0:00:02 > 0:00:05The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live...
0:00:05 > 0:00:09- We want to get your problem sorted out.- ..but for thousands of people
0:00:09 > 0:00:13across Britain, the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15- That gully pan was up to the top with- BLEEP.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17This is not right, this.
0:00:17 > 0:00:18In the battle between tenants
0:00:18 > 0:00:22and landlords, it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25This is a really dangerous place to be living.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I'm Matt Allwright and I've been training hard,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31ready to join the ranks of the Housing Enforcers.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- The fire's in here, you're in there...- Yes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35You can't get out.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37They are tackling problem properties...
0:00:37 > 0:00:39In the walls, I hear scratching.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41It's a bit of a death trap.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44..dealing with the consequences of nightmare neighbours...
0:00:44 > 0:00:48- Urine running down the wall. - ..and everything in between.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The moment's passed and nothing gets done.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- I'm so pleased for you. - I feel like I've won the lottery.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55You're looking like a bad landlord.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05'Today, I'm straight in at the deep end with an upset landlord.'
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Stop filming and leave my house. - OK, we'll leave.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Why is it you didn't want us in there to see it?
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Housing officer Glynn has got a mess to sort out.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16There's dog faeces, there's food waste.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19It's a rat B&B. Everything's en-suite.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22And one tenant needs to clean up his act.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26It's in a deplorable condition. The bathroom's filthy,
0:01:26 > 0:01:27the kitchen's filthy.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32After three years, I thought - "Forget it, what's the point?"
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- It would help me if you clean it up.- BLEEP.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42It's said that an Englishman's home is his castle,
0:01:42 > 0:01:46but if that castle is rented, then it is the job of housing officers
0:01:46 > 0:01:50to make sure that it's a decent place to live.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53They keep an eye on private landlords, to make sure
0:01:53 > 0:01:57the properties are up to scratch AND provide somebody with a decent home.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02In Lincolnshire, that's the job
0:02:02 > 0:02:04of housing officer Chris Gallimore.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09We've come to Sleaford, to visit a property that Chris
0:02:09 > 0:02:11has serious concerns about.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14But to fix the problems, first, we've got to work out
0:02:14 > 0:02:18if we're dealing with a tenant or a lodger, as I'm about to find out.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24We're here because there's been a complaint, is that right?
0:02:24 > 0:02:27That's right, yeah. There's a young lady who's in a...
0:02:27 > 0:02:28..what seems to be
0:02:28 > 0:02:31a self-contained flat and she's basically saying
0:02:31 > 0:02:34there's no ventilation in there. Also, there's no proper sink,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37there's issues with the fire escape, and things like that.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I have actually done an informal visit and checked a few things,
0:02:40 > 0:02:41but there's more I'd like to check.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44When we're going in there, we're checking not just for
0:02:44 > 0:02:46the stuff that we can see,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50but it's also the basis under which she's there. Is that right?
0:02:50 > 0:02:54That's correct, yeah. I think the owner's saying that it's part
0:02:54 > 0:02:56of his property and it's a lodger within his own property.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59And these distinctions are absolutely crucial
0:02:59 > 0:03:02when you're working out the rights of the occupant?
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Yep. As soon as you start charging rent and it's a person
0:03:05 > 0:03:07not related to yourself, then there's more issues.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11The big question here is - is she a tenant or is she a lodger?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- And that's very important. Shall we go and have a look?- It is. Yep, OK.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19We're here to meet Megan Davy,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21who is absolutely sick of her living conditions.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25And I haven't got a kitchen, I can't cook proper meals,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27I'm having to live on ready meals.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30For the past eight months,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34home for Megan has been on the first floor of this property.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Things that are dangerous are the stairs. The doors aren't secure.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Anyone can go straight through them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43It is upsetting.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48I'm diabetic, as well, and that's where my health is getting worse.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Oh.- Interesting.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53My family don't want me to be here.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56They don't feel that it's safe for a young girl to be here.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58- Hi, you all right?- Yes, thank you.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03- Hello there, how you doing?- I'm all right, thank you.- Good, good.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- So this is, this is your flat?- It is, yeah.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11And you've got, sort of, well, it's a kitchenette, sort of, thing.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15So, you've got a fridge and a freezer, but there's no...
0:04:15 > 0:04:18You've got no running water there at all.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Then, you've got a bathroom area.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Is that where you...? That's where your running water is coming from?
0:04:23 > 0:04:27You've got...one window. That's the only window there?
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Yeah, and there's just no air coming through.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- That's why I've opened the door. - Those windows don't open there?
0:04:33 > 0:04:34They don't open, no.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Why did you call in to Chris and the guys at the council?
0:04:38 > 0:04:42I've not been very well recently and I feel something needs
0:04:42 > 0:04:45to be done with the properties that my landlord is renting.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- Can I ask you how much you're paying for this?- £70 a week.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Right.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'Now, it's very early days on the job for me,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55'but this is a complex case.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57'Chris thinks Megan is a tenant.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'If she is, the owner of this property is breaking the law,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'because she should have some kind of ventilation in her bedroom
0:05:03 > 0:05:05'and a fire alarm to keep her safe.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08'A conversation with the man himself might help us
0:05:08 > 0:05:10'sort out Megan's problems.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11KNOCKS DOOR
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Hello?
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- Hi, there.- Hello.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Hello, there. - And, er, what's happening here?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Can you stop filming and leave my house, please?
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- OK.- OK, we've been asked to leave, we'll leave.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I've still got to do my inspection today.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- You are welcome to do your inspection.- OK.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Why didn't you want us in there to see it? I'm just interested.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Cos I think it's...
0:05:34 > 0:05:36rather nice to actually be asked, before you wander in
0:05:36 > 0:05:39to someone's property. I thought that's only polite.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41OK, well, I see that as Megan's home.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'And at the heart of this case
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'is whether Megan is, legally, a tenant or a lodger.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50'A lodger lives in the owner's home
0:05:50 > 0:05:52'and has shared use of the rest of the property.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'But if you're a tenant, it's your home
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'and you can control who comes and goes.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00'You need to check your paperwork
0:06:00 > 0:06:03'and see that it matches your circumstances.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05'You should have signed either a lodger agreement
0:06:05 > 0:06:08or 'an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, or AST.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11'Megan's home makes me think she should be a tenant.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'I want to find out more from John.'
0:06:14 > 0:06:15Has she got an Assured Shorthold Tenancy?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- No, she's a lodger.- She's a lodger? - This is my house. This is my house.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23She's got her own front door. She's got her own facilities within the property?
0:06:23 > 0:06:25She's put in her own. I haven't supplied them.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- But she's got a fridge there? - She's put them in, yes.- She's put those fridges in there
0:06:29 > 0:06:31- and there are two spaces there for fridges.- That was a work space.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- She's got toilet, she's got an en-suite.- She's got an en-suite.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- But that does feel like it should be a tenancy.- Well, it's not.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38A tenancy needs a kitchen.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43'Yes, but if he's arguing that Megan IS a lodger, then surely
0:06:43 > 0:06:47'she should be able to cook a decent meal for herself, whenever she pleases?'
0:06:47 > 0:06:52- She's free to use your kitchen, as a shared kitchen? - If she wants to, yes.- Right.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54And she's got access through the property to get to that?
0:06:54 > 0:06:57No, she hasn't got access. No, she comes and sees us.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Right, so she's got to go down the stairs,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01out the door and back around to your front door, to use the kitchen.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Correct.- Not very convenient, is it?- Nor is living in a car.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09She was living in a car, because the council couldn't house her.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13I offered her something better than a car, which she was happy to have.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16If we're working on the basis that all housing in the UK
0:07:16 > 0:07:19is acceptable if it's better than living in a car,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22that's not really a workable proposition, is it?
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- As you can see, work is in progress. - But the point is, when you're taking money from people,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28you say as a lodger, and I would suggest it looks more
0:07:28 > 0:07:31like a tenancy to me, then, at that point, you have a responsibility...
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Well, you're already telling me you're not aware of the rules
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and regulations because you didn't even know
0:07:36 > 0:07:37I could have a room without a window.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41There's no fire alarms in that building. And there's no means of escape.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- You don't need a fire alarm in a domestic property. - There's no means of escape.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I do not need... Do I need, by law, a fire alarm in a domestic property?
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Well, we'll assess it under... within The Housing Act.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52- Yeah, but that's true, but it's a domestic house.- Yeah.- Domestic.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56- You cannot enforce me to have... - We've proved she's got no use of your facilities.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- She has to go out and back in. - You haven't proved it at all. - You said it yourself.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01The fact that she has to come out of there to use it,
0:08:01 > 0:08:06- doesn't mean she hasn't got the use of it.- Let him complete the inspection and then make a judgment.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I will. I've said I'm happy for him to do his inspection, I've got no problems with that.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Well, why don't we wait until he's done his inspection and then decides what the case is?
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Well, I'll go in with him and we'll do an inspection in there.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19OK, would you be all right for the cameras to come with you.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21- No, I don't want them in there.- OK.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23That was intense.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26We came up against a landlord who really knew his stuff
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and it was a test, not just of me, actually, but of Chris, as well,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31of our knowledge of housing law.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35So, just to be clear, if Megan is a lodger, to use the kitchen
0:08:35 > 0:08:40she would have to leave her room, go down the stairs, out into
0:08:40 > 0:08:45the courtyard, knock on the door, and then use the kitchen, if he's in.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48He's saying that's the basis upon which it's a house share,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50NOT a tenancy.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Actually arguing that with someone that quite clearly knows his way
0:08:56 > 0:08:59around housing law is tricky.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03And made me realise I need to hit the books a little bit more,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07if I am genuinely to call myself a housing officer.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10But this case isn't closed yet. We'll find out later
0:09:10 > 0:09:13if John manages to have the last word.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Now, in Kent, Thanet Council has another way of dealing with
0:09:23 > 0:09:26problem landlords. It's called Selective Licensing.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28And it's a valuable weapon in the armoury
0:09:28 > 0:09:30of Housing Officer Mark Goldhawk.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37His patch is the old-school seaside town of Margate -
0:09:37 > 0:09:38a landlord's paradise,
0:09:38 > 0:09:43full of buildings converted into multiple flats and bedsits.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46In parts of this town, and many others across Britain,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49landlords are forced to purchase a compulsory licence,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52with strict regulations that they must stick to.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's an effective way for the council to keep standards up
0:09:55 > 0:09:56and landlords in line.
0:10:00 > 0:10:06Often, landlords do as much as they need to do to stop us
0:10:06 > 0:10:09taking further action.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11We're going to a Victorian property.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14It's a selectively-licensed property but it's not meeting
0:10:14 > 0:10:16the conditions of licence.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19When he first inspected the building nine months ago,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Mark found it in a desperate state of repair.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25These are the photos from my first visit. In the common areas,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29there's no lighting, the stairs were in a dangerous condition,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33the balustrading was missing, the carpet was worn, there was
0:10:33 > 0:10:38no fire detection and there was penetrating dampness.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Mark has been asking for work to begin for nine months
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and now the builders have finally started work.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Damage to the building had begun to spiral out of control dangerously.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55One of the major problems they've had is a leak to the roof.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57The water is leaking through. It's caused a funnel here,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01it's come out, but it's also spread in to the flats at each level,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03so it's brought the ceilings down.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05It's not usual to find a funnel
0:11:05 > 0:11:09as big as that. No, it's quite like a waterfall coming through there.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The work in the hall is, at least, a sign of progress,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16but managing the conditions inside the flats is a much bigger battle.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- Hello, Mr Whitworth, can I come in?- Yep.- Thank you.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Tenant Mark Whitworth's home is in a shocking state of decay -
0:11:25 > 0:11:29he says he's been waiting for work to be done for years.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32That window, I've been waiting for six years.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The ceiling, I've waited for three years...
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Bathroom I've been waiting for
0:11:39 > 0:11:41two and a half years.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I got a new hot water tank after about
0:11:44 > 0:11:45a two-year wait.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47CHUCKLES
0:11:47 > 0:11:49I'm beginning to realise that sometimes both parties
0:11:49 > 0:11:51let their responsibilities slide.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54It's clear that Mark's
0:11:54 > 0:11:58attitude to the flat hasn't helped the conditions he's living in.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01After three years I thought,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04"Forget it, what's the point?"
0:12:04 > 0:12:08I just want a decent place to live in.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I can see that they've started doing work in the common area,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13has anything happened in here?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16- Yeah, I've got a new kitchen ceiling.- Right.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21- They've put in a for a new bathroom suite.- Great.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25So, hopefully, I'll have a new toilet, bath and sink soon.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- Right, and anything about heating? - Heating. No, not yet.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Right, I'll have a quick look, then, just to see what they've done.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37There is still some disrepair here.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38It's a challenge to see
0:12:38 > 0:12:42beyond all the mess and, indeed, how anyone could live like this?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44A lot of it is actually down to the tenant.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47He's not cleaning, the bathroom's filthy,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51the kitchen's filthy, but there are maintenance issues there, as well.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Ah, that's good, new ceiling.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57The most important thing is to get the fire detection sorted out.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Obviously, we've got four flats here, four lots of cooking facilities.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Tenant Mark has clearly given up on his home altogether,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08but for housing officers, the most pressing problem is safety.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Fire can spread very quickly through this type of construction,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so what we rely on is early detection of fire,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17so that's what we'll be pushing them to do.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Occasionally, we hear of people dying in fires, particularly in multiple- occupied buildings.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24This is the type of premises where that happens.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28It's a shame that it's taken nine months for the work to start work.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31The builders are tackling the disrepair in the flat,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34but housing officer Mark still has to deal with the sensitive
0:13:34 > 0:13:37question of making sure the tenant does his bit.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41It would help me if you could tidy that and clean it up. A good clean.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43You know what it's like. I get depressed.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I know, but we want to get your problems sorted out
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and the chap's just said to me on the phone that he's reluctant
0:13:49 > 0:13:51to send the electricians in to a couple of the flats and one of them
0:13:51 > 0:13:56is yours. I'm sure, so if you can get it tidied up it'll be good for you.
0:13:56 > 0:13:57What hits you
0:13:57 > 0:14:01when you go into that property is it's in a deplorable condition.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05I don't want to come back next week and find that an electrician
0:14:05 > 0:14:08or plumber has turned up and refused to do the work because of the state
0:14:08 > 0:14:11of the property, so I just need to give him a gentle push in the right direction,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15to make sure that we do get the work done that we want done.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Very diplomatic, Mark.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26This job isn't just about landlords and tenants. If a house
0:14:26 > 0:14:30really hasn't been looked after, then it can pose problems not just
0:14:30 > 0:14:34for the owner or the occupants, but for an innocent next-door neighbour.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39To see for myself just how bad things can get,
0:14:39 > 0:14:44I'm with housing officers Grant Fenton-Jones and Rob Goswell.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Putting this on.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'We've come to a house in Harwich, Essex. It's clear
0:14:48 > 0:14:50'this won't be an ordinary house call.'
0:14:50 > 0:14:52We want to be able to see you and also we want you to wear a hard hat,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54just in case anything was to fall on you.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- It's that bad?- Potentially, yeah.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01This house first came on to Grant and Rob's radar
0:15:01 > 0:15:05after a desperate call from next-door neighbour Teresa Kemp.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The property next door has been vacant, er, for a while
0:15:08 > 0:15:12but even before it was vacant, windows had been smashed,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17rainwater was obviously getting in and it's caused
0:15:17 > 0:15:21the wall between their property and my property to have damp problems.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24So, the plaster is coming off, there are big patches
0:15:24 > 0:15:28of mildewy areas, if you like.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Some days, when I come down and I actually
0:15:30 > 0:15:34see it's worsened almost overnight. It is very upsetting.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40'Well, if there is that much damp
0:15:40 > 0:15:43'in TERESA'S house, how bad must this one be?'
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Careful, careful with your steps.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51- Oh, my God...- I don't know if you can feel the damp on the floor?- You can see the damp on the floor,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Can you feel it under your feet? - It's like...
0:15:54 > 0:15:59- It's like treading on... - The walls are actually wet, still. - You've got your...
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- Oh, my God.- It's not breakfast.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04- This is unbelievable.- Yeah.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08'Believe it or not, until recently, this house was
0:16:08 > 0:16:12'occupied by an elderly widow, but the place has fallen into such
0:16:12 > 0:16:16'disrepair that the council had no choice but to rehouse her.'
0:16:18 > 0:16:21This is the only form of heat in the whole property.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23There was one socket that was working.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27- So, this is someone's home that they own?- Yes.- At some point,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30you've got the power, then to say to someone,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32"You can't live here any more, even though it's your own home."
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- Yeah.- I mean, that is a very difficult job to pull off, isn't it?
0:16:36 > 0:16:40- That person doesn't want to leave their own home. Clearly.- Exactly.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42I mean, in this instance, we've been lucky.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44We've been able to rehouse the individual.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46There's category-one hazards everywhere,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48and significant category-one hazards.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I don't even know... What is that?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It's coming through from two floors above.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55That's coming through from two floors above?
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- So, actually, this is the habitable room.- Yeah.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- There's worse than this? - Yes, without a shadow of a doubt.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05'I can't believe an elderly person was living in these conditions.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08'Walking around, it makes me wonder how anybody could manage
0:17:08 > 0:17:10'with one room and one chair?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13'But we have to be professional.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15'The house is now empty, so Grant
0:17:15 > 0:17:18'and Rob can get to work, fully assessing the damage, and seeing
0:17:18 > 0:17:22'how much of a risk this property poses to the neighbouring buildings.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26'Then...it gets even worse...'
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- Oh, my God...- Yeah.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I think this area here, we've had a burst
0:17:32 > 0:17:34water pipe, so I'm a little bit concerned with you
0:17:34 > 0:17:38- I'm worried about you going through. - You could go straight through.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42You are starting to get into the realm of a hazard, even coming around to look at this stuff.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45You've got houses on either side of this that rely on this being
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- here and being structurally sound. - Sound. Exactly.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Join us later, when we find out the effect these
0:17:52 > 0:17:55problems are having on the life of the next-door neighbour.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58It actually brings tears to my eyes when I think about it,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- because this was supposed to be my last move.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10In Lincolnshire, Chris Gallimore is back on the road
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and I'm about to learn just how much the decisions that
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Housing Officers make can really change lives.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20He's on his way to decide the fate of a bungalow in the village
0:18:20 > 0:18:23of South Hykeham that's seen better days.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26But it's far more than bricks and mortar that are on the line.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34I've lived here now about eight and half years, it's really nice but, the trouble is it's so cold.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35SHE CHUCKLES
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Long-term tenant Elizabeth Greenfield put in an SOS-call
0:18:38 > 0:18:42to the council, after struggling to stay warm.
0:18:42 > 0:18:47It costs about £60 a week to heat it to a reasonable level
0:18:47 > 0:18:51and that doesn't even always bring it up to what it should be.
0:18:52 > 0:18:58Landlady Beverly Hammerton inherited the 1920s property from her parents
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and, along with virtually no insulation,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04came a string of other unwelcome problems.
0:19:04 > 0:19:09It's in a poor state, really. Everything possible needs
0:19:09 > 0:19:13doing to it, I think now, and it used to look really pretty.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Elizabeth is a widow. She loves the bungalow and wants to stay,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20but knows the future of her home is out of her hands.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23I asked Beverley about doing some repairs to the windows
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and the doors and she came and had a look
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and said she really didn't want to spend money on the property.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Neither landlord nor tenant knows what to do next. It will be down
0:19:34 > 0:19:38to Chris to assess the bungalow, and determine Elizabeth's fate.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- Hello.- Hello, Chris Gallimore from the council.- That's lovely, come in.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Chris will be on the lookout for category-one hazards
0:19:47 > 0:19:51those that pose a direct danger to a tenant's health and safety.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55So, that looks at things ranging from excess cold, damp and mould,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57falls on stairs, structural collapse,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00any hazards you can think of - burns, electric shocks.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05This visit could see Chris decide to effectively condemn
0:20:05 > 0:20:08the building, meaning Elizabeth would be forced to move.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14I think, as you get older, you do get more anxious about things.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16You take things, when you're younger, in your stride, very much
0:20:16 > 0:20:20more easily. So, yes, I am a little anxious about it.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26OK, so we've got the issues with the electrics here. Obviously, there's
0:20:26 > 0:20:30a lack of sockets and the trailing leads, which are trip hazards,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34and also the lack of heating. She's using plug-in heaters, as well.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38So, you can see from the condition of the windows, there's a lot
0:20:38 > 0:20:41of issues there, in relation to excess cold, damp and mould.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44To actually replace these would be quite difficult,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47because of the construction of this property.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Primarily, it's likely to have a lot of asbestos in it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55It doesn't take long for Chris to uncover a whole host of category- one hazards
0:20:55 > 0:20:59putting tenant Elizabeth at serious risk of harm.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02How do you feel about moving somewhere else?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Well...I love this cottage, you can
0:21:05 > 0:21:09see the countryside is beautiful around here. I've thoroughly
0:21:09 > 0:21:14- loved it.- Yeah.- But she can't afford to do all the work that's
0:21:14 > 0:21:19necessary on it. I think it's more beneficial for her to get rid of it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Yeah, well, I've had a discussion with our Housing Needs department
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and they're, kind of, saying that, as it is at the moment,
0:21:25 > 0:21:30you wouldn't get any more priority on your housing allocation.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33But if I were to serve a prohibition order on the property, under the
0:21:33 > 0:21:37Housing Act, then you would get a lot more priority on your housing.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40A prohibition order is a formal notice that deems a property
0:21:40 > 0:21:42unfit for habitation.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45In this case it will allow the landlady to demolish
0:21:45 > 0:21:50and replace the building and give Elizabeth the right to be re-housed.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- Hopefully, that'll, kind of, help everybody in the situation.- Yes.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Because the council can then offer her some accommodation as well, OK.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- OK, thanks a lot.- Thank you. - Cheers. Bye.- Thank you.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Goodbye. Bye-bye.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07It's unfortunate that it's going to have to come down,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10but it needs that much work doing to it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Yeah, it's going to be sad. It's going to be sad to see it go,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16definitely.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I shall be sorry to move, because I have loved the bungalow
0:22:20 > 0:22:22and it's been lovely down here,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26but I'm sure it will all work out for the best, in the end.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Erm... it would be nice to get a property that's warmer
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and perhaps a little more modern.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I've been in contact with Housing Needs department
0:22:38 > 0:22:41and they have said it will help her case for the prohibition order
0:22:41 > 0:22:45to be on the property, so, obviously, once that's there, she will
0:22:45 > 0:22:48have a wider range of properties to bid on in her preferred location.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51This should be a good solution for everybody, really.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58It's the job of housing officers up and down the UK
0:22:58 > 0:23:01to defend your right to a decent place to live.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- You're not sleeping here, are you?- Oh, no, no.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I'm going to be working alongside the men and women who do just that.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- It's just room after room of devastation. - Just everything will need done.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'I'm hitting the streets -
0:23:13 > 0:23:16'I'm learning on the job...'
0:23:16 > 0:23:19That's just soaking up all the water and bringing it straight in to the house.
0:23:19 > 0:23:20'..to find out what it takes
0:23:20 > 0:23:23to make sure your house is fit to be called a home.'
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- People here are at risk. - I'm not happy about this property.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Your tenant's still in here and she's still paying her rent.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32We wanted the stuff to be fixed, so we could carry on living here.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Back in Sleaford with Chris Gallimore, I've been
0:23:40 > 0:23:44untangling the crucial differences between a tenant and a lodger.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46If the tenant is a member of your household,
0:23:46 > 0:23:51whether it's a relative, et cetera, that makes a difference if you're sharing a house with them,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53because there's a lot less regulations on that.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Megan Davy has made a complaint about her living conditions here
0:23:57 > 0:24:00and the property owner's reluctance to improve things.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03My family don't want me to be here. They don't feel it's safe
0:24:03 > 0:24:07for a young girl to be here. It's upsetting.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Megan has no opening windows or a fire alarm and owner
0:24:13 > 0:24:15John knows he doesn't have to provide these, if she's a lodger.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17And that's exactly the same scenario.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20But you're talking different rules and regulations. You're talking
0:24:20 > 0:24:24planning and building control and then you're talking the Housing Act.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'It's our job to work out where Megan stands in this situation, but if it
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'can be proved she's effectively living as a tenant,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34'then John will have some serious work to do, to bring standards up to scratch.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39'He wouldn't let the camera crew in, but eventually he agreed to me
0:24:39 > 0:24:41'having a look.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- Thanks for showing me around. - Yeah, no problem at all. Like I say, I haven't got any problem with that.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48When going up there, I didn't assume for a moment that it was
0:24:48 > 0:24:50- anything other than Megan's home.- Uh-hm.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53And, you know, we've got a doorway that's open there.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57You go in there and because it is separate from your home there...
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Yes, if you look at this in an isolated incident, yes, it's very easy to think that, yeah?
0:25:01 > 0:25:03- Yeah.- But it's not, that's why I wanted to try
0:25:03 > 0:25:06and make it perfectly clear, it is my home. I live here.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09This is the thing, as I'm learning this job and going through
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and finding out bits... if there's a fire in this bit
0:25:12 > 0:25:16and Megan's stuck there, you wouldn't be able to help her at all.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19You would be in your bit, she would be in her bit
0:25:19 > 0:25:21and she would be stuck, without a window to get out of or...
0:25:21 > 0:25:25But that's exactly the same, as I stated, that the law requires no opening windows.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- But there's the law and then there's...- I'm just saying...
0:25:28 > 0:25:32..and you as a human being knowing there's another human being in the end of your house.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34I can't have Nanny in the granny annexe, you're telling me?
0:25:34 > 0:25:39- I don't know...- Same scenario. - I'm looking at this scenario. I don't know about the granny annexe.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40It's the same scenario, the same thing.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44You can't look at every incident in its own right. We don't do. We have to abide by the rules.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48When it comes to something like fire safety, that's really fundamental,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and you're taking money off somebody. At that point, it's not about rules
0:25:52 > 0:25:55any more, is it? It's about knowing what's right and how to protect that
0:25:55 > 0:26:00person in case of the worst-case scenario, you know, in case of fire.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Well, I don't allow them to smoke in their room.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05They've got ventilation. There's ventilation, in there, it's in the toilet.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10- How much ventilation do you have? - It's more about being able to escape if there's a fire and Megan's
0:26:10 > 0:26:14at the top of these steps, she'd be stuffed. She'd be, you know... She'd be in trouble.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Well, then it's clear she needs to leave. Everyone needs to leave, simple.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20The property's obviously not to your standards and, therefore, people
0:26:20 > 0:26:23leave. And if that's what Chris decides, that's what'll happen.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27OK, John, thank you for showing me around. And thanks for talking.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29OK, no problem at all, thank you very much.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Chris, he was claiming that Megan is a lodger and, I've got to say,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36that from everything I've learned so far about housing law,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38- she looked like a tenant to me. What did you make of it?- Yep.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Well, certainly we'll have to make more investigations on that matter,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45I'll be speaking to the legal team to see exactly what that situation is.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47And it may be that there isn't any further action that we can
0:26:47 > 0:26:50take against this person, but as I explained to him,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54the reason for this visit, under section 239 of the Housing Act, today
0:26:54 > 0:26:57is for us to gather more information and evidence towards the case.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01A big part of his argument was, "Well, it's certainly better than
0:27:01 > 0:27:05"where she was before." Um, but that doesn't really wash, does it?
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Because you've got to have basic standards for every single bit
0:27:08 > 0:27:11of property where you're taking rent from people and putting them up.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Yep, I mean, I think, the thing is, you need to take
0:27:13 > 0:27:16responsibility for your tenants and that's it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19And if there was a fatality or something similar within that
0:27:19 > 0:27:21property, then how would that person feel, you know?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24He's got to be responsible for the tenants that are in there
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and, probably, for the sake of a few hundred pounds,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29he could improve that property quite reasonably, so...
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Yeah, yeah, he didn't quite seem to get that, really.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Maybe we got the message through, who knows? Thanks, Chris.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44The good news is she's now moved out, She's living with her
0:27:44 > 0:27:48boyfriend and his mum and I'm pleased to say she's very happy.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Young love. Fantastic.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58The housing law that I've been getting to grips with is there
0:27:58 > 0:28:01to make sure that everyone has the right to live in a safe home.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And in Kent, Mark has been using it in the case of a run-down
0:28:05 > 0:28:08rental property in Margate that's anything but.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13When I first came in this ceiling was down, the carpet was worn,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17very likely to cause trips, very insecure. There's holes in the walls.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21This building is in an area of town where there's a high concentration
0:28:21 > 0:28:23of rental housing.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Because of this, the council operates a selective
0:28:25 > 0:28:28licensing scheme, to try and pull up standards.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32But over the last nine months, the four flats have fallen
0:28:32 > 0:28:35into such disrepair and the tenants are fed up.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41He kept saying, "I'll do something", but I've not had anything done,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45I'm waiting for a new carpet, that's been about four years!
0:28:47 > 0:28:48Just three weeks' later,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Mark is going back to the flats, to make sure that work is under way.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56He's inspecting the building flat-by-flat and the first happy
0:28:56 > 0:28:59tenant Kelly, can't wait to show off the improvements to her home.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00Come in.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04- So...- It's all being decorated at the moment, so...!
0:29:04 > 0:29:07- It's looking a lot better, isn't it? - Yes, very much better.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09There's no more water coming through?
0:29:09 > 0:29:15No more water coming through, at the moment, touch wood, because we've had no weather at the moment.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- Yeah, I'm pleased with that. - Yes, very good.- Thank you. - Good luck, thank you.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20SHE CHUCKLES
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But Mark knows there's one tenant whose problems run a lot deeper
0:29:23 > 0:29:24than a lick of paint.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Hello Mr Whitworth, Mark Goldhawk.
0:29:27 > 0:29:32Mark Whitworth has to clean up this place before any work can be done.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36- It's a lot cleaner than the last time you were here. - I think it is, actually.
0:29:36 > 0:29:41- I started cleaning the cooker, but ran out of cleaning stuff.- Yeah.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44I can see that he's made an attempt, but, unfortunately, if you are
0:29:44 > 0:29:48depressed, I suppose, and it sounds like he is very, very despondent,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52then the last thing he's thinking about is doing the cleaning.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54I'm not here to be his social worker,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57I'm here to deal with the conditions in the property.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Hopefully, in a couple of weeks' time, it'll be a lot better.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05At least a plan is in place that will allow Mark's flat to be sorted out.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08He's going to be temporarily rehoused once work begins.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13- Once they've finished flat three, I'm moving up to flat three. - You're moving up to flat three?
0:30:13 > 0:30:17While they're doing my place, because mine is the biggest problem.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22There's light at the end of the tunnel now, they've started the work,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25so just try and keep your chin up and, hopefully, in the next...
0:30:25 > 0:30:31- Hopefully, yeah.- ..two to three weeks your living conditions will be significantly better.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Hopefully, yeah.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35Things are moving, but I am discovering that Mark, like all
0:30:35 > 0:30:40housing officers, can't sort out everybody's problems all at once.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42With a vulnerable tenant like Mr Whitworth, it is very much
0:30:42 > 0:30:45a work in progress.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47I am working with other agencies to support Mr Whitworth.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49I mean, there
0:30:49 > 0:30:52are other professionals that will go in there and help him.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55But, I think, this is one that I'll be keeping an eye on.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07At housing HQ, in St Helens, Merseyside, Glynn Griffiths
0:31:07 > 0:31:09has discovered a real dump.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Councils have little sympathy for fly-tippers,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16and if you're caught persistently dumping,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19you can land yourself with a £2,500 fine.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23But there are some real wasters out there, whose rubbish doesn't
0:31:23 > 0:31:26even make it to the street and it's a real problem
0:31:26 > 0:31:28for their neighbours.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33When this happens, it becomes a matter for the housing enforcers.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Glynn's one, so he is going to pop off and have look in his car,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40but what I am wondering is, how often do they pick up the bins here?
0:31:40 > 0:31:44There's a fortnightly bin collection for domestic waste that's
0:31:44 > 0:31:49provided by the council, so there's no excuse for it that I know of.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Glynn's found three filthy backyards that need to transform pronto.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Can you empty the bins for me, please? So they've got a clean start.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Tenants are given three weeks to get rid of the rubbish themselves,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07but if they take no notice, the council cavalry are called in.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- Bringing with them the men in white suits.- Contractors invoice us,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13which we then charge back to the occupier of the property.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Now, around here,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18neighbours have become sick of the stench from this garden.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21There's an open sewer there, We'll write to the owner
0:32:21 > 0:32:25of the property and give him 14 days to get that put right.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29But the drain issue is just the tip of this tip(!) Hm(!)
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Lucky, it's raining, so there's not too much of an odour,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35but you can imagine, on a hot sunny day, it's going to be pretty nasty
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and if you're living next door to it with your kitchen window open,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42there's going to be a fly problem and it's just going to be pretty stinky.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49Glynn knows bins and he feels that each one tells its own story.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Someone's getting married.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54It's a filthy job, but someone's got to do it, that's what they say.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57All 19 barrowloads.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Doesn't really bother me, the smell any more.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03When you first start it bothers you, then you just become immune to it.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I wouldn't, but that's just the start of it...
0:33:07 > 0:33:10This is the second property I've got a warrant for.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13I have spoken with the occupier. She's made some effort
0:33:13 > 0:33:16to clear it, but there's still quite a significant amount left in there.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19And the funny thing is,
0:33:19 > 0:33:20it's bin day today.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24It's about £100 to clear away that
0:33:24 > 0:33:29quantity, but the crazy thing is, the bin men are out on site now.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33If the bin was made available, the binmen would take it away for nothing.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37So, put your bin out or get a fine from the council.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40They're chucking money away, much to the dismay of the street's
0:33:40 > 0:33:44more house-proud inhabitants. They've had it up to here.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48There's no need for it. They clean it every two weeks
0:33:48 > 0:33:51and then someone else puts a load of rubbish back out again.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54I mean, that's clothes. You could take them to the charity shop.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I feel very sorry for the council, people coming out doing that.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Yeah, well, do you know what? The worst is still to come,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06because Glyn, it appears, has drawn the short straw.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12There's dog faeces, there's nappies, there's food waste.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Under the shed is the perfect spot for vermin.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24There is some clear signs, there's some shredded-up rubbish,
0:34:24 > 0:34:28gnawing, so you can see that there have been rats in there.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36It's a rat B&B, everything's there that they need, food, water,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39shelter, everything's en-suite.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42If only it was just rats who lived here.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44There's a family in this house with young children.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48It's not a healthy environment.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52My dog's got a better life than what's going on here.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54It's just... It's heart breaking.
0:34:56 > 0:35:02As far as I can I detach myself, my home life, from what I see at work.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06I look at how my kids, and how my step kids have been brought up and...
0:35:08 > 0:35:12..I don't think, sometimes, they realise how good they've got it.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14There's kids out there that are living in squalor,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17living in filth and no matter how much money you throw at it,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20it's not going to be put right. You can educate and educate
0:35:20 > 0:35:23and educate but, you know, it's...
0:35:24 > 0:35:26I shudder to think what it's like inside.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30At least the backyard is now finally beginning to resemble
0:35:30 > 0:35:32a garden again.
0:35:32 > 0:35:33The work they've done today,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36given the fact it's all been strewn around the garden, it's been quite
0:35:36 > 0:35:40a labour-intensive clear-up, it's going to be at least
0:35:40 > 0:35:41£200 maybe £300.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46As we've said for all the jobs today - put your bin out,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48on bin days.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54You'll save money and get along much better with your neighbours.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Back in Harwich, in Essex, we're visiting a property
0:36:07 > 0:36:10that's become a real worry for the housing team.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Not to mention, anyone nearby.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15You've got houses on either side of this,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18that rely on this being here and being structurally sound.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Sound. Exactly.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Teresa Kemp got more than she bargained for
0:36:22 > 0:36:25when she moved into the house next door.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28It's caused the party wall, the wall between their property
0:36:28 > 0:36:31and my property to have damp problems.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35When housing officers Grant and Rob visited to assess the damage,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Teresa had just about had enough.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40It actually brings tears to my eyes when I think about it,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- because this was supposed to be my last move.- Yeah.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46We've got a good idea of what's going on now.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Don't worry too much, we've got a variety of different options
0:36:49 > 0:36:51- we're looking at.- OK.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53It is very upsetting.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Having established that the house is putting the adjoining
0:36:57 > 0:37:00buildings at risk, Grant and Rob
0:37:00 > 0:37:03must find a solution, to stop the rot from spreading.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05It's coming through from two floors above.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- You can see that. - So, there's worse than this?- Yes.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10'One option would be for the council
0:37:10 > 0:37:14'to carry out the works in default, forcing the owner to pay
0:37:14 > 0:37:18'once the house has been repaired. And it's a big job.'
0:37:18 > 0:37:20This has just got to be completely gutted, hasn't it?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Oh, it's a major refurb, top to bottom.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'But before they can make a decision it's our job to calculate
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'the full extent of the damage.'
0:37:30 > 0:37:32I feel I need to see all of this.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38This particular area really shows the full extent of the problem that we've got.
0:37:38 > 0:37:44I don't know if you notice the floors are sheeted, the bed's sheeted.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Is that the occupant who's done that?
0:37:46 > 0:37:48To prevent water from going in to the downstairs.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50- So, the roof's completely gone, then?- Yeah.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54So, you've got water coming down and the only way they could do anything about it is by putting...
0:37:54 > 0:37:58- If you look to the...- There's a dustbin full of water.- Dustbin...
0:37:58 > 0:38:00- refuse bin, full of water. - No sleep was taking place in here.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03None at all, no. No-one's been in here for many, many years.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08That's almost frozen in time, that bed, isn't it?
0:38:08 > 0:38:091990.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12You can see again...
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Obviously, we've got a real problem with the roof here.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19You can see the mould growth on the floor, here, look. Fungus.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21- Fully-fledged...?- Fungus.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Tree-stump fungus.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Look here, you've got the wallpaper, and the plaster has come in sheets.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33- It's actually come straight off. - It's come off in sheet, yeah.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Let's look at the rest of the first floor.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39'The more we explore, the more it clear to all of us
0:38:39 > 0:38:41'just how much work needs to be done.'
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I don't know how we're even going to get in because, I think, the floor's
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- so badly shot.- Oh, God.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52- It's... it's just devastation in here.- Absolutely.
0:38:52 > 0:38:57The ceiling's gone completely and underneath it, is just a single
0:38:57 > 0:39:00bed and just piles of newspapers.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05It looks like a warzone.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Oh, my God, so you've got water coming in from the roof.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11You've got damp. I take it that's what that is?
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- That's rising damp, yeah.- And rising damp from the ground which has
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- made it all the way to the ceiling. - Can I just take you out here?
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Is there more? Oh, man!
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- It's the bathroom.- Yeah.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27I mean, it's just room after room of devastation,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30every room you go in.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33'Our inspection has put the estimated cost of just making the
0:39:33 > 0:39:38'property safe for the neighbours at well over £40,000.'
0:39:38 > 0:39:41If it was a detached house, you'd almost say, "Knock it down
0:39:41 > 0:39:45and start again." But because it's in between two you've got to do
0:39:45 > 0:39:47- something, haven't you? - We've got major, major issue.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49'With the cost of repair so high,
0:39:49 > 0:39:54'a works-in-default order could leave the council left to foot the bill.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57'Grant and Rob must find an alternative solution.'
0:39:59 > 0:40:02So, what's the next step here, then?
0:40:02 > 0:40:04The next step is, it may be that we have to look
0:40:04 > 0:40:08at a compulsory purchase order to buy it ourselves and then deal with it.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11We're looking at the roof structure. Get it watertight,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15sort the party wall agreements out and then deal with the rising damp.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- A watertight shell...- Yeah. - ..that's not going to effect the other properties.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Remove the nuisance.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23The only other option would be to find a private developer
0:40:23 > 0:40:27who would buy the house, but either way, it seems extreme measures
0:40:27 > 0:40:31are going to be needed, to save this building and to help the neighbours.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35I thought you were over-egging it, by giving me
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- personal-protection equipment, but you weren't, were you?- Not at all.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Is that a one-off. Do you come across, have you come across, other places like that?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Regularly. It's a regular occurrence now.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47'The housing officers that I'm working with are desperately
0:40:47 > 0:40:51'trying to get the best result for EVERYBODY involved.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54'Um, but trying to do that requires a great
0:40:54 > 0:40:57'deal of skill on their part and a huge amount
0:40:57 > 0:40:59'of human understanding.'
0:40:59 > 0:41:02So, bravo, I'm not worthy... yet.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11'Someone else who thought my skills weren't really up to scratch
0:41:11 > 0:41:14'was Megan's landlord John Price.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18'Without me, though, obviously, the legal team have come to a decision.'
0:41:18 > 0:41:22It turns out that Chris, and I, were absolutely right.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Megan was never a lodger,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28she couldn't access her landlord's home and the facilities in there
0:41:28 > 0:41:32without going downstairs from her bedsit and going outside.
0:41:32 > 0:41:37As a result, she was never a lodger, she was a tenant,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40and should have received all the rights that go with that name.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Landlord John Price is appealing that decision.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51That's it for today's show. Join me next time, on the front line,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53with Britain's housing officers.