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Cuckooing

What is Cuckooing?

Cuckooing is a practice where people take over a person’s home and use the property for some form of exploitation. Properties can be targeted for many reasons, which may include: using the property as a base to deal, store or take drugs; using the property for sex work or sex trafficking; taking over the property in order to financially abuse the victim; and/or using the property as a place to live. 

The term comes from the behaviour of cuckoo birds who take over the nests of other birds.

Who is at risk?

Victims are often lonely, isolated and vulnerable. They following factors may make a person more vulnerable to cuckooing: 

  • Isolation
  • Living with forms of addiction such as alcoholism or drug addition
  • Debt
  • Having an insecure immigration status
  • Disability including learning disability
  • Poor mental health
  • Previous failed tenancies
  • Experiencing poverty

Perpetrators might use a range of tactics to groom and control their victims and to enable them to gain access to their home and exploit them. They will often befriend, intimidate or pacify with drugs (particularly where the person has an addiction). 

What are the signs?

The victim of cuckooing or exploitation may sometimes be viewed by professionals or public as a perpetrator of or associated with problematic or antisocial behaviour. 

Here are some of the signs which may indicate someone is a victim of cuckooing:

  • Increase in number of people coming and going from the property. New unidentified associates who are often present at the home
  • High number of vehicles stopping at the property for a short time.
  • Increased antisocial behaviour, noise, or disturbance coming from the property.
  • Signs of drug use or dealing.
  • Change in well-being of the victim including deterioration in mental health, increased alcohol or drug use, signs of self neglect. They may present with unexplained injuries.
  • Individual appears withdrawn and fearful of disclosing information for fear of ‘betraying’ the criminals, abuse, violence, or eviction.
  • New rough sleeping and seeing this as a better option, or reluctance/fear of returning home.

The following cuckooing toolkit has been created by Leeds University. It is a useful resource for professionals and contains checklists which can help you recognise cuckooing and the warning signs. 

Cuckooing Information Booklet for Professionals

What to do if you are concerned?

 

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