0:00:02 > 0:00:05The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live...
0:00:05 > 0:00:08I worry about the fire risk here.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10..but for thousands of people across Britain,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15How many months ago was it we had this place cleaned?
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The whole of that bit goes black with mould.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Hello?
0:00:19 > 0:00:21In the battle between tenants and landlords...
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- It's your fault, not the dog's fault.- This is what you get.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25I don't care.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- ..it's local housing officers... - What's causing that smell?
0:00:28 > 0:00:29..who are on the front line.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32The son's come out with baseball bats and knives on occasions.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33I'm Matt Allwright...
0:00:33 > 0:00:36- A lot of this problem is caused by the dogs.- Yeah.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38- That's your responsibility.- Yeah.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39..and I'm back on the job,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42once again, joining the ranks of the housing enforcers.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's got that mouse smell.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46They're tackling problem properties...
0:00:46 > 0:00:49This feels like an accident waiting to happen.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..dealing with the consequences of nightmare neighbours...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54So, I need to tell you that you are committing an offence
0:00:54 > 0:00:55under the Housing Act.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..and doing their best to help those in need.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Good old Will.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Today, I uncover one family in a housing crisis.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Do you have a toilet in there?
0:01:12 > 0:01:14There's no toilet attached?
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Blood isn't thicker than water,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21as two housing officers find a family dispute
0:01:21 > 0:01:23has made one property uninhabitable.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Yeah, handle's come off and he's put it on upside down, back to front.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32- Is the Sellotape a part of the feature?- Yeah.- Oh, right, excellent.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36And I get an insight into the pressure some landlords face
0:01:36 > 0:01:39as they try and manage their business.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41There's drugs paraphernalia.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Yeah, we've got our suspicions as to what they're up to,
0:01:44 > 0:01:45but you couldn't prove anything.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47They've smashed the door to pieces.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49I don't know what that is on the floor.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55They say an Englishman's home is his castle
0:01:55 > 0:01:57but if that place is rented,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59it's the job of housing officers
0:01:59 > 0:02:02to make sure it's a decent place to live.
0:02:02 > 0:02:03They keep an eye on landlords
0:02:03 > 0:02:05to make sure the property is up to scratch
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and on some tenants to make sure
0:02:08 > 0:02:10they're keeping their half of the bargain.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Newham, east London.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19It's a vibrant, multicultural borough,
0:02:19 > 0:02:20but according to council figures,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23it's not always somewhere people choose to stay.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26They have one of the highest percentages turnover of residents
0:02:26 > 0:02:29moving out of the borough after 12 months.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Unable to afford expensive rents, many tenants who do stay
0:02:33 > 0:02:37find themselves living in unlicensed houses of multiple occupancy,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39single-family homes
0:02:39 > 0:02:43that are unlawfully rented out as individual rooms.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46I'm with planning officers Ellen Nicholson and Tiffany Mallen,
0:02:46 > 0:02:47heading to a property,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51which just a few months ago was home to 17 people,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55resulting in a landlord being served with a council closure order.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59Ooh, look.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Clearly some changes have taken place here recently.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Internal doors with locks have been removed.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Tenants in shared accommodation often fit locks to their doors,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16so this could be a sign the property has been returned to a family home...
0:03:16 > 0:03:18but we need to know for sure.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Is it OK if we just have a quick look around?
0:03:20 > 0:03:22An array of tradesmen's equipment
0:03:22 > 0:03:25suggests the landlord is doing up the place.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28The question is, as what?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30So, the work's taking place right now,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34but then if this work is turning this into a house
0:03:34 > 0:03:36of multiple occupation,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38then this is a good time to stop it, isn't it?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40We probably won't be able to tell
0:03:40 > 0:03:43whether it's going to be a house of multiple occupation
0:03:43 > 0:03:45or a family home. Obviously, we can see whether
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- they're turning it into flats or not if they've put a kitchen in.- Yeah.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51With so much work going on, and the apparent lack of any facilities,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53you'd think the house would be empty,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55but we're in for a shock.
0:03:55 > 0:03:56- Hi.- Hello.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Are you living here?
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Yeah?
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Is it you and your family?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03There are still tenants here.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The mum doesn't want to be identified.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10OK, do you mind if we have a quick look in the rooms?
0:04:10 > 0:04:11Yeah, is that OK?
0:04:13 > 0:04:14Sleeping?
0:04:14 > 0:04:18The tenant, her mother-in-law, daughter and partner
0:04:18 > 0:04:20should have moved out four months ago,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22but despite the council's order,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24and the landlord serving them with an eviction notice,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26they haven't left.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28How long have you been living here for?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- Two years?- OK.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Two years is a long time to be crammed in to a house
0:04:39 > 0:04:42with 13 strangers.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Naheeda is the partner of the woman we've just met.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47What were the conditions like?
0:04:58 > 0:04:59When did that change?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02When the council came, and the council noticed these things,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05they got the proof that there are 17 people living in this house.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Photographs taken by the tenants show just how bad this place was.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15Overcrowded, unhygienic and riddled with damp.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20So you're living in the house like this, but the council comes in,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23they notice it and they demand changes.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Now we're seeing the changes take place.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- You're still here.- I'm still here.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And you're the only ones still in the house,
0:05:30 > 0:05:35- and you've been asked to leave several times?- Yes.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Naheeda came to the UK as a student
0:05:38 > 0:05:42and, although he can't claim benefits, he is allowed to work.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44But because the Home Office have kept his passport
0:05:44 > 0:05:46while he applies for an extension to his work visa,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50he currently has no ID and no way out of these conditions.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Are you without a toilet? Do you have a toilet in there?
0:05:54 > 0:05:58What are you going to do? Are you looking for somewhere else to live?
0:05:58 > 0:06:00I am looking for somewhere but it is not easy, you know?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Because everywhere is very difficult to get a house.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Coming up, I find out what life is like for a family of four
0:06:10 > 0:06:12living in just one room.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Who wants to live like this? Who?
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Every relationship has its ups and downs,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30but for many of the four million tenants living in privately
0:06:30 > 0:06:33rented accommodation across Britain, maintaining a good relationship
0:06:33 > 0:06:37with their landlord can be trickier than most.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And when disputes do arise,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42it's all too easy for things to spiral out of control.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48In Clacton, housing officers Rob Goswell and Grant Fenton-Jones
0:06:48 > 0:06:51have had a call from a tenant, whose fears about the dangerous
0:06:51 > 0:06:54state of her home have led to a total breakdown in relations
0:06:54 > 0:06:56with her landlord.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00The complaint is no back door, which means the house is
0:07:00 > 0:07:05open to the elements for 24 hours a day. And, supposedly, we've got
0:07:05 > 0:07:09- a boiler that is connected up with an extension lead.- Oh, right.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13The tenant claims the landlord's failure to maintain the house
0:07:13 > 0:07:15is putting her five young children at risk,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18but there's an added complication to the relationship.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20The landlord's the father
0:07:20 > 0:07:23of the lady who is the tenant in the property.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25It appears that there's been a breakdown
0:07:25 > 0:07:27in communications between both.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The tenant, who doesn't want to be identified,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32has applied to the council to be rehoused.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35While she waits, Rob and Grant need to inspect the property to
0:07:35 > 0:07:38work out what needs to be done to make it safe.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39Right, just before we move on,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I've just noticed you're missing your balustrade here.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Yeah, my dad brought a sofa in, took the old one out and
0:07:45 > 0:07:47took them down to get in, broke a couple of them,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49said he'd replace them, but that's been about a year.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53- You need to have some sort of support going up and down the stairs. - Yeah, I know.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55With three children under five living in the house,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58the lack of banisters is an accident waiting to happen,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01so it's not a great start.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Another apparent amateur repair job has turned what should have
0:08:04 > 0:08:07been a simple fix into a safety issue.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12This handle came loose, so he took the door handle from here
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and put it like this one that goes round.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17So we changed the handles round and, because it
0:08:17 > 0:08:21didn't lock, he had a bright idea to put that on that.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- To screw it shut. - That's came out.- Yeah.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29As one door closes, dangerously, another is open, permanently.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- A completely missing door. - It was really tight as well.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36I literally just nudged it with my bum and, as I nudged it,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39the whole thing just went, only the one door, literally just fell off.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41He was here, he witnessed the whole thing.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44He offered to go off halves to pay it and we fell out,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46and this is what he left me with.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47If she caused the damage,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50fixing the broken door is the tenant's responsibility,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54unless, as she claims, it happened as a result of the father's
0:08:54 > 0:08:57failure to maintain it properly. It's a grey area.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00But whoever's responsible, the breakdown in their relationship
0:09:00 > 0:09:02has left them with a serious problem.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05We're thinking quite a risk of entry by intruders,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07so we'll need to have this obviously reinstated.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10I've got five kids here and even my eldest, she's 11,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12and I've got one that's nine, and they're scared here. They hate it.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Difficulty in securing the property from intruders is another
0:09:16 > 0:09:18category one hazard.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22From the roof down, the whole place is in a terrible state of disrepair.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25See this floodlight here, there's exposed wiring there.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27There's quite a bit really.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30But the electrics outside are the least of Grant's concerns.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Inside, he's uncovered an even bigger problem
0:09:33 > 0:09:35that could prove fatal.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36All the back boxes are broken,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38so technically you could put your fingers right in there
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and touch the lives wires.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44So I'm rather concerned with children about with that like that.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46There's three of those.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48See all the Sellotape here, look.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50The exposed wiring could be a deathtrap,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53so it's yet another category one hazard.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56It's starting to look like sticky tape is the only thing
0:09:56 > 0:09:57holding this place together.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02And upstairs, it seems some bright spark has used an equally
0:10:02 > 0:10:06slapdash approach to fixing the broken boiler.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09It's been installed fairly well, but it appears there was a fault
0:10:09 > 0:10:10with it at some point,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13and somebody, cos of that reason,
0:10:13 > 0:10:18has disconnected the electrics here, wired it directly to a plug,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22an extension lead, and rigged it up and plugged it into the ring main.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26A boiler that's had its electricity supply cut then taped up
0:10:26 > 0:10:30and left live is obviously not good news for anybody.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Added to the fact that extension leads can overheat, well,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36this boiler's just dangerous.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39It's a heck of a steep staircase, innit?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Everywhere they turn, there is a serious threat to the
0:10:42 > 0:10:44welfare of the tenant and her children,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47even in the converted attic.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I don't know whether it's been done with building regs or not.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51I know. It's hard to tell, isn't it?
0:10:51 > 0:10:53I'll check the records.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Inspection complete. The danger to the family is overwhelming.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59The thing that immediately strikes me
0:10:59 > 0:11:02is the little children running around under four,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05with exposed conductors in socket outlets.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08The room upstairs has not been converted with building regs
0:11:08 > 0:11:10so it's in a pretty bad way.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11The situation would be bad enough
0:11:11 > 0:11:14if it was a simple landlord-tenant dispute,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17but the fact is they're dealing with a family at war.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I would hazard a guess that...
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Some of it is due to...
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I would imagine, looking at it, some of it is tenant damage.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30And the father is probably fed up with replacing bits and pieces,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32or doing repairs there,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36and he's got to the point where he's given up.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Although part of the damage to the property is down to the tenant,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43it isn't safe for the family to carry on living there.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46With so many category one hazards putting the family at risk,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49the council has issued an emergency prohibition order
0:11:49 > 0:11:53on the property and moved the family into a new home.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Father and daughter are still not on speaking terms.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Back in Newham, the council ordered
0:12:05 > 0:12:10the closure of a property which was unlawfully housing 17 tenants.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13The landlord's now refurbishing the place but, despite being served
0:12:13 > 0:12:18with an eviction notice two months ago, one family of four remains.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22But they're crammed into a single room with no heating or even
0:12:22 > 0:12:23basic facilities.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26How do you make this work? Because this seems to be, to me,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30- a very difficult space for four people to live in.- I know, yeah.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I need to manage it because I don't have any other option.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36So you've got one double bed here for three adults
0:12:36 > 0:12:38and then the cot for your daughter.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So what are the sleeping arrangements?
0:12:40 > 0:12:45My daughter is in the cot and my wife and my mum are in the bed,
0:12:45 > 0:12:46and I'm on the floor.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- So you go on the floor?- Yes.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Dad Naheeda came to the UK as a student.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53And although the Home Office is holding his passport while
0:12:53 > 0:12:57he applies for an extended visa, he is currently allowed to work.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- Are you working at the moment? - I'm working in retail.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05So you do a supermarket shift after sleeping on the floor here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08How does it work in terms of baths, showers, that kind of thing?
0:13:08 > 0:13:09What do you do here?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12I forget these things, to be honest, because you see the house condition.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- Yeah.- If you're looking for this, you can't do anything.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- So you've got no way... - No way. No other option.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Who wants to live like this? Who?
0:13:23 > 0:13:25I think the answer is nobody...
0:13:25 > 0:13:27least of all a family with a child.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34What's the main thing that is preventing you from moving
0:13:34 > 0:13:36somewhere else?
0:13:36 > 0:13:37The money is still not enough because,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40if I look for the many houses, and they say, "You have no passport."
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- We have passport in the Home Office. - Right.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44So you have to accept somewhere like this,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- where they don't ask those questions?- Yes.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So even if they do manage to scrape together enough money,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52without the necessary ID,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Naheeda and the family could end up in another room in another
0:13:55 > 0:13:57unlicensed house of multiple occupancy.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Thank you so much for talking to us. I really appreciate it.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03This is a complicated story.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08It's not the housing team's role to deal with passport issues,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12but Tiffany has found out even more about this family's situation.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16From what he was saying, the landlord did serve the notice
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and, from what I gather from him,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23is that they are living here rent-free.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The landlord's taken the steps he needs to take to evict his tenants,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29but obviously they've got nowhere to go.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31So he's given them the notice to quit...
0:14:31 > 0:14:35According to him, I don't know, but this is what the tenant said.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37- And then two months have elapsed? - Yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40So they've given them the time to find somewhere new to live
0:14:40 > 0:14:42and he's still here.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45I mean, really, the tenant should have moved out in that time.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48At this point, there's no breach that we can see occurring,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52but we'll keep it open and probably come back in a couple of months and
0:14:52 > 0:14:57see if it's rented out, and see what he's doing with it at that point.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Obviously we've only got one side of this story
0:15:00 > 0:15:01and that's from the tenant.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04They've been served with an eviction notice,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07but they're still here, over two months after that was served.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Now, as for my friends in the planning department,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13what they can see is that what's taking place
0:15:13 > 0:15:16is what should be taking place - work is being done.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20For me, I'm looking at four people living in one room
0:15:20 > 0:15:24without a toilet, without a working kitchen, without heating,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and I'm thinking, "How's that come about?"
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Clearly this is one property that the council needs to keep
0:15:33 > 0:15:37an eye on, so it's gone on to their list of homes to revisit.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41The good news is, though, since we met Naheeda and his family,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44they've managed to find accommodation elsewhere.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53They're the kind of scenes I've grown used to in rented properties
0:15:53 > 0:15:55up and down the country -
0:15:55 > 0:15:58mess, rubbish, smell.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00I don't even know what that is.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It must be terrible to rent a place like this,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05but imagine if you own it
0:16:05 > 0:16:07and you're landed with the job of clearing it up.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10So often I've heard the perspective of the tenant.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Now I'm keen to hear from the other side.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18So I've come to Sandwell, to a landlord steering group that's
0:16:18 > 0:16:20operated by the local council.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22I think it's pretty important for all of us
0:16:22 > 0:16:25to be aware of what our properties are being used for.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It's a platform for local landlords to have a voice.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31It's here I meet Tommy Billingham.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34He owns 30 rental properties in the area.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39If you do get a bad tenant, someone who lets you down on the rent,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42what difference does that make to your finances?
0:16:42 > 0:16:46It makes a massive, massive difference because on a normal
0:16:46 > 0:16:50buy-to-let property you probably earn, over 12 months,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52£1,500, £2,000 tops.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- That's profit? - Profit, yeah, out of one house.
0:16:56 > 0:16:57If you've got one bad tenant
0:16:57 > 0:17:02and they don't pay rent for a few months, trash the place,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06leave owing money, that could cost you £5-6,000 easy
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and that's three years' profit for that one house.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12And also that could be putting other people at risk.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Because if you can't pay your bills and your mortgage,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18the bank will just come along, repossess your whole portfolio,
0:17:18 > 0:17:19kick everyone out.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23So it seems one bad tenant can cause problems for more than just
0:17:23 > 0:17:26the landlord. It can put other renters' homes at risk.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30If you've had a dodgy tenant, you'll certainly know all about it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Tommy's inspecting one of his properties
0:17:33 > 0:17:35that has just been vacated.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37I think they left about two weeks ago,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39but they didn't give me any notice.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43I only found out about it yesterday that they've actually left.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45It's not a pretty sight.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48So, the kitchen, the kitchen door's broken
0:17:48 > 0:17:54and they've scraped all the skirting boards off, so they need replacing.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01It smells of rotten food and dog.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03I don't know what that is on the floor.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06I haven't... I haven't got down there to smell it.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Yeah, the bath hasn't even been emptied.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12However long that's been there I'm not sure.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15I have to just keep reminding myself it is a business,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18even though it still hurts.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22It may be part of the job for a landlord,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24but it's certainly not fun.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Later, in Sandwell, I'll see for myself the impact of a problem tenant.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31This is literally how it's been left?
0:18:31 > 0:18:33That's how they left it.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40If you're renting a house, a flat or even just a room to somebody,
0:18:40 > 0:18:41that makes you a landlord,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44which means you are required by law to provide a decent
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and safe standard of accommodation.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56In Stafford, housing officer Chris Butcher wants to make sure
0:18:56 > 0:18:58landlords take their responsibilities
0:18:58 > 0:19:00to their tenants seriously.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07We're pretty lucky in Stafford. Most landlords want to work with us
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and want to provide good quality accommodation.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Good landlords have to pay their way and undertake repairs,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and apply for licences.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It's only fair that we take action against bad landlords who seek
0:19:17 > 0:19:23to make profit by giving poor conditions to their tenants.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Chris is checking up on a property which was converted into bedsits
0:19:26 > 0:19:29without having the correct licence.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32To make matters worse, the landlord tried to cram even more
0:19:32 > 0:19:37rooms into the house by installing dodgy chipboard partition walls.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Chris ordered these to be removed
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and for a suitable fire alarm system to be fitted,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46but in the months since his last inspection
0:19:46 > 0:19:47it seems nothing's changed.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50I'm certainly very concerned that no works have taken place,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52so far that I can see.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56This is a wall that the landlord's put up to divide what used to be,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59presumably, the living room to create an extra bedroom
0:19:59 > 0:20:00and there's somebody living in here.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04It's not really very stable, there's gaps around the top.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06This wouldn't really help in case of fire and, at present,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08there is no real smoke alarms.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11There's not really a good lock on the door, so anyone could
0:20:11 > 0:20:14sort of access, get in and out, they could just undo these.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17So I'm really quite worried about it.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21The landlord hasn't complied with the council's improvement order.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23That's not just bad news for Chris, it must be pretty
0:20:23 > 0:20:27frustrating for the five tenants still living here too.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30When you have more than two people who are not related
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and share facilities -
0:20:32 > 0:20:36so a group of students or just people who are renting rooms -
0:20:36 > 0:20:38this is called a house of multiple occupation.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41And there are some laws in place designed to ensure those
0:20:41 > 0:20:43people are safe in their homes,
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and they are around fire safety and disrepair.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51It's clear this house in multiple occupation isn't safe
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and therefore not fit for purpose.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56So this is obviously the bedroom.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00You can see the construction isn't really anything to make up about.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02This is just some studs that have been created.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Here's the key meter for the electricity.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08The problem is that it's inside a potentially locked bedroom.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11It's just not in an ideal position.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15You can see that there's these portable heaters, so there's no real
0:21:15 > 0:21:19heating in here apart from this portable and lots of trailing plugs.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23So, that's not great, at all.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Hazards like those chipboard partitions and the ropey heater
0:21:27 > 0:21:30make having a decent smoke alarm system especially important.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35So what I've got is a battery-powered alarm,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38so it means that it's not interlinked with the rest of the house.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40The only time that will go off is
0:21:40 > 0:21:43when smoke has come from one of the other rooms,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47and there's a real risk that they'll have a very serious fire occur
0:21:47 > 0:21:51before residents and occupants know that it's happened.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53I would expect them to have interlinked,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56mains-wired smoke detectors throughout.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59By law, landlords have to keep their rented properties safe
0:21:59 > 0:22:01and free from health hazards.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04It appears that might not be happening here.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06These stairs might be fine
0:22:06 > 0:22:09if you were just accessing the loft for storage in your home,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12but there's no hand rail around the sides.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Each of the steps are in a different position -
0:22:14 > 0:22:18it makes it quite difficult to get up and down safely.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22On Chris' last inspection, this loft space was empty.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25But, judging by the new bed and the belongings, the landlord hasn't
0:22:25 > 0:22:27just ignored the improvement order,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30they've brought even more tenants in.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32The first thing is that there's no smoke alarm up here,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36which I would expect considering that this is in the loft.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39There is no form of fixed heating.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43I can see a plug-in heater on that side of the room.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47It's just not suitable as a bedroom. It's not been kitted out for it.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I think the next thing to do is to go talk with
0:22:52 > 0:22:55the landlord about what his intention is.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Whether he intends to apply for a licence and get building works
0:22:59 > 0:23:02done to make this safe and secure
0:23:02 > 0:23:06or, more likely, for him to stop using it as a bedroom
0:23:06 > 0:23:07and get it properly shut off.
0:23:07 > 0:23:08It's quite a list,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11but it sounds like the council's demands are the final
0:23:11 > 0:23:12straw for the landlord.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Because a few weeks later, Chris has some news.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19I think the landlord's decided that running bedsits
0:23:19 > 0:23:21wasn't really for them.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23It's not really their main line of work,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25so they decided to move in themselves,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27which I think is probably a very good idea.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I'll visit again in a couple of months' time, just to make sure
0:23:30 > 0:23:32they've done what they've said they are going to do,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35but I'm pretty confident that it's going to be OK.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41In my role as a wannabe housing officer,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I've been hearing the private landlords' take on things.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Before you realise that it's gone bad ways,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50you're thousands of pounds down in lost rent.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And here in Sandwell in the West Midlands,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57someone who knows the realities of being a professional landlord
0:23:57 > 0:24:01is bedsit big shot Jim Haliburton.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03- Hi, Jim. How are you?- Hello, Matt.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- Good to see you.- Is this the place here?- That's it.- Let's have a look.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08You go in.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Jim is a buy-to-let HMO mogul,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16with an incredible 160 rental properties on his books,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20the majority of which are rented out by unemployed tenants.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25In fact, Jim even runs courses teaching others the economics and
0:24:25 > 0:24:30practicalities of putting multiple tenants into a single property.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Not all landlords will take on tenants that receive housing benefits.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37And I'm here to see a property of his that's just been vacated.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38So what's the story here?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41There's obviously... I mean, there's drugs paraphernalia.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Yeah, I think they were definitely into drugs.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47This is not natural behaviour from tenants,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51and it only represents a very small minority of who my tenants are,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but it goes to show how disruptive drugs are.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56If you put drugs in your body,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58you obviously don't care about yourself
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and you're certainly not going to care about the landlord's property.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05How often would you say from your tenants, your DSS tenants,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07you end up with this kind of situation?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09An unsatisfactory end to the tenancy.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12I've got 480 unemployed tenants
0:25:12 > 0:25:17and we've probably got less than 1% who are a problem.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19But these 1% cause enormous problems.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I've had properties that have been completely stripped of all
0:25:22 > 0:25:25copper and materials. They cause problems to other tenants,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27but it's part and parcel of what you do.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30From what you're saying, it sounds like you're saying, if you're going
0:25:30 > 0:25:33to house people at that end of the market,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35this is the natural by-product,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39which you can mitigate as much as possible and try and learn from.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Don't be a landlord if this is going to upset you
0:25:41 > 0:25:43because you won't hack it.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48So problem tenants are an occupational hazard, says Jim.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50He also says that the majority of his properties
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and tenants cause him no problems at all,
0:25:53 > 0:25:58as we see with his next flat, which is basic but clean.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Yes, I'd like to provide lovely properties in the country
0:26:01 > 0:26:05with lovely gardens and fountains etc.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09But, unfortunately, the reality is, what can people afford?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Who is going to house these other people?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Who is going to house the people who want that accommodation?
0:26:14 > 0:26:15They choose to live there.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17There is a real place for enforcement
0:26:17 > 0:26:21and I find it a bit concerning that you don't see that.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23I can't change the world.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26The enforcement's here.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28I'm entitled to my view.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I think the market regulates itself pretty well from my experience
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and I couldn't get away with giving substandard properties.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37If the property was damp and cold,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39the tenants would just get up and go.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42They will not stay in that kind of accommodation.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44If it wasn't for the council coming in and looking
0:26:44 > 0:26:47at the state that they're living in, and doing something about it...
0:26:47 > 0:26:49And closing the property down.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53..and dealing with it, one way or the other, then that problem...
0:26:53 > 0:26:54That's just not the case.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56The way of dealing with it is to close the property down.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It's not, it's not.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01No, it's not because they will do, the majority of housing officers
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I've worked with will do anything to avoid evictions.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07What they will do is they will deal with the landlord wherever possible,
0:27:07 > 0:27:12when the landlord is present, and try and make it liveable, habitable,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14even in the short-term.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- Lovely to meet you, Jim. - My pleasure.- Take care.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18- Safe journey home.- Cheers.- Bye.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21So, one of the West Midlands' biggest landlords
0:27:21 > 0:27:26and a self-professed leading light in how to run a HMO - that's bedsits
0:27:26 > 0:27:30to you and me - is saying, yes, he's providing a valuable service,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33providing accommodation for people who wouldn't
0:27:33 > 0:27:36be able to find it elsewhere. That's fine.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41But he's also saying that he doesn't feel the need for enforcement.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44There doesn't need to be a man from the council checking that
0:27:44 > 0:27:46he's adhering to basic standards because,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48if the tenants didn't like it,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51they'd get up and they'd find somewhere else to live.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54All very well and good, as long as those tenants have got
0:27:54 > 0:27:57other options, other places they can live.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02We've seen far too many people who don't have any other options.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11That's it for today. Join me, next time, on the front line
0:28:11 > 0:28:13with Britain's housing officers.