0:00:02 > 0:00:05The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08It's cold, it's damp and nothing's been done about it.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10But for thousands of people across Britain,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17A dog's got a better life than what's going on here.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19In the battle between tenants and landlords,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24You're the good cop, I'm the bad cop.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27The notice will be served and action will be taken.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'I'm Matt Allwright and I've been training hard,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'ready to join the ranks of these housing enforcers.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:35It's coming through from two floors above.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37- So there's worse than this? - Yeah.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38'Tackling problem properties...'
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I'm going to come a cropper.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42It's not sorting the problem out, is it?
0:00:42 > 0:00:43It's just covering it up.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46'..dealing with the consequences of nightmare neighbours...'
0:00:46 > 0:00:48This was supposed to be my last move.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50'..and everything in between.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:53It is not getting easier, it's getting worse.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57How are you enjoying being a landlord?
0:00:57 > 0:00:59It has its ups and downs.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08'Today, the case of an overcrowded house.'
0:01:08 > 0:01:11If this is a family, they have all got very big feet.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13People here are at risk.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17'Housing officer Tony is on the trail of a neighbourhood bully.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:20It's a waiting game. There will be consequences.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23There is a little child in here that shouldn't be at risk.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27'And I am seeing for myself just what extreme neglect looks like.'
0:01:27 > 0:01:30If you do take a fall, you're falling onto concrete.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I am just trying to imagine the state of mind
0:01:32 > 0:01:35that you would be in to live somewhere like this.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37This is almost a joke. Isn't it?
0:01:39 > 0:01:43They say that an Englishman's home is his castle,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45but if it is a rented castle,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48then it is the job of housing officers across the country
0:01:48 > 0:01:50to make sure it's up to scratch.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54They work with a growing army of private landlords to make sure
0:01:54 > 0:01:58they play by the rules and provide people with a decent home.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02But what happens when a tenant decides to sublet
0:02:02 > 0:02:06a property as bedsits without the landlord even knowing?
0:02:07 > 0:02:10'In Smethwick in the West Midlands,
0:02:10 > 0:02:11'housing officer Roy Nicholls
0:02:11 > 0:02:14'is about to pay a visit to a property
0:02:14 > 0:02:17'that he suspects has far more people living in it than
0:02:17 > 0:02:21'is safe and legal and apparently I'm going along for the ride.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:23What am I letting myself in for today?
0:02:23 > 0:02:27The allegation is that there are 20 people living at the property.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- 20 in a house designed... - In a house.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Well, we will find out when we get there.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Why do they choose you for those jobs?
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Why do you choose yourself?
0:02:37 > 0:02:41It is our choice. All the officers can do the work.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44It's just that I've been probably here the longest
0:02:44 > 0:02:47and I'm not the littlest in the team.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49THEY LAUGH
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Is it OK if I tag along? Could you use an apprentice for the day?
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Oh, certainly. You can always go in first.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Oh, thank you. Thank you.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'To rent a house out as bedsits,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'landlords must obtain a special licence and comply with
0:03:02 > 0:03:07'regulations designed to protect their tenants' health and safety.'
0:03:07 > 0:03:11The biggest problem you can get is where a landlord just puts
0:03:11 > 0:03:15a load of people into just a normal property without any
0:03:15 > 0:03:17fire protection to protect his clients.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21I mean, I don't think they realise that, if something happens
0:03:21 > 0:03:25and somebody dies in there, then the landlord is on a manslaughter charge.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Roy's suspicion is that this house could be being sublet
0:03:28 > 0:03:31by the person who originally rented it,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33meaning that the landlord would have no idea
0:03:33 > 0:03:35how many people might be living there.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38As long as the rent's being paid,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42then there's nothing to flag up for the agent to be concerned.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46It's only when we have a complaint come in that we have to
0:03:46 > 0:03:48investigate, and that's sometimes when we find it.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51As far they're aware, this is being let to a family.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54My problem is, is that if they've sublet it and there's more
0:03:54 > 0:03:58people in there that should be, then those are at risk.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Let's go and have a look.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'Roy has no right to enter the property at this early
0:04:06 > 0:04:11'stage of his investigation, but he can gain access if he's invited in.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:13KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Doesn't appear to be any answer.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22And I wonder if I just have a little nosey through the windows,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25if I can see anything.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Go and have a quick look.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32'And a quick look is all it takes...'
0:04:32 > 0:04:36We've got a bed in the front room which is giving me
0:04:36 > 0:04:40the indication that this is a house of multiple occupation.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42The other clues that I can see -
0:04:42 > 0:04:45you've got shoes lined up down the hall.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49There's about eight pairs of shoes there.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51'It's by no means conclusive,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55'but Roy's seen enough to raise his suspicions with the letting agent.'
0:04:55 > 0:04:57When the letting agent turns up...
0:04:57 > 0:04:59When the letting agent turns up, at least
0:04:59 > 0:05:02I can explain to her the situation here, what I think it is.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07And I'm sure she's got a contact number for the tenant.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Maybe she can ring the tenant and if he's not too far away
0:05:10 > 0:05:12if he could come back and...
0:05:12 > 0:05:14But if he's doing what we think he's doing...
0:05:14 > 0:05:17The answer's going to be "No way!"
0:05:17 > 0:05:20He's not going to be, "Yeah, come and have a look!"
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'Coming up, we finally gain access...'
0:05:22 > 0:05:24KNOCKING ON DOOR
0:05:24 > 0:05:26'..but will the numbers add up?'
0:05:26 > 0:05:28How many people actually live here?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Exactly four. Four or five, maybe.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33People here are at risk.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40What do you do if someone living near you is making your life
0:05:40 > 0:05:42an absolute nightmare?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Well, of course, you can go round there with a bright red face
0:05:45 > 0:05:47and a clenched fist and do a lot of shouting.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49But that's not very bright.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52The sensible option is to get your local authority involved
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and let them sort it out.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58But there are occasions when that can make the situation worse.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00What do you do then?
0:06:01 > 0:06:05In Stevenage, in Hertfordshire, the ever-present problem of antisocial
0:06:05 > 0:06:08behaviour is being tackled by a six-strong team of workers.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Housing officer Tony Silverio is on his way to deal with
0:06:14 > 0:06:16an ongoing problem between some tenants
0:06:16 > 0:06:19that's rapidly escalated in the last few days.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24We've received some complaints about a neighbour smoking cannabis
0:06:24 > 0:06:30and the alleged perpetrator approached this young lady
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and just made various threats to her,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35quite serious threats,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38which resulted in him being arrested for it.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43And, soon after he got bailed, this young couple had a damaged door.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47The couple in question are Jason and Shareen, who say they've been
0:06:47 > 0:06:50putting up with behaviour like this since they moved to the area
0:06:50 > 0:06:52with their three-year-old daughter.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It's kind of been like a new person grudge, basically.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59We moved in two years ago, and it's been ever since then, really.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01He's seen me in the street taking my daughter to school
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and he just started verbally abusing me,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08saying he was going to kick down the door, all horrible stuff.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Next thing I know, my partner's ringing me up
0:07:11 > 0:07:14saying that he's smashed the windows through.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Because we contacted the police, it has sort of escalated
0:07:17 > 0:07:25from there, to them trying to wreck our door with hammers, screwdrivers.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30The latest attack happened just the previous day.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Friday night, they had some more damage done to their door.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36This time around, the damage was done on the inside
0:07:36 > 0:07:39so they ended up with glass all over the place in their hall.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41So it's been a little bit scary for them.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44So far, the troublemaker's managed to go about his intimidation
0:07:44 > 0:07:46campaign under cover.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Today, Tony is going to propose a plan to change all that.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Shall we have a little chat inside?
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Yep, come on then. That's fine by me.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- And that's the damage from yesterday?- Yep.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09There's a little child in here that shouldn't be at risk.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11She's come up to me yesterday and was like, "I'm scared."
0:08:11 > 0:08:12And I was like, "Why?"
0:08:12 > 0:08:14She was like, "Because windows smashing."
0:08:14 > 0:08:17So she knows what's going on and she's only three years old.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19So it's shouldn't be a sort of atmosphere that a
0:08:19 > 0:08:21three-year-old should be into at all.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23I spoke to the sergeant yesterday
0:08:23 > 0:08:27and we talked about where we could go with trying to make you
0:08:27 > 0:08:29a bit happier where you are at the moment.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Clearly we don't know exactly where this chap's living.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37But, the other side of it is we also haven't got
0:08:37 > 0:08:40any evidence of him doing damage.
0:08:40 > 0:08:46So, what I propose to do is to put some cameras in your front door,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49and then if he does try anything, he's going to be on camera.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53This family needs action fast and Tony's hoping that installing
0:08:53 > 0:08:58a CCTV camera will put an end to the harassment.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I mean, I can't ask much more of Tony, to be honest.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04He is doing exactly what he can.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08It is sad and it makes me angry that we can't do any more for them.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12But I have to work with the evidence that is put in front of me
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and at the moment I've got no evidence.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Hopefully, we'll capture whoever's doing it on camera
0:09:19 > 0:09:23and we can take some more enforcement action against them.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25If you look at that young couple, they're so resilient,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and it's been non-stop for them.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29But hopefully I've been able to give them
0:09:29 > 0:09:34a little bit of reassurance and to know that they're not alone.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38At the end of the day, we're fighting the good battle for them
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and we'll never give up.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Or, at least, I won't.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Two days later, Tony returns to install
0:09:47 > 0:09:49a carefully positioned camera.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52A few clear signs will send the bully the message
0:09:52 > 0:09:53they're being watched.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56OK, we're all done.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58- See you later!- Bye!
0:09:58 > 0:10:02People who do this sort of thing are usually cowards or bullies.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Generally, they're both.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08And once they've come up against someone who stands up to them,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10they cave in.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14If you can go home and think this young couple can now
0:10:14 > 0:10:20look forward to the rest of their weekend in peace,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22then great, you know?
0:10:22 > 0:10:26We'll be back later to see exactly what Tony catches on his camera.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28BANGING
0:10:28 > 0:10:31It's disgusting behaviour and won't be tolerated.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37'Back in Smethwick in the West Midlands, I'm on duty with
0:10:37 > 0:10:41'experienced housing officer Roy Nicholls, who suspects this
0:10:41 > 0:10:45'terraced home could be being sublet to far too many people.'
0:10:45 > 0:10:47There may not be fire protection in there,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49it could be overcrowded....
0:10:49 > 0:10:51'Having spotted a bed in the front room, Roy's informed
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'the letting agent there could be a problem,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56'and is now hoping she may be able
0:10:56 > 0:10:58'to help us gain access to the property.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:01KNOCKING ON DOOR
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Hello? Hello? We're going to break the door down!
0:11:05 > 0:11:08'All of a sudden, someone's moving inside.'
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Interesting!
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- Someone in there? - Yeah, just come out of the bed.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16BANGING ON DOOR
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Looks like they've put locks on all the individual doors in there.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Well, if you do that, you're changing from a single family, then.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24It means that people have got their own room,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27which means that they lock the doors.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Hello, we need to gain entry.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Where's the man who just came out? The man?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36I need to come in. I'm the letting agent.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- Our house.- Sandwell Council. - We need to come in.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42No, no moment. We need to come in. Thank you.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45If this is a family, they've all got very big feet.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'While Roy quizzes the current occupants, the letting agent puts
0:11:50 > 0:11:54'a call in to the Polish man whose name is on the rental agreement.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57'He sends a friend to help sort out the mess.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- This is the gentleman from Sandwell Council.- Yeah.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- We seem to have a bit of a problem.- Yeah?
0:12:04 > 0:12:07If this gentleman would like to explain.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09How many people actually live here?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- Exactly four.- Exactly four?
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Yes. Four or five, maybe.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15'It might not be as many as first reported,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18'but still the numbers aren't adding up.'
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Craig, Carol, Brady, Taran, Nishad. Five.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23There's five people?
0:12:23 > 0:12:26They're not related to one other, they just live as friends.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Yes, just as friends.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32Just so I'm clear, because it's all moving quite quickly for me,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34as a trainee housing officer.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37This was a single occupancy tenancy.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Signed up with an agent for a family.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45But now, once we're in here, it seems we have individuals sharing
0:12:45 > 0:12:47this place but with locks on their doors.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50We think, we haven't gone upstairs so far.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52We're thinking this is now a house of multiple occupancy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- Completely different rules apply. - Absolutely.- Right.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59'Having confirmed the property is being sublet, Roy needs to
0:12:59 > 0:13:02'establish just how dangerous it could be for its multiple tenants.'
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I need to carry out an inspection of the property.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So it means that I do need to go in the rooms upstairs.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Could you advise the people upstairs
0:13:12 > 0:13:15that I will be coming in just to look around?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- Yeah, yeah. - Would you like to do that?- Yeah.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22The first thing that we'll do, I'll go upstairs
0:13:22 > 0:13:26and I'll sit with the gentleman and then I can take the details.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29But get the inspection done first, so that...
0:13:29 > 0:13:34The gentleman's working nights, so we'll try and get to him first, OK?
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Sorry for disturbing you. How many people?- Two.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- There's two people here. So you share?- Me and my friend.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46You and your friend. OK, fine.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Some people watch your TV?
0:13:50 > 0:13:53This is my TV. It's a joke.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54Is that right?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57They can only watch it during certain times.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59THEY LAUGH
0:13:59 > 0:14:00'But there's not much to laugh about
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'when we explore the rest of the building.'
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Straightaway, what we've got...
0:14:05 > 0:14:07I mean, we've got deadlocks on doors.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12And they should be thumb turned, so they haven't got to use a key to
0:14:12 > 0:14:15get out, because what we need to do if there was a fire here,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18we need to get out of this building quickly.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Just step on that carpet.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Can I have a look under there? - Yeah, yeah. If you lift it...
0:14:25 > 0:14:27So it's actually missing floorboards.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30If you was walking across there and you tripped down that hole,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34the first thing you'd do is go towards this window.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37This window...is single glazed.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- So, it's one hazard and there's a secondary hazard in its way.- OK.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45You're in charge in this one.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47So this is the box room,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51there's not a full bed in here, there's a couch.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52There's a couch in here.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56This is not what this house was meant to be for.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01This is a family home and so this is how people now are living.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03They're sharing the rent.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I wouldn't think that they know each other as well as that,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08because there's locks on the doors.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12'Coming up, I uncover the biggest problem yet
0:15:12 > 0:15:15'with a truly worrying property...'
0:15:15 > 0:15:18This is a really dangerous place to be living.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25In Stevenage in Hertfordshire, as well as dealing with disputes
0:15:25 > 0:15:28between tenants and landlords, housing officers have been
0:15:28 > 0:15:30helping Barry Brant,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33who had a life-changing accident three years ago.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36I was on the way to work.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38I was going down a cycle track
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and on the underpass there was a concrete bollard.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47I hit it with my bike, went headfirst and hit the floor.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Had to have my nose rebuilt,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and have had subsequent problems with my back, my legs.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58It started the epilepsy and from then from then on
0:15:58 > 0:16:01I've had asthma problems as well.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Barry's injures meant the end
0:16:03 > 0:16:05of a high-flying career in senior management.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08And after wife Heather gave up her job to care for him,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10they were facing financial ruin.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16The loss of the wages, it's been tens of thousands we've lost.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20The house we're in at the moment was under threat of repossession,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23because we weren't covering the mortgage.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27If they repossess it from us, where are we going to go?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Not only were they facing eviction from their own home,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34but the accident left Barry's mobility seriously affected.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38As soon as my health really deteriorated, I couldn't go upstairs.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41So Barry sleeps down here now.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44We come in here, it is a kitchen-diner, so Barry's overwhelmed
0:16:44 > 0:16:47by cooking smells and things like that.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51This stool here, he puts that against the sink,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54then he actually washes at the kitchen sink.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56So it's not very private,
0:16:56 > 0:17:01but, in these circumstances, this is what he deals with every day.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Reaching crisis point, Barry and Heather contacted
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Stevenage council housing officer Ruth Edwards.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Working with Citizen's Advice and the Housing Association,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18not only has Ruth helped the couple deal with their mortgage arrears,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22but they're going to be re-housed in a specially adapted bungalow.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Yeah, this is quite a rare project for us to be involved in.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29We don't often get the opportunity to build bungalows,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32because they take up so much space on the ground.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35So it's more often than not flats and family-sized houses.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38I think for Mr and Mrs Brant moving from their existing home
0:17:38 > 0:17:41to this new one will make a huge difference to them.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46It's just going to be designed to help him in ways that he needs
0:17:46 > 0:17:48but still look like a family home for them.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Barry and Heather will become social housing tenants, which also
0:17:52 > 0:17:54means no more mortgage worries.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58'If the council couldn't have helped us, the stress involved could
0:17:58 > 0:18:00'have easily split us up.'
0:18:00 > 0:18:02I may not have been here.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03It's as bad as that.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07Hi, Mrs Brant?
0:18:07 > 0:18:10So that Barry and Heather are involved at every stage
0:18:10 > 0:18:12of the bungalow's build,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Ruth has organised regular meetings with architect Colin Smart.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19We've still got time to change little bits inside.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22We can make any small changes, as long as they're done pretty quickly.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24The kitchen, we've got to talk about.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- Whether you do cooking or not. - Rarely.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28LAUGHTER
0:18:28 > 0:18:33If at all! the last time I did that, I set the microwave alight!
0:18:33 > 0:18:35- Thank you.- No problem.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- RUTH:- I think that went really well.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39They'll get more of a normal home life, hopefully,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41once they're in that bungalow.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44If you take the council and all those people that have supported us
0:18:44 > 0:18:47out of the equation, I don't know where we would have been.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49They deserve medals. They're really, really good.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51It's been nice that people do care.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56A few days later, Colin invites Barry and Heather
0:18:56 > 0:18:59to the site of their new home for the very first time.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- Oh, wow.- OK, so let's go up here.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Main entrance in here.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Into the lounge...
0:19:06 > 0:19:09'It was really nice today to bring them here and have a look'
0:19:09 > 0:19:12and have a chance to tweak it a little bit.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Trying to visualise now how it will look
0:19:15 > 0:19:17with the brick work, when it goes up.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19After three very difficult years,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Barry and Heather are starting to get a glimpse of a brighter future.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25It's been one...
0:19:27 > 0:19:31..continual battle, especially for Heather.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34She's had to take on most of the actual brunt of things.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38It's finally coming to an end. It's coming to an end.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It's very easy to be unwell.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It's the person that has to pick up the pieces
0:19:43 > 0:19:45that has all the hard work to do.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48It's just amazing that this has happened.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Thanks to Ruth, Colin and the team,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Barry and Heather will be moving into their new home next spring.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04'Back in Smethwick in the West Midlands,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06'my day with housing officer Roy Nicholls
0:20:06 > 0:20:09'is turning into a full-blown investigation.'
0:20:09 > 0:20:12This was a single occupancy tenancy.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Now we have individuals sharing this place,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18- but with locks on their own doors.- Yes.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21'The situation means that this property must now comply to
0:20:21 > 0:20:25'stringent safety standards designed to protect the tenants.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27'Roy's using this as an opportunity
0:20:27 > 0:20:30'to put his new apprentice through his paces.'
0:20:30 > 0:20:32We've got a lock on the outside of this door,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34which is not operable from the inside.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36So you could actually lock somebody in this room
0:20:36 > 0:20:39without giving them the ability to get out.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40There's something else.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45There's an electricity meter down in that corner.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48It's a gas meter. A card meter.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51So that means you could lose gas for the rest of the house
0:20:51 > 0:20:54and if this door was locked, no-one else could do it.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Absolutely perfect again.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58They might be cooking and the gas just goes.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02And then somebody might back come in, put the meter in,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05the lights gone out and then we've just got gas flowing everywhere.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Right.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10'Without a suitable fire safety system in place,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13'this house is potentially very dangerous.'
0:21:13 > 0:21:15There's two risk rooms.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- The kitchen and the main living room.- That's it.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Because that's where people are either cooking
0:21:20 > 0:21:22or possibly smoking or dwelling.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- Exactly. Yes.- Right, OK.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Although it seems that people are smoking in every room of this house,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30so that's an added concern.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32What do you think we would require?
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Smoke alarms and fire detectors, as well,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38cos I know there's a difference now.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I want them to be mains.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45- You're looking at me like... - I'm not... I don't... Go, go...
0:21:45 > 0:21:46Because if they're battery...
0:21:46 > 0:21:49In a house of multiple occupancy,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51if they're battery-powered smoke detectors,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53you've got to have somebody who takes responsibility
0:21:53 > 0:21:56for changing the batteries, and you can't rely on that.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58So you have to have it linked to the mains
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and running the whole time. How's that?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03I tell you what, excellent.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06It's the smoke that kills, OK?
0:22:06 > 0:22:09It's very rare that you'll get somebody who's burnt to death,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12it'll be they will die through the smoke inhalation.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Before they knew it,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16they'd be walking down into a smoke-filled area.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19So it's early warning that we need to do.
0:22:19 > 0:22:20So it would be hard-wired...
0:22:20 > 0:22:23When you're painting a picture like this,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26you start to look at this house in completely a different way.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29This is a really dangerous place to be living.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32I will be contacting the fire service on my return
0:22:32 > 0:22:36to do a visit on this to get some detectors in,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38battery for a short period of time,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40so at least there's something here.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44'It's been a roller coaster day, but Roy's priority now
0:22:44 > 0:22:47'is to ensure the future safety of whoever lives here.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50'Meanwhile, the landlord has a decision to make
0:22:50 > 0:22:53'about exactly who he wants living in his house.'
0:22:53 > 0:22:56He thinks the property's being let as a single family unit
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and now there's considerable works that are required now,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03to bring this property up to standard for these occupants.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06So it's does he want to keep the occupants,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09or does he want his property to be a single family unit?
0:23:09 > 0:23:11So they're the questions we need to put forward
0:23:11 > 0:23:15before we decide on what notices I need to serve.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- The reason we were here was an allegation of overcrowding.- Yes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Now, there are more people here than should be.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26You couldn't really call it overcrowding.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29But it has allowed us in to look at this
0:23:29 > 0:23:31and possibly prevent really terrible things.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- Fatalities.- Fatalities.- Yeah.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Ensuring that we all have somewhere safe and decent to live
0:23:41 > 0:23:44is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47You're overcrowded, so there is nowhere for your lads to go.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51'I'm working alongside the men and women who do exactly that.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:56You see this room and you go "Shut it down," move him out.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57'I'm hitting the streets...'
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Good to see you.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01..I'm learning on the job...'
0:24:01 > 0:24:03This is just a breeding ground for rats.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07'..and I'm finding out what it takes to be sure that a house'
0:24:07 > 0:24:09is a fit place to call a home.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11This house is starting to send shivers down my spine.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15I turned up here and there was no house, it was just completely gone.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17We've got to look at it strategically
0:24:17 > 0:24:18and the best way to attack it.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25I'm in Oldbury in the West Midlands,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28with property intervention officer Richard Hawkins
0:24:28 > 0:24:30from Sandwell Council.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33'We're heading to a privately owned block of flats...'
0:24:33 > 0:24:35So what's the problem with them, then?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38What am I expected to try and resolve here?
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Many, many, many different problems.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43With this site, it became an issue to us, firstly,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45because it looked visually bad.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47There are empty properties on the site,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50which is something the government is trying to resolve.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51As we've become involved,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54it's become more and more entangled as we've found more and more
0:24:54 > 0:24:57issues on the site. It was kind of like opening a Pandora's box.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00This is the site.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Straightaway you can see places that it's difficult to start
0:25:05 > 0:25:06imagining people living.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It does have that shock value to it unfortunately. That's the nature of
0:25:10 > 0:25:14the work, which you're going to find out today as we have a look around.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19'Now, we're here to inspect the communal parts of these flats.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22'But where do you start with a place as big as this?'
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Almost every property I'm looking at seems to have some
0:25:25 > 0:25:29kind of problem or something that needs doing to it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32First, we've got to carry out what Richard calls
0:25:32 > 0:25:33a neighbourhood renewal assessment.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37It's a really effective way of getting a quick overview of
0:25:37 > 0:25:41the problems and the impact they're having on anyone who lives here.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Throwing it back to you as a student, what jumps out to you as
0:25:44 > 0:25:46the most alarming, perhaps, aspects, would you say?
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Well, the property that we're standing in front of right here,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52it's clearly empty and, as soon as you've got a property like that,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54then it is affecting the ones next door.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57There are more serious issues at hand here
0:25:57 > 0:25:59than the first obvious empty property.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Our main role here, it's to protect human health.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05So, looking at this flat, it looks visually appalling, doesn't it?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08But as you said, it's empty.
0:26:08 > 0:26:14So the impact, perhaps, immediately on human health isn't, say,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17as immediate as what might be going on in the property next door,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- which is occupied.- OK, so as a student, as a housing officer,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23I've got to be thinking of faces before places,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25people before structures.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- I shall get my clipboard.- Brilliant. OK. Let's get some equipment.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34You see? It's not easy this job.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38The council has already prosecuted the freehold owners twice and there
0:26:38 > 0:26:43are fines of almost £130,000 outstanding.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Today we've got to carry out a new inspection to gather more
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'evidence of disrepair, and it looks like it could be dirty work.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I find it overwhelming.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56I'm expected to come here and look at this property
0:26:56 > 0:27:00and be methodical and see the rights and wrongs
0:27:00 > 0:27:04and I'm overwhelmingly driven by the desire to knock it down.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08'But that is not an option. So, first, the stairs.'
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Do you see any problems with this?
0:27:10 > 0:27:14It's heavily corroded. You've got sharp edges on it.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- Shall we have a look underneath it? - It looks dreadful.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20There is concerns that, over the next 12 months, this could
0:27:20 > 0:27:23start to go and even the Post Office have stopped delivering upstairs
0:27:23 > 0:27:25because of their concerns with it.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27It's getting to the point that, if they corrode any further,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30we will have to start serving prohibition orders on flats,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33which basically means we'll shut the flats down
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- and people will not be allowed to live in them.- Right.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37It is that serious.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39And is anyone bringing their kids up here?
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Yeah, there are children on this site. Yeah. Yeah.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I just... I can't imagine that.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47'If there are kids growing up here
0:27:47 > 0:27:49'then parts of this place are potentially lethal.'
0:27:49 > 0:27:53The height of this wall, from this side, is here.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56If you've got a child or a toddler comes running along, they go
0:27:56 > 0:27:59straight over, there's nothing to stop them and
0:27:59 > 0:28:01you've got that to fall down into.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03That needs a railing across the top of it.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05It needs a railing. It's deadly.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09'And it's not a one-off.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13'Around every corner there's a new problem.'
0:28:13 > 0:28:18I mean, That one over there was bad. This is... That's just dreadful.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19It's a death trap. If you've got
0:28:19 > 0:28:22a little toddler, they're not going to have a chance, are they?
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- Sends shivers down my spine, it really does.- It's heartbreaking.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30'But it's home for the families who live here.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33'And, in parts of the place, conditions have become so dangerous,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37'they've had to carry out makeshift repairs themselves.'
0:28:37 > 0:28:39This is almost a joke, isn't it?
0:28:39 > 0:28:41This has been here
0:28:41 > 0:28:47for a lot longer than I would want to call it a temporary feature.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49If you do take a fall, you're falling on to concrete.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Who are these people?
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Who is it that can actually take responsibility for all these souls
0:28:55 > 0:28:58that are still living here and yet do nothing?
0:28:58 > 0:29:00It's just incredible.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03I'm just trying to imagine the state of mind that you'd be in or
0:29:03 > 0:29:06the options that you don't have that gets you to the point
0:29:06 > 0:29:09where you'd be prepared to live somewhere like this.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12And later on, I'll be finding out that the problems here
0:29:12 > 0:29:14carry on indoors.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16I've been doing this nine years
0:29:16 > 0:29:20and I've never seen electricity have to be put in from next door.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Back in Stevenage, housing officer Tony Silverio is doing all he can
0:29:29 > 0:29:34to protect a young family from what looks like a case of harassment.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37They've got a little girl, they're a young couple,
0:29:37 > 0:29:42they don't need that kind of fear in their lives.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Jason, Shareen and their three-year-old daughter have found
0:29:45 > 0:29:49themselves on the receiving end of some pretty nasty behaviour.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52It's kind of been like a new-person grudge, basically.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57He's obviously damaging our property and making us scared to live here.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Tony has put in a CCTV camera outside the couple's flat,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04hoping it would either deter the troublemaker
0:30:04 > 0:30:06or help catch them in the act.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Well, it certainly caught some action
0:30:11 > 0:30:13but not the kind that Tony wanted.
0:30:13 > 0:30:18So what we've got here is footage which was captured on the CCTV.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21We can see the family go out
0:30:21 > 0:30:24and, very shortly after...
0:30:26 > 0:30:29..the perpetrator comes up the stairs,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31heads for the camera with a hammer in his hand,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35attacks the cameras and then also cuts the cables.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40It's disgusting behaviour and won't be tolerated
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and we will deal with it.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47The footage will now be downloaded on to a disk,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49passed to the police as evidence.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53It's a waiting game. We have to wait on the evidence and the right
0:30:53 > 0:30:58opportunity and, when that comes around, there will be consequences.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02But with just a few grainy shots to go on, the police are going to
0:31:02 > 0:31:07struggle to identify the vandal, so Tony is getting some back-up help.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Unfortunately, the cameras haven't been as successful as we would hope
0:31:10 > 0:31:12so we're now working with the police
0:31:12 > 0:31:15and they're looking at putting covert cameras in.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Tony also replaced the broken camera but, for Jason
0:31:20 > 0:31:24and Shareen, living a life in fear is now becoming too much.
0:31:24 > 0:31:31Over the past three weeks, it's just escalated to paint on the door,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33hammer holes,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35CCTV cameras being destroyed.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37It's just been a nightmare living here.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41Like, it's not getting easier, it's getting worse.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43It's frustrating. It's frustrating for all of us
0:31:43 > 0:31:44trying to help the family,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48because this has been three weeks of constant battering
0:31:48 > 0:31:51on their emotions and on their physical wellbeing
0:31:51 > 0:31:55and I wouldn't want to put up with it myself.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59I've got to look at that door so many times a day and it just puts
0:31:59 > 0:32:03a big strain on us because we're sitting there, we're thinking,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07"When is the next attack going to be and what's he going to do next?
0:32:07 > 0:32:09"Is he going to go something bigger
0:32:09 > 0:32:12"and do a front room window or bedroom window?"
0:32:12 > 0:32:16The family now wants to move and, to be honest, I'm not surprised.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Tony's CCTV footage could help their predicament, though.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21- Morning. How are you? - All right, you?
0:32:21 > 0:32:25- Good, good, good. Shall I come in? - Yes.- Excellent.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28With the material in the hands of the police,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32they could now be prioritised for a new, safer home.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35The main reason I came back was just to check that everything was
0:32:35 > 0:32:40all right and I wanted to find out from you how you
0:32:40 > 0:32:42got on about getting the paperwork.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46My mum's done a letter. My dad's done a letter. I've got to go back
0:32:46 > 0:32:49to the doctor's at some point this afternoon to go get their letter.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Doctor's had to put me on anti-depressants
0:32:52 > 0:32:56and they've been referring me to counselling.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00The longer we stay here, the worse I'm going to get.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05They're very fragile. Particularly having a small child in the flat.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11- She knows something... - Isn't right.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14She looks at the door and says, "Oh, no, it's broken. Bad people."
0:33:15 > 0:33:16It's not nice.
0:33:18 > 0:33:19They've made their stand.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23They've supported us in trying to find out who's doing it
0:33:23 > 0:33:26and, in their shoes, I'd move out.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28And that's the reality of it.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33I take it nothing's happened to the other camera we put in?
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It's pointing the right way. Doesn't look like anyone's tampered with it.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40- We just have to keep an eye on it. - So far, so good.- So far, so good.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42The simple fact is, if it does what it needs to do,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45then it'll be fine but, other than that, having cameras
0:33:45 > 0:33:48outside your house is not exactly ideal.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Hopefully this will put an end to it.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53I've just got to hope for the best, really, that
0:33:53 > 0:33:55it gets sorted one way or another.
0:33:55 > 0:33:56You can get a bit of peace.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58- We could do with it.- Mm.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02You've got to really feel for this family
0:34:02 > 0:34:03but, for housing officers,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07sometimes there is no quick-fix solution to a problem.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09We've put replacement cameras in.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13Our tenants will be looking to put a request in to be moved.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17I will argue a case to the panel that they should be moved.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19A fresh start, yeah.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29For now, though, Tony can rid them of any reminders of their situation,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31and that means a new door.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Ten days later, I'm pleased to say the old eyesore has gone.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39We've had our new front door fitted this morning.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42It looks a lot better than what it did. Obviously.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45It's not something that's going to be really horrible to look at now
0:34:45 > 0:34:48when you go out the door and, if people do come up, they ain't
0:34:48 > 0:34:51got to look at a horrible door to come in or anything like that.
0:34:51 > 0:34:52So, yeah, pretty happy.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Importantly, Jason and Shareen will be much safer here
0:34:57 > 0:34:59until they can be rehoused.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03It is going to be more relaxing for us to move in to our own property
0:35:03 > 0:35:04and go from there, really.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09If I can do something to help better their situation
0:35:09 > 0:35:12then I'm very pleased about that.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Cos nobody else is looking after them right now.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18Come back later,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21when we'll have more on the man who threatened Shareen.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29'Over in Oldbury, I'm with Richard Hawkins,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32'inspecting a block of flats in serious disrepair.'
0:35:33 > 0:35:36As a council, we have done everything,
0:35:36 > 0:35:40and I mean everything, that we can do to get this resolved.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45Over the past three years, the freehold owner of these flats
0:35:45 > 0:35:50has received fines mounting up to £130,000.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51'But they're yet to be paid
0:35:51 > 0:35:55'and, meanwhile, the communal areas are getting worse and worse.'
0:35:56 > 0:36:00If I start to feel now that people are at imminent risk
0:36:00 > 0:36:02then I will have to shut these flats down
0:36:02 > 0:36:06and that is literally where I'm at the stage of having to consider now.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09OK, this might be great training for me
0:36:09 > 0:36:12but it provides appalling conditions for people to be living in.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14And there are plenty who have to put up with it.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19'Richard's taking me to meet Mr Love,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22'one of the longest-standing residents here.'
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- Nice to see you. - sorry about the gloves.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25Nice to see the face.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Well, yes, I can't do anything about that, I'm afraid.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31I'm just taking a tour of the site with Richard here
0:36:31 > 0:36:33and I'm trying to learn his job,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35effectively, to find out what he has to do.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40And what I've seen from this site is quite upsetting...
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- It is upsetting. - ..if I'm honest with you.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44And the last ten years it's really been upsetting.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47We have had problems, possibly longer than that.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Ten years, I'd say, yes.
0:36:49 > 0:36:50And how long have you been living here?
0:36:50 > 0:36:5432 years, plus six months.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57So, was that at the stage where it was a new development?
0:36:57 > 0:36:58Very, very good. Fantastic.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- It's been your home for a long time. - It has. Absolutely.
0:37:01 > 0:37:0332 years, very happy indeed.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07But, I mean, the properties around you are in such disrepair
0:37:07 > 0:37:10and the site, generally, is in terrible...
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Would you not...? Does it make you feel like moving?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16It does, certainly. Yes.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19'It's really disturbing that such a house-proud gentleman has
0:37:19 > 0:37:22'gone from living in what must have been quite a smart home...
0:37:22 > 0:37:23'to this.'
0:37:23 > 0:37:28Just to warn you, just be careful of this cos I've just noticed
0:37:28 > 0:37:30the actual brickwork has dropped here
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and, if you look here, the actual frame's gone.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35So we need to be very careful here.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44And, as you can see, there's a serious issue with the roof.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48That looks like it's on the verge of falling in completely.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52'But back to the books and our priority today is to make sure
0:37:52 > 0:37:56'there are no immediate threats to the health of the residents.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59'We've been asked to come and inspect this flat by the tenant,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03'who's paying £80 a week to live here, but he's got no electricity.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07'The meter's been removed, so the tenant has been forced to use
0:38:07 > 0:38:11'a concoction of cables to take electricity from his neighbour.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14'The landlord shouldn't be renting the property out without power.'
0:38:14 > 0:38:16I've been doing this nine years
0:38:16 > 0:38:20and I've never seen electricity have to be put in from next door.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26As you can see, it's quite clearly the supply has been
0:38:26 > 0:38:29disconnected, so there is no way that the tenant can provide
0:38:29 > 0:38:33electricity and that is the responsibility of the landlord.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36So what do you think is the best thing to do there, Matt?
0:38:36 > 0:38:40I think that is a straight notice to the landlord to say,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42- "Get this up and running." - More immediate.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46- What, contact the Western Power...? - Get a photograph.- Oh!
0:38:50 > 0:38:53'As they say, every day's a school day.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55'But my training is beginning to pay off.'
0:38:55 > 0:38:58What would you say is your concern about that?
0:38:58 > 0:39:02My concern about that is that it looks like an electric heater
0:39:02 > 0:39:06with no legs, straight onto a wooden laminate floor.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I'm talking about a fire hazard here. It just feels like it's
0:39:09 > 0:39:13- about five minutes from putting this house in serious danger.- Yeah.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Every single house in the country should have fixed, wall-mounted
0:39:16 > 0:39:19heaters that people can control the temperature on.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22This is... It's unsuitable, it's unsafe and...
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Even if it was safe, it would be unsuitable.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30'Seems to me like Brody's moved into a half-completed
0:39:30 > 0:39:32'renovation project here.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35'In fact, in the whole estate it feels like, everywhere I look,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37'people are being let down.'
0:39:39 > 0:39:42If you're sitting at home comfortably in your house
0:39:42 > 0:39:46and enjoying central heating and electricity, which presumably
0:39:46 > 0:39:50you've got if you're watching this at all,
0:39:50 > 0:39:54then where I'm standing right now is somewhere that you'll struggle
0:39:54 > 0:39:56to get your head around.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58People are making their homes here
0:39:58 > 0:40:02and they deserve just the basics at least to be able to do that -
0:40:02 > 0:40:08electricity, hot water, heating - and those things are missing.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10And that's before you start,
0:40:10 > 0:40:14you know, on the decaying structures that are outside.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17It's somewhere else. It needs sorting out.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24'The next morning, by the time I arrive at the office,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26'Richard is well ahead of me.'
0:40:26 > 0:40:29So, Richard, I was told this was a nine-to-five job,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32that's what I'd be doing, but you've been in this morning since when?
0:40:32 > 0:40:356:20am this morning I was in, yeah.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37Well, I mean, obviously, we went out to that flat yesterday
0:40:37 > 0:40:39and there was a massive amount of concerns.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43I came to the conclusion that it was of such a serious nature that we
0:40:43 > 0:40:48needed to recommend to the director that they serve a prohibition order.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51That's the route that we're going down this morning.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Once we've got them out of the situation, that takes
0:40:54 > 0:40:59the pressure off those quite serious issues which we saw yesterday,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01that they can then obviously be resolved.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Because that flat will not be allowed to be occupied again
0:41:04 > 0:41:06until those issues are resolved.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Bit by bit, you're trying to chisel away at Trafalgar Court and make it
0:41:10 > 0:41:14a really functional place for people to live and bring up their families.
0:41:14 > 0:41:19There is absolutely no reason why Trafalgar Court can't be
0:41:19 > 0:41:21a reasonable place to live.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26It's a mixed result for us here.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29In my experience so far, a course of action as drastic
0:41:29 > 0:41:32as a prohibition order is a housing officer's last resort
0:41:32 > 0:41:35as it runs the risk of leaving people homeless.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39But Richard had serious concerns for the safety of the tenant,
0:41:39 > 0:41:40and rightly so.
0:41:41 > 0:41:46It was a pretty dangerous flat. However, it's boarded up.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50And it's one more flat on Trafalgar Court that is not housing someone.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54It's another home that is no longer accessible,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57no longer part of the stock
0:41:57 > 0:42:00and that means no-one else can move in, for the meantime.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06The company that held the freehold on these flats
0:42:06 > 0:42:09was in liquidation at the time of the inspection.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11They told us the property was in a rundown state
0:42:11 > 0:42:14when they acquired it and they'd encountered difficulties
0:42:14 > 0:42:17collecting service charges from some of the tenants.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21One of the company's directors told us...
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Earlier, we met Jason and his partner Shareen,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45who been threatened in the street.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49Since then, a man has been found guilty of a public order offence
0:42:49 > 0:42:53and fined £130 plus £300 costs.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Who destroyed the CCTV camera remains a mystery.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03That's it for today. Join me next time,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07when I'll continue to find out if I've got what it takes
0:43:07 > 0:43:10to join the ranks of Britain's front-line housing officers.