By Shirley Faragher, Partner, Housing and Regeneration at Forbes Solicitors
Criminal gangs are taking over vulnerable people’s homes at record rates. There were 1,539 incidents of cuckooing reported to London police alone between May 2025 and April 2026. Freedom of information data reveals cuckooing investigations in the capital nearly tripled in just two years, from 380 in 2023/24 to 1,078 in 2025/26. During a single week of intensive county lines enforcement last year, police visited 683 suspected cuckooed addresses nationally.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of properties are taken over every week across the UK. Victims are being left to face the consequences, whilst perpetrators remain free to redirect their attention towards new vulnerable targets.
When relevant sections of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 come into force, hopefully later this year, cuckooing will become a standalone criminal offence for the first time. It will be illegal to exercise control over another person’s dwelling without their consent for the purpose of using that home for specified criminal activity. This includes drug dealing, weapons offences and sexual offences. The maximum penalty following conviction is five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
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Previously, enforcement relied heavily on closure orders, which addressed the premises rather than the perpetrator. A closure order might stop activity at one address, but it did not hold those responsible to account, instead moving criminal gangs on to the next vulnerable victim without suffering any repercussions themselves.
This reform shifts the focus from securing a property to prosecuting those responsible for exploitation of the vulnerable victims of cuckooing. For housing professionals, this is a genuinely significant development, representing a much more focused and effective response, rather than indirect measures that rarely resolve the underlying issue completely and leave tenants at risk of losing their home.
Identifying the signs of cuckooing
One of the first challenges for any housing provider is recognition. Many people who are cuckooed do not present as victims in any obvious way. Some are coerced into allowing criminals to use their homes for criminal purposes and are understandably too frightened to speak openly. Others, especially those who are elderly, vulnerable, or lonely, may not fully realise that they are being exploited. They may even welcome the company despite it being provided by criminals. In these cases, however harmful the circumstances, victims are unlikely to want to confirm who is “cuckooing” them, which presents challenges for housing professionals when trying to implement safeguarding and protection.
Housing professionals need to be alert to the clues. Staff should be trained to identify the indicators: frequent and/or high numbers of visitors regularly attending a property; a tenant who appears frightened, withdrawn, underweight or has visible injuries; reports by neighbours of anti-social behaviour, fighting or the use of weapons; drug paraphernalia, syringes or other signs of drug use in communal areas.
Gathering evidence of cuckooing
For cuckooing prosecutions to be successful, there must be sufficient evidence to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt. A solid evidence base will therefore be crucial. RSHPs should strengthen their approach now. Records of property visits, plus witness accounts from neighbours, staff and other agencies should be documented consistently and in detail.
If referrals have been made to social services, safeguarding teams, or other agencies, there should be a clear record of what was shared, when, and what response was received. If a tenant gives their account of the situation, it should be recorded carefully, as even a partial disclosure could prove important later. Teams should be aware that vulnerable tenants may retract their account under pressure from those exploiting them or resist disclosure if they are reliant on the criminals for company or drugs. Robust records will help to establish a pattern of behaviour over time even if the tenant is unable or unwilling to cooperate.
In cases involving drugs and organised crime, reports should be made to the police so that warrants can be executed, enabling vital evidence to be obtained.
Information sharing with other agencies
Effective responses to cuckooing will require multi-agency working. Housing teams are often on the front line and are best placed to recognise the damage done to individuals and communities. Police may hold intelligence about criminal networks operating in a given area, making it vital that they are consulted at the earliest opportunity. Social services and other health professionals may already be working with a vulnerable tenant enabling them to provide valuable insight regarding safeguarding. The Local Authority should also be involved with a view to re-housing victims in temporary alternative accommodation if necessary.
RSHPs should put in place formal data sharing agreements with their local police if they do not already have them and treat partner agencies as core allies rather than optional referral points.
These agreements provide a framework for staff on how to lawfully exchange information, giving them clarity on what can and cannot – or should and should not – be shared. Confidentiality obligations will usually not prevent the sharing of information where there is a lawful basis, especially where there is a serious safeguarding concern, but teams need to understand the framework and feel confident in applying it.
Without joined-up communication, evidence gathering opportunities could be lost and victims who need support could fall through the gaps of multiple agencies simultaneously.
Safeguarding the victim
RSHPs must carefully handle suspected instances of cuckooing to avoid enforcement action negatively impacting the very tenant it is intended to protect. Well-intentioned interventions can cause genuine distress, particularly for isolated tenants who have come to depend on the presence of those exploiting them.
There is also a risk that victims may be further targeted by perpetrators if the property is partially closed. In some cases, RSHPs may have to move a tenant to a place of safety where their exploiters cannot find them. This requires close coordination between the housing provider, the police, the local authority and social services, and a clear safeguarding plan is essential.
Cuckooing causes serious harm to some of the most vulnerable people in social housing. The new Crime and Policing Act 2026 gives police the tools to respond to it more directly and more effectively. By working with the police and providing evidence, RSHPs can help vulnerable tenants to remain in their homes whilst also protecting them from exploitation. However, partnership working is vital in achieving this and should be woven into policies, strategies and decision-making imminently.
