surge around large sporting events.
Liverpool locals say they suspect a house in the city is being used for sex work, with men ‘turning up looking at Google Maps’ at all hours and both men and women arriving throughout the day and night.
Concerns have been voiced about dubious activity occurring at the property on a street in the Tuebrook area, with Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council now investigating the address in question. And a prominent figure in supporting victims of modern slavery and trafficking has said that the rise in holiday lets being used for sex work was an “uncomfortable truth” for the city to confront.
Residents told the Liverpool Echo they believe the property is being utilised as a base for sex work. They reported having men knocking on their doors searching for the property with Google Maps displayed on their phones – and have spotted women ‘half naked’ in the street in broad daylight, while their own children are outside playing.
Operating or managing a property for sex work is illegal under UK law. Merseyside Police informed the ECHO they are aware of allegations of “suspicious activity” at an address.
One woman, residing near the property in question, claimed: “We have seen people coming and going, we have seen women half-naked in the middle of the street while my babies are playing out,” reports the Liverpool Echo.
“We have had men knocking on our door thinking this is the house because they don’t know what number it is. It is happening at all times of the day, but more at night. It is bad. Police have been here recently.”
This is merely one of an increasing number of instances where properties in Liverpool are reportedly suspected of being utilised for sex work. City leaders claimed that this is a burgeoning issue, with criminal gangs believed to be operating illegal activities from properties in certain parts of the city – often promoting them online as short-term or holiday rentals.
There are fears regarding the risks this presents to the women involved, many of whom may be trafficked by gangs into these houses, with less visibility as the activity takes place behind closed doors.
Councillor Joe Dunne, who represents the Tuebrook area on Liverpool City Council, has also received reports about activity occurring at the property on Dominion Street – as well as others in the vicinity.
He presented evidence to the Echo that the property in question is being advertised online for short-term lets, which he states there is no authorisation for.
The councillor said: “Local people contacted me about it and said there are women going into the property at different times, men are outside on their phones on Google Maps trying to find the property.
“There are children that play out in that street and there is drug dealing taking place, the kids are asking their parents what is going on – it is not a good environment for kids to be exposed to.”
He added: “There is an active investigation into that property. It is a criminal matter but also a civil matter. That property shouldn’t be getting advertised for short-term lets.”
The Liberal Party councillor said these issues are cropping up elsewhere in his ward, adding: “There was another property in the area that was being advertised online and someone spray painted the word ‘brothel’ on the side of the house.
“We have been going back and forth with the council and we have developed our own list called the Properties of Concern list, cross referencing HMO licenses with planning applications and some of them had no permission.”
‘This is undermining the community’ He added: “This is undermining the community and there are a lot of people involved in these failures, from the landlords who are not playing by the rules to the authorities not enforcing the rules.”
Liverpool Council said it is investigating the changing use of the property. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “We are aware of allegations of suspicious activity taking place at an address on Dominion Street, in Tuebrook. If you have any information, you can DM us @MerPolCC or call 101. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”