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Sex workers ‘use Airbnb properties to set up brothels’

Airbnb properties are being rented by prostitutes who use them as pop-up brothels, according to reports.

In the UK keeping a brothel where more than one prostitute sells sex is illegal.

A prostitute has told BBC South East sex workers used short-term rental websites such Airbnb because it was “just so easy” and you can get a “premises with just a few clicks”.

Next year the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) is due to publish a report into pop-up brothels.

The inquiry will bring into focus the off-street sex trade.

Sex worker Charlotte Rose told the BBC: “Airbnb is just so easy. You can get a premises with just a few clicks, plus you are not having a massive outlay for so many months in advance for renting somewhere.”

In a statement, Airbnb said: “We have zero tolerance for this type of behaviour and permanently remove bad actors [guests] from our platform.

“Over 260 million have travelled on Airbnb and bad experiences are extremely rare.”

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