laufhaus

thumb | right | alt=alt=Refer to caption | Red light district in Frankfurt, Germany at crossroads Elbestrasse / Niddastrasse. A laufhaus is a building with apartments that sex workers can rent and use as their base of operation. Laufhauses are very popular types of brothels in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. When translated, "laufhaus" means running-house, where lauf means to run and haus stands for house. The women who work in laufhauses are allowed to stay and sleep there even when they are not working.

==Operations== Unlike other forms of brothels, laufhauses do not require clients to pay an entry fee. Clients are free to roam in the building and to inspect the women who are working. Usually, the doors have some sort of indicator to show if the woman who works in the particular room is available or not. Clients can knock on the doors where women are available and ask them about the prices and the services that are offered. Clients can negotiate about the services and the price with the women and they can move on to another room if they do not like what they see/hear.