0:00:02 > 0:00:04The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07- You've actually seen rats, have you? - Yeah, we have, yeah.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10But for thousands of people across Britain right now,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17- We've got a nappy in the tree there, look.- I'm sure that that is pee.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO
0:00:19 > 0:00:21In the battle between tenants and landlords,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25I can smell gas.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28You are committing an offence under the Housing Act.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- Are you having a laugh?! - I'm Matt Allwright.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Damp, cold, dangerous.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33They're trying to make me look bad.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Have you only recently become aware of planning permission?
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And I'm back on the job, once again joining the ranks
0:00:39 > 0:00:40of the housing enforcers.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42They are tackling problem properties...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's a right old mess in there, isn't it?
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..dealing with the consequences of nightmare neighbours...
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I've had three tyres cut.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..and doing their best to help those in need.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57- This is the first time I've had a smile on my face!- Oh!
0:00:57 > 0:00:59We just heard a squeak.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Today I'm visiting a run-down house in east London...
0:01:06 > 0:01:10This is where the cockroaches, rats and everything are coming from.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13..where I make a surprising discovery.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15I rent the accommodation from the Home Office.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18He says that a lot of the people that are staying here
0:01:18 > 0:01:22are asylum seekers having their rent paid by the Home Office.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25I call at a house that is an inferno in the making.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30We have no fire or smoke detection.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31This is not a fire door.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36If I hadn't had been awake, then we probably would have been dead.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37And, with the help of the council,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41a devoted dad brings some happiness to his brave daughter.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43What can I do to help my daughter? You know,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I couldn't make her better, I'm not a doctor, I couldn't make her better
0:01:46 > 0:01:49but I could just try and make the situation and her lifestyle better.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52He's absolutely amazing because he's done everything
0:01:52 > 0:01:57he can possibly do for me to help me in the best way possible.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00You're welcome, darling. Any time.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06They say an Englishman's home is his castle
0:02:06 > 0:02:10but if that place is rented, it's the job of housing officers to
0:02:10 > 0:02:13make sure that it is a decent place to live.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16They keep an eye on landlords to make sure the property
0:02:16 > 0:02:19is up to scratch AND on some tenants,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21to make sure they are keeping their half of the bargain.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24In east London,
0:02:24 > 0:02:29the borough of Newham has something like 35,000 privately rented homes.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32So, keeping rogue landlords in check is a mammoth job.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Today I'm getting a crash course
0:02:34 > 0:02:35in how the council's planning department
0:02:35 > 0:02:38are helping with the fight to shut down illegal
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and dangerous properties.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42It's 7am, and I am riding shotgun
0:02:42 > 0:02:45with planning enforcement and policy manager Christine Lyons
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and planning officers Ellen Nicholson and Megan Rowe
0:02:48 > 0:02:50on some early-morning raids.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53The properties we are hitting have all been illegally converted
0:02:53 > 0:02:57into flats or bedsits, without planning permission.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59When this house was inspected before,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01it was being illegally used as bedsits.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05The owner was then ordered to turn it back into a single family home.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07We are here to check.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09LOUD KNOCKING
0:03:10 > 0:03:12I love it when Christine knocks.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- REALLY LOUD KNOCKING - Say what you like, it gets results.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Good morning.- Sorry to bother you so early in the morning.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I'm Christine Lyons. I'm from Planning. Hi, can we just come in?
0:03:24 > 0:03:28We served a notice against the property...
0:03:28 > 0:03:31The man who let us in doesn't want to be identified.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33But from what he tells us, it's immediately clear
0:03:33 > 0:03:37that there are far too many people crammed into this property.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Are the people in upstairs?- Yes.
0:03:39 > 0:03:40- Yeah?- It's two people.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Two people in every room? OK. And how many bedrooms are there?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Two downstairs, three upstairs.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48- OK.- So basically, it's ten people.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49Ten people.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53It's clearly still being let to individuals, not a family.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55But overcrowding isn't the only problem here.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59The property is in an absolutely terrible condition.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01This is a wet room that shouldn't be a wet room.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03No, if you look at it from the outside,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06the building is in a right mess from the outside.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09This is just a lean-to and there is a shower in it.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12"Please keep the door closed after use."
0:04:13 > 0:04:15You'll be lucky.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22This tagged-on lean-to building that has obviously just been thrown up
0:04:22 > 0:04:27in a hurry, and that's got a sort of shower/toilet block in it.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32It's just got damp running up from ground to waist-high.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36There is no way that that could be kept warm or dry.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Join us later when we'll be trying to work out exactly how many people
0:04:40 > 0:04:42are living in this place.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- Oh, you are kidding me.- No.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47This is just an additional 200 quid a week, isn't it?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49And who they are sharing it with.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54This is where the cockroaches, rats and everything are coming from.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59When houses fall into a serious state of disrepair,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the results are potentially catastrophic.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I'm in Oldbury in the West Midlands with housing officer
0:05:07 > 0:05:08Richard Hawkins.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10He's had a call from a worried tenant.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13So where are we going today?
0:05:13 > 0:05:16We've had a young lady who has contacted us to say that she's
0:05:16 > 0:05:20got some disrepairs at her property that she is concerned with.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25Broken windows, lack of heating, holes in ceilings.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29There is quite a selection of things that we've got to have a look at, so it could be quite a long day.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34I was in a hostel before this. It was like a hotel compared to this.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36No holes in the walls, no coldness, there was heating,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38there was electric.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42You know. So, it was much better.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Every year, Sandwell Council's housing team receives
0:05:45 > 0:05:47over 800 complaints about poor conditions
0:05:47 > 0:05:49in the private rented sector.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53What we're about to see is an example of a property
0:05:53 > 0:05:57that is not just in poor repair, it is positively dangerous.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58So this is the property.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Unfortunately, tenant Coral Shawney who made the call to the council,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05had work commitments the day of our inspection.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06But after we gained access,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09it was immediately clear what the problems were.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13OK, that's a good start.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15What are your first thoughts?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Just from the rooms we've seen, just real structural problems here.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Which can really affect anybody that's living here.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25We've got a leak through this bedroom ceiling here.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29We've got an electrical socket which is hanging on for dear life.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31The only form of heating in here seems to be
0:06:31 > 0:06:33the electrical wall heater here.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39That's not even really fitted on properly.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Electricity is the major cause of accidental fires in UK homes,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46with over 20,000 each year.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48So already I'm sensing danger.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51And it's not just the shocking state of the electrics that sets
0:06:51 > 0:06:52alarm bells ringing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55There is also a strange hole in the ceiling.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- It doesn't feel wet.- Just get your finger in the hole, if you can.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05We need to know...
0:07:05 > 0:07:07- No, it's dry.- OK.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09As we are leaving the room,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Richard notices something else unpleasant above our heads.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16Is that blood on the ceiling? Or is it water?
0:07:16 > 0:07:18I think it could be blood.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- No, it's over here as well. But then...- Is it?
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Off to the bathroom now. And even more electrical problems.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26This place is starting to scare me.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29It's probably just over a metre by a metre.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33What do you use a bathroom for?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- Would you use a shower for? - You use it to clean yourself.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40And in that process, what do you generally tend to generate a lot of?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- A lot of steam. There is no ventilation!- No ventilation.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45How could I have been doing this now and not...
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- There is no ventilation in here at all.- At all.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52So the steam in there would just build up, you'll get condensation
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and then you'll get damp and, in any case, it would
0:07:54 > 0:07:57just be difficult to use because you wouldn't be able to see.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00If the door's closed and you're having a shower,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- this would be full of steam in no time at all.- Absolutely.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05They've packed quite a lot in here.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10We've got a shower with an activator which is hanging off.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13So you've got a mixture of electricity and water,
0:08:13 > 0:08:18you've got no ventilation in here and you've got loose light fittings.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It looks like you could easily be caught
0:08:21 > 0:08:23with your trousers down in this bathroom.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25- Something we both missed. - Behind the door?
0:08:25 > 0:08:27What's wrong with the door?
0:08:27 > 0:08:32- The door's damaged. - Yeah. Just close it.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- Oh, it's got no handle. - It's got no handle.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39So, if you did close the door, you're stuck in there.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- Don't close the door. - Don't close the door.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Next we find a room that is, well, difficult.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47I mean, it's tiny, but it could be a kitchen,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49a living room or a bedroom.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51I mean, the fact that they're across the floor...
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I'm hoping that it's just that people had been sitting on the floor
0:08:54 > 0:08:58but it could be that someone has been using it as a makeshift bedroom.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01The tenants tell us this room is used as an occasional crashpad
0:09:01 > 0:09:02for overnight visitors.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05I think this is the window that was smashed.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06So it's cold in here as well.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- Piece of glass just waiting to fall out.- Yeah.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I mean, that's horrendous, isn't it?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14It's not just broken glass that could be dangerous in this
0:09:14 > 0:09:15makeshift bedroom.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19So, in a very, very small room, we've still got
0:09:19 > 0:09:21a sort of small kitchen.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Well, a sink unit, nothing else, really.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26With a draining board and some storage.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28I've got no idea why they would put that in here.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Don't shut the door. Once you open it, you can never close it again.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- It's actually the wrong way around. - Yes.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Because that snib, that should...
0:09:36 > 0:09:39That's why I had to smile when I looked at it.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43We have no fire or smoke detection in here at all.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44This is not a fire door.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Thank goodness it's not being used as a kitchen.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51It gets worse on the landing.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54It seems wherever we turn in this property, there are potentially
0:09:54 > 0:09:55lethal faults.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59- That should now light up.- Light up.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02See, it's...test.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05So that gives you the illusion that everything is fine.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- That is worse than them not being there.- Yeah.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Because you are actually putting faith in the fact that
0:10:10 > 0:10:12you have a detector and an emergency light there.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14You could be sitting upstairs and be thinking,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17"Oh, I can smell smoke here, but there can't be a problem
0:10:17 > 0:10:20"because the alarms haven't gone off and the lights haven't come on."
0:10:20 > 0:10:21Just a technical matter?
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Well, later we discover the terrifying repercussions.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26There's no fire alarms that work,
0:10:26 > 0:10:33so if I hadn't had been awake, then we probably would have been dead.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43In Newham, I'm visiting a property which was being illegally rented out
0:10:43 > 0:10:47as bedsits and was served with an enforcement notice,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50requiring the landlord only let it as a single family dwelling.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53It is clear this isn't happening.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- Two people, you know. - Two people in every room?
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- OK, and how many bedrooms are there? - Two downstairs, three upstairs.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- So basically, it's ten people. - Ten people.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05And the house isn't just overcrowded,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08it's in a shocking state of disrepair.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09This is a shower/toilet block.
0:11:09 > 0:11:15It's just got damp running up from ground to waist-high.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Planning enforcement and policy manager, Christine,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20is suspicious that the shed at the bottom of the garden
0:11:20 > 0:11:22might be being used as accommodation.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Oh, you're kidding me?
0:11:27 > 0:11:31This is just an additional 200 quid a week, isn't it?
0:11:31 > 0:11:35If an unscrupulous landlord could be getting 200 quid renting out
0:11:35 > 0:11:38a shed, it's little wonder they are willing to flout the planning laws.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40But the knock-on effect is dire.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43This, it should be like a family home.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Which would be looked after, cared for.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48It goes over to this type of market and is not cared for,
0:11:48 > 0:11:49the properties fall into disrepair
0:11:49 > 0:11:53and we are having an increasing number of failing properties in our
0:11:53 > 0:11:56borough through the fact that they are rented and not looked after.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59And when it's people who really have no other choice, you know,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02we're talking about people who have no other choice about where to live,
0:12:02 > 0:12:03then this is what they get.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05This is the very, very bottom of the housing ladder.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08There is no investment by the landlord because he knows
0:12:08 > 0:12:11he just gets his constant money whatever state it falls into.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14As well as the ten people living in these terrible conditions,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17the guy who let us in tells us there is
0:12:17 > 0:12:19something nasty lurking in the basement.
0:12:19 > 0:12:20(Let's go downstairs.)
0:12:29 > 0:12:31It's really bad.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35This is where the cockroaches, rats and everything are coming from.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- You think they are living in this...?- Yes, yes.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39In all of this rubbish.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Pile of rubbish, they are all rubbish as it is.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47- And then your room is above this? - Yes, that's my own room
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and I can't live with all these cockroaches and everything.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53You know what? Sometimes you want to stop looking
0:12:53 > 0:12:55in case you find what you're looking for.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00I'm going to take your word for it.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03OK. How are you finding living here?
0:13:03 > 0:13:09It is not up to the standard of the normal living situation of a person.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Luckily, I haven't come face-to-face with any rats
0:13:12 > 0:13:16but Megan has discovered the human occupants aren't the only ones
0:13:16 > 0:13:17sharing their overcrowded kitchen.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19We found mouse droppings in the cupboard.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22The whole property is just a horrible state.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24So you've got mouse droppings there, the gentleman was saying
0:13:24 > 0:13:29that he's seen cockroaches and rats throughout the property.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30It's freezing in here.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33That back door doesn't close, this one has no handle on it.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36So this property is not secure at all.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39There was a time in Newham when you could leave your doors open,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- but that is not now. This is not that time.- No, no.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Downstairs is damp, infested with rodents
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and anyone can just walk in.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Upstairs, the situation isn't any better.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Horrible bathroom.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56Still waiting to see if there is a cockroach but I think this house
0:13:56 > 0:13:59has to be one of the best candidates for showing me that.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02The squalid conditions are bad enough.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05But a second man, who also doesn't want to be identified,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08has some information that means this might not just be a simple case
0:14:08 > 0:14:13of a landlord illegally converting a house into bedsits.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15- How many people living here in this room?- Two.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Two of you? Do you pay your own rent or...
0:14:17 > 0:14:21No, I have accommodation from the Home Office.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23He says that a lot of the people who are staying here
0:14:23 > 0:14:28are asylum seekers having their rent paid by the Home Office.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31After talking to the occupants, it seems the property is actually being
0:14:31 > 0:14:36rented by an agency, paid to house asylum seekers with public money.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Companies contracted to provide this accommodation must ensure
0:14:41 > 0:14:45that it is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50However, a survey in 2013 revealed that almost 3/4 of properties
0:14:50 > 0:14:53housing asylum seekers weren't fully compliant with these standards
0:14:53 > 0:14:57and, as far as I can tell, this house seems to be one of them.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01- How long have you been in this property?- I think seven months.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02- Seven months?- Yes.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- So you've got... There are two beds here...- Yes.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09And the window is very small.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13In the summertime it is very difficult,
0:15:13 > 0:15:18even if we open it all day, still room is very hot.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- Does it get damp in here as well? - Yes.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24All the time at night when we are sleeping in the summer,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26we are sleeping with the door open.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28So you've got a fridge-freezer in here as well?
0:15:28 > 0:15:29No, we bought it ourselves.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31- You bought that yourself?- Yes.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- Rather than use the kitchen?- No.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Because there was one downstairs, but it has broken down.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- Has it always been the same? - The same.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42I came here and there was a guy here and we complained about it
0:15:42 > 0:15:45because the room is very small but nobody cared.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47This man is forced to share a tiny,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49cramped room with another man he doesn't know.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51He doesn't even speak the same language.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55What is it like, what's it doing to you living here?
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- How are you coping, you know... - I've got no choice.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Because for asylum seekers whose cases are processing,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04if you complain they kick you out.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09- So you can't do anything, you are in limbo.- You have nothing to do.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- Nothing.- Yeah.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Thank you very much for your time. - You are welcome.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17As well as making sure properties are properly maintained,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21agencies providing accommodation for asylum seekers are also obliged
0:16:21 > 0:16:23to provide a complaints process.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Something that doesn't seem to be happening here.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I've seen some appalling things since I've been doing this job,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32but the set-up that these guys are being forced to live in
0:16:32 > 0:16:33is nothing short of a disgrace.
0:16:36 > 0:16:42Wow. The conditions are infested, filthy, cold.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45But it seems to come back to the fact that they don't feel
0:16:45 > 0:16:47they have the right to complain about that
0:16:47 > 0:16:51because their very presence in the country is in jeopardy.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So, that right to complain, you know, being able to stand
0:16:54 > 0:16:57up for your rights, directly affects anything happening to that property.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- And it getting any better. - Yes, it's not going to.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Until someone takes control of that property.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04But they've even had the warning.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07They've said it shouldn't be run like that and yet it still is.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09So what can we do?
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Once they've had the enforcement, surely that's it, isn't it?
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Yes, the next step is prosecution.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18It's bad enough that the landlord is still breaking the law,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21but it looks like these people are also being let down by an agency,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24paid with public money to provide the kind of safe,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28habitable accommodation laid out in the Immigration and Asylum Act.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I mean, these things are really very straightforward.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35I mean, there are rules, there are laws in black and white
0:17:35 > 0:17:38about the condition of a property like that.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41And yet it seems to have carried on, you know,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44and it's public money that is being spent on their rents as well.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47It just seems absolutely mind-boggling that they
0:17:47 > 0:17:51could be living in those conditions and we're paying for it.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Yes, this standard of accommodation shouldn't be available for anybody.
0:17:55 > 0:18:01This is accommodation, in the UK, in our capital, in 2015.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- It's mind-boggling.- Yeah.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Since we visited,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12the majority of the tenants at this address have moved out.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15And Newham Council is talking to the Home Office
0:18:15 > 0:18:20about the subcontracted company that was providing the accommodation.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Newham Council say that they want to ensure the quality of housing
0:18:24 > 0:18:26provided is improved.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30But in the meantime, they haven't ruled out taking legal action.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Next, we're in Sandwell, in the West Midlands.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42We all value our independence, but at the age of only 15,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Jodie Millard has found hers severely restricted.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49After being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52doctors had to amputate Jodie's leg.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55She now has to use a wheelchair to get around at home.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It's quite difficult. I can't move around much.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03It's also difficult for me to, like, wash
0:19:03 > 0:19:07because of not having a downstairs shower room.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12Obviously it doesn't make me independent,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15so I have to rely on other people.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16Jodie's dad, Mark, has been
0:19:16 > 0:19:19pulling out all the stops to help his brave daughter,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23thanks in part to a council grant scheme designed for people
0:19:23 > 0:19:25just like her.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- So these are things which will make their lives easier?- Yes.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33So in terms of mobility and just being able to do the basic things
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- that a lot of us take for granted. - Keeping them independent, basically.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38'Housing officer, Tahir Malik, and I
0:19:38 > 0:19:41'are going to pay the Millards a visit...'
0:19:41 > 0:19:42- Hello, Mr Millard?- Hello.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44How are you doing? I'm Matt.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46- I'm fine, yourself? - Good to see you. Good, thanks.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48'..and have a closer look at the downstairs extension that
0:19:48 > 0:19:51'Mark has been building just for Jodie.'
0:19:52 > 0:19:55'Whilst Tahir takes a few snaps for the record,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57'I'm keen to find out a bit more.'
0:19:57 > 0:19:58Tell me about Jodie's situation,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01what's happening with her at the moment?
0:20:01 > 0:20:03At the moment she's still going through chemotherapy.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07She ended up having to have an amputation due to the cancer
0:20:07 > 0:20:10that she got in the bone just above her knee in the right leg.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Unfortunately, she had to lose the limb.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Um...
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Where do I go from there?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Like I say, it's just hard work
0:20:19 > 0:20:21where she is in and out of hospital all the time
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and up and down in herself because of the chemo,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26which drains her and knocks her about
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and it's really draining on her.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33The last few months must have been very difficult for the whole family.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36I'm wondering how much building the extension has helped Mark
0:20:36 > 0:20:38to deal with it.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Is it a little bit of therapy for you as well? Because you can...
0:20:40 > 0:20:42It took my mind off a lot of things, yeah.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45I've been in the building trade for a long time
0:20:45 > 0:20:48and it was a way of me coping and, what can I do to help my daughter?
0:20:48 > 0:20:50I couldn't make her better, I'm not a doctor,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I couldn't make her better, but I could just try to make the situation
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and her lifestyle better. That's all I could do for her.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Jodie's needs are constantly changing
0:20:58 > 0:20:59but Mark is trying to make sure
0:20:59 > 0:21:03she can have a life as close as possible to any other teenage girl.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08This is used for a bedroom for Jodie and also a study/chill room
0:21:08 > 0:21:11for Jodie, somewhere that she can have her friends round.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14You know, she hasn't got to struggle upstairs into her bedroom.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16If we can take that pressure from Jodie as well
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and give her her own independence back,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21and also take the pressure off us as parents and family,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23and try to rebuild her life.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Trying to, you know... Has had the amputation,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28let's get her through the chemotherapy,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31fingers crossed everything is clear from there
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and she can rebuild her life from there.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35That's good to hear.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It seems like this extension is going to help the family
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and give Jodie the independence she really needs.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43So this is effectively her own front door?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46This is effectively Jodie's own front door, yes.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49We've had the door widened, the block paving lifted up
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and ramped up for her so she can come in off the wheelchair.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54Lovely bit of tiling.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59This bit here is going to be Jodie's bathroom/wet room. Toilet there.
0:21:59 > 0:22:05Sink basin there. And just here is going to be a wheel-in wet room,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08where you've got the drains and the shower on the wall there for her.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Everything is automatic, the lights, the fan and the shower.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- The shower there, ready to go.- The shower there, ready to be installed.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Which is a remote-controlled shower, so that can be operated
0:22:19 > 0:22:23from outside the shower to get the temperature right.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26A friend told Mark about the council grant.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27Without it, he would have struggled
0:22:27 > 0:22:29to pay for all the building materials
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and the extra labour costs.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Have you got any idea whether it's going to cover, you know,
0:22:35 > 0:22:3650% of it, or 75%?
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Is that still a bit of a grey area at the moment?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43No, I believe that it is going to cover most of everything
0:22:43 > 0:22:45that's been paid out, yes.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- Wow! That's fantastic.- It is, yes.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's a massive weight off my shoulders.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Not having to worry about the money and, you know,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55the cost of the build.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58It's a huge weight off my shoulders.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Well, it's one less thing to worry about.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Mark has been doing an amazing job. So what does Jodie make of it?
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Out there is this fantastic structure.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11What difference is that going to make to you
0:23:11 > 0:23:13and the way you live in your life?
0:23:13 > 0:23:18It will make a big impact on my life because I am able to go off
0:23:18 > 0:23:21at any time and shower
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and I am able to access it.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28I'm looking forward to actually spending more time with my family
0:23:28 > 0:23:32and actually relaxing with my family.
0:23:32 > 0:23:38- And also I want my independence back.- What do you think of your dad?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41He's absolutely amazing because he's done everything
0:23:41 > 0:23:46he can possibly do for me to help me in the best way possible.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49You're welcome, darling. Any time.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Clearly, things haven't been easy for Jodie
0:23:54 > 0:23:57but thanks to her dad and the grant from the council,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59she can now look forward
0:23:59 > 0:24:01to a brighter and more independent future.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09Back in Oldbury,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11worried tenant Coral Shawney called the housing team
0:24:11 > 0:24:15about the poor state of the property she is renting.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18When I visited with housing officer Richard Hawkins,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21we witnessed some shocking electrical problems,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25not a single working smoke alarm and some other serious issues.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Yes, I'm so glad that the council has come and done the inspection
0:24:29 > 0:24:31because it is like I'll go in
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and they think I'm exaggerating about how cold it is in here
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and, you know, you have to walk around in coats and stuff
0:24:37 > 0:24:41because it is absolutely freezing and there are holes in the roof...
0:24:41 > 0:24:43and in the ceiling that leak.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47You know, so I'm glad they can actually see it for themselves.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51And it's not just the sub-zero temperatures and electrical faults
0:24:51 > 0:24:53that are causing the tenants sleepless nights.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57The chimney started falling down, so guys had to go in
0:24:57 > 0:24:58and sort it out,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02take some bricks off so it didn't end up causing any more damage.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04If you shut the door too hard,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07is there going to be a brick that falls on my head or something?
0:25:07 > 0:25:08Do you know what I mean?
0:25:08 > 0:25:10It's not safe at all.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Coral's bedroom is another hazardous area.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17As you can see, it is literally just board, it's not a real wall
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and if you go like this, then things start falling and cracking.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23And then when you shut my door,
0:25:23 > 0:25:28because it doesn't shut properly, you have to properly slam it.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31And then the same to open it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35And then you get plasterboard on my floor.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39In fact, there aren't many doors in this property that actually work.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40That's a fire hazard in itself.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43But when you combine it with the broken smoke alarms,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46you have a situation that almost resulted in a real-life tragedy.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Me and my partner, we were in bed. And I smelt burning.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53And he was like, "OK, I'll go and check it out."
0:25:53 > 0:25:56He opened my door and a waft of smoke came in and I was like,
0:25:56 > 0:25:57"What's going on?"
0:25:57 > 0:25:59And he opened the kitchen door
0:25:59 > 0:26:01and it was literally filled with black smoke.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06There's no fire alarms. Well, no fire alarms that work.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10If I hadn't had been awake, then we probably would have been dead.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13There is no doubt about it.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14As soon as he opened the door,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16I had to get down to the ground because I couldn't breathe.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19I was coughing my lungs up, you know, it was horrible.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20It was absolutely horrible.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Even though I'd been briefed on what had happened here
0:26:23 > 0:26:26before our inspection, Richard and I were stunned
0:26:26 > 0:26:28when we came across the scene of the fire.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32So, if we needed an example of the problems in this house
0:26:32 > 0:26:36and the results that you can get from them, then there we go.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39It seems that a pan was left on the hob
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and no-one realised it was left on, and as a result,
0:26:42 > 0:26:47the whole kitchen filled with black smoke, and luckily,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50one of the tenants' partners spotted it and alerted
0:26:50 > 0:26:52the rest of the house.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57Because, as you can see, the fire and smoke detection is not working.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59That could have easily escalated,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02taking all the occupants in this house, and of course this is
0:27:02 > 0:27:05a terraced house, you've got properties either side as well.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09The fact that there were people here that could have died...
0:27:09 > 0:27:12It's very upsetting, it's horrible.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15It's obviously dangerous.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19It's been done, from what I can tell,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21in places on the cheap.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27People's lives are put in danger. It's poorly designed.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31There is a lot that needs to be brought up to standard here.
0:27:31 > 0:27:32So, following our assessment,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Richard's absolutely determined to take all the action necessary
0:27:36 > 0:27:40to make sure there are no more accidents here waiting to happen.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Tell me what happens next.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45We are going to get a notice out to the landlord.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Make him aware of what's going on. Get the repairs carried out.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And hopefully get this up to a standard where, you know,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54these people can live safely.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- Shall we go? - Yes, let's get out of here.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07That's it for today's show.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Join me next time when I'll be finding out more about
0:28:10 > 0:28:13what it takes to become a front-line housing officer.