0:00:02 > 0:00:05The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live...
0:00:05 > 0:00:07I worry about the fire risk here.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09..but for thousands of people across Britain right now,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16How many months ago was it we had this place cleaned?
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- The whole of that bit, though, is black with mould.- Hello.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21In the battle between tenants and landlords...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23It's your fault, not the door's fault.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25- I don't care.- This is what you get.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- It's local housing officers... - What's causing that smell?
0:00:27 > 0:00:29..who are on the front line.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32The son's come out with baseball bats and knives...
0:00:32 > 0:00:33'I'm Matt Allwright.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:36A lot of this problem is caused by the dogs.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38That's your responsibility.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39'I'm back on the job,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42'once again joining the ranks of the housing enforcers.'
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's got that mouse smell.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46'They're tackling problem properties...'
0:00:46 > 0:00:49This feels like an accident waiting to happen.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Dealing with the consequences of nightmare neighbours...
0:00:52 > 0:00:53So, I need to tell you that
0:00:53 > 0:00:55you're committing an offence under the Housing Act.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..and doing their best to help those in need.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59What a good old boy.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06MAN YELLS
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Today, one council joins forces with the police...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Show me your hands, show me your hands, keep your hands out.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13..to issue ultimatums to unruly tenants.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16- Oh, no, what now? - It's a notice seeking possession.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21We catch up with one housing officer keeping a watchful eye on our landlords.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23You've had a few months to get this done now.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28I have been a bit busy. You've got to understand, I am running a business, as well, so...
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'I check into a bed-and-breakfast that's low on creature comforts.'
0:01:32 > 0:01:36This is rank. It doesn't feel right at all, this place.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41They say that an Englishman's home is his castle
0:01:41 > 0:01:44but if it's a rented castle,
0:01:44 > 0:01:46then it's the job of housing officers
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to make sure that it's a safe and decent place to live.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Neighbours... everybody needs good neighbours,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56but what happens when a community is terrorised
0:01:56 > 0:02:00by tenants bent on antisocial behaviour?
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Cornwall is not what you might think.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08It isn't all ice creams and rugged coastline.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Neighbourhood Enforcement Officer Karen Centini is investigating
0:02:13 > 0:02:16several families on a council estate who've been
0:02:16 > 0:02:19making their neighbours' lives a misery.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21The issues around the tenants have been
0:02:21 > 0:02:23ongoing drug and alcohol misuse around the property,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25antisocial behaviour...
0:02:25 > 0:02:30There's allegations of drug dealing, them being out with baseball bats
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and knives in the street, intimidating the neighbours.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35This depressing catalogue of crime
0:02:35 > 0:02:39has left other residents on the estate at breaking point,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42but many too scared to make official complaints to the council.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- Hello.- Hiya.- Hello.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48At the local police station,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Karen and fellow housing officer Donna McEvoy
0:02:51 > 0:02:54are keen to see footage of a recent police raid
0:02:54 > 0:02:56on one of the properties.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59MAN YELLS
0:03:00 > 0:03:02DOG BARKS
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- MAN:- Show me your hands, show me your hands, keep your hands out!
0:03:05 > 0:03:07- Just show me, keep your hands out. - WOMAN:- Yeah, that's fine.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10I recognise the woman as one of our tenants.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Oh, yeah, there's some cannabis down there,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- what my partner just put there. My boyfriend did.- OK, no problem.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17'If I stop that there,'
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I can show you a rough idea of what the house is like.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26There's the door, which has been... looks like it's been reinforced.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28It wasn't like that when you went in?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30No, it certainly wasn't like that when I went in.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33I think, looking at that, it's in probably worse condition now
0:03:33 > 0:03:35than when I originally went in.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36What, four weeks ago?
0:03:36 > 0:03:41Yeah, I've written and asked for it to be put right within 28 days.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43OK, so they've got 28 days to get all of that back to...
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Yeah, and then I have to... I will be back for another inspection.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51What do you reckon the chances are of that being put right in 28 days?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53I don't know. I don't know,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57- I shouldn't have thought so. - Hmm, have to wait and see.- Yeah.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00These raids didn't just capture a shocking level of squalor.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04PC Iain Madden and his colleagues
0:04:04 > 0:04:07found hard evidence of drug dealing, too.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09We recovered...
0:04:09 > 0:04:13You know, there's...there's money, a pair of digital scales...
0:04:15 > 0:04:19That was recovered at another address
0:04:19 > 0:04:22but there is a larger quantity of drugs that was recovered.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- And they're all linked to our properties?- Yes, they are.- OK.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28It's not the first time these council tenants have been
0:04:28 > 0:04:32caught with drugs on the property, but this could be the final straw.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37I feel more confident now, working with the police, Donna...
0:04:37 > 0:04:38You know, it's a jigsaw.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41If we can get all of those pieces together, the evidence that we
0:04:41 > 0:04:46can present, ultimately, will give us possession of the property again.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51That evidence needs to include written statements
0:04:51 > 0:04:53from other council tenants nearby
0:04:53 > 0:04:56who've suffered because of these antisocial families.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00I've come to Cornwall to help Karen with her search for witnesses.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05You would think that people would complain about antisocial behaviour
0:05:05 > 0:05:08but actually, at the extremes of that behaviour,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11they won't want to come forward. They'll be too scared.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- Right.- Now, I would have thought that is one of those things
0:05:14 > 0:05:17that was going to limit you or make it difficult to do the job.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21That is a major issue with long-term, ongoing ASB
0:05:21 > 0:05:23that's not been dealt with in the past, or...
0:05:25 > 0:05:27You know, the police have been attending
0:05:27 > 0:05:29lots and lots of times, then the community lose faith.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- SIREN WAILS - One neighbour who has been at
0:05:32 > 0:05:35the sharp end of all this antisocial behaviour has agreed to talk to us,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38on condition of anonymity.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40- Hello, there.- Hello.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Erm, so tell me a little bit about
0:05:42 > 0:05:44what's been happening around this house.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Well, they smashed my windows, they smashed my door,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50all sorts I've had here. Gangs of boys outside.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Abuse, everything.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54And you think that's because of those properties,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- what's going on in there? - Yeah, yeah.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Yeah, well, they get away with it, don't they?
0:05:59 > 0:06:02They just get away with it and I'm fed up with it.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It sounds like they...
0:06:04 > 0:06:07They're giving you a fair deal of abuse,
0:06:07 > 0:06:08- from what you're saying. - Yeah, yeah.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13- Does it make you feel afraid to be in your home?- Yeah, it does.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18It does, yeah. It's going to get worse and worse, isn't it?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20You know, why should I take it?
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Would you leave this place if you could?
0:06:27 > 0:06:31I don't like to, but I would, yeah.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I'm shaking, I am.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37- Are you all right, there? - I'm shaking cos nothing gets done.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I'm just boiled up inside, you know?
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I'm getting too old now.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51I can't take it, I just can't take it, you know?
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Yeah.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Talking to this tenant has made me realise
0:06:57 > 0:07:01the devastating effect aggressive and intimidating behaviour can have
0:07:01 > 0:07:03on members of a community.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06But there's still work to do if the estate is going to be
0:07:06 > 0:07:09free of its antisocial element once and for all.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16We'll find out what happens a bit later on.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18- WOMAN:- Oh, no, what now?
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- OK, so it's a notice seeking possession.- Oh, for what?
0:07:21 > 0:07:24- Antisocial behaviour. - I haven't done anything!
0:07:30 > 0:07:31In Allerdale in Cumbria,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35the town of Maryport was known for its mining and shipyard.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40It even boasts a view of the Scottish hills from its harbour.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Housing officer Dean Hodgson is on his way to meet a landlord
0:07:44 > 0:07:46who is well known in the area.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Today I am going to visit a flat that I inspected a few months ago.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56The property is owned by Bobby,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59who is one of our larger landlords in Allerdale.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00All that block is mine.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02That block there, that's all mine as well.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05This house here is one of mine.
0:08:05 > 0:08:11'Ex-market trader Bobby has been dabbling in property investment for more than 30 years.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'He now owns over 40 different addresses in the area.'
0:08:14 > 0:08:16He's a colourful character.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19In January, I've had two doors kicked in... Three doors kicked in.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20They're £400 a door.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23He likes to complain a little bit.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27We need to make the means of escape a little bit better, OK?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- At my expense again. - Well, naturally.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32We have quite a good working relationship together.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34He's just doing his job, which is fine.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37The most important thing for us is tenant safety.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Landlords don't always think of that.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Sometimes they think of their wallet.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49'Dean has previously issued Bobby with an improvement notice on one of his flats in the town.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53'He discovered a number of safety issues that meant it didn't comply.'
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- Hi, Bobby, how are you doing? - All right, yeah.- Good, good.
0:08:58 > 0:09:04- So the first item on here is to make sure the fire alarm system is working.- Right.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08So when I was here before, it wasn't actually working properly.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- That has been done by the electrician.- You had it...
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Well, as you can see, we've got new stuff there
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- so that's been done. - 'Next on the list is the fire door.'
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- We've had that done. - You had that sorted, lovely.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21So it's got a self-closer on there
0:09:21 > 0:09:25and your smoke strips and seals on there as well so that's good.
0:09:25 > 0:09:31Bobby's hoping today goes well as he's got someone waiting to take on this one-bedroom flat.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I've got a new tenant coming in here next week
0:09:34 > 0:09:39- who's come from some other housing association, a charity for homeless people.- Right.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42They've come and inspected the property, they're happy with it and
0:09:42 > 0:09:45I said, "I am putting heating in." He said he loves the flat.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50Well, hopefully today's visit will confirm that the property is fine to let to someone.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52'In the living room,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56'Dean had a major concern surrounding the safety of the window.'
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Because the sill height was so low,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01the risk of someone falling out was quite high.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04- I've put the cage on as you can see now.- Fantastic.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06OK, so do you want to go through the heating system?
0:10:06 > 0:10:10The storage heaters are going to cost me about £1,000 plus fitting.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12So when's that going to be fitted?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Because you've had a few months to get this done now.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I have been a little bit busy, Dean.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20I am running a business as well so this isn't my priority,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24I've got some other properties that I'm getting done or getting built or whatever.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27But technically you haven't complied with an improvement notice
0:10:27 > 0:10:32so the council does have the opportunity to prosecute you
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and there could be a fine of up to £5,000.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Obviously we'd prefer not to go down that route
0:10:37 > 0:10:40- if you can get these fitted.- I think I'd rather do a prison sentence!
0:10:40 > 0:10:42If you can get these fitted as soon as possible,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45then I'm sure there's no need for us to go down that route.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47It's getting done next week anyway, that's no problem.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I feel as if it's your property, not mine, do you know that?
0:10:50 > 0:10:56I'd certainly say it's been a bit more of a stick rather than the carrot on this particular job,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00but we have a good working relationship with Bobby
0:11:00 > 0:11:03and we usually manage to resolve things in the end.
0:11:03 > 0:11:04It's just one of those things.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07You've just got to bear with it and do what you've got to do
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and keep them quiet, just get on with it.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Complying with the council's request,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16soon after, a new heating system was properly installed.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36In Cornwall, a council housing estate has been
0:11:36 > 0:11:40plagued by antisocial behaviour for years.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- MAN YELLS - Now, after a series of police raids
0:11:42 > 0:11:46exposed drug activity on the part of several families...
0:11:51 > 0:11:54..the council want to take decisive action.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56In a bid to strengthen their case against the families,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Housing officers Karen and Donna have been appealing to
0:11:59 > 0:12:02residents for help, but it hasn't been easy.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Nobody will come forward,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06they...they certainly will not go to the police.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09This'll be the third time we've done this letter drop,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and the police have done their own individual ones but they've had
0:12:12 > 0:12:15no response whatsoever, but we have had responses, haven't we?
0:12:15 > 0:12:16We have had responses.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19But in the letter this time, I've put, basically,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22"Without your help, we can't do anything."
0:12:22 > 0:12:27You know, just to stress that we need them.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30The 150 letters that Karen and Donna are delivering are calling on people
0:12:30 > 0:12:34to come forward if they've suffered from antisocial behaviour.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41OK, you've probably received
0:12:41 > 0:12:42one of these letters before.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44It's about antisocial behaviour on the estate.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- MAN:- You got five minutes, or no? - Yes, yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Eventually, someone does agree to talk, although not on camera.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55What we're trying to do at the moment is we're trying to crack down
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- on the antisocial behaviour that's going on on this estate.- Yes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02What we want to know really is the impact, at the moment,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05that the families are having on you.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08There's one family here, they fight amongst themselves,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and then everyone gets involved in it,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and because you go out and say anything, you're the bad one.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17This tenant hasn't just experienced verbal abuse,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20his property has also come under attack.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I think overall, there's about £2,500 worth of damage.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25- Did you report that to the police? - Yeah.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Do you know why they did that? Why did that happen?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Did this family think, maybe, you'd said something to the police?
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Oh, naturally, of course, yeah, yeah.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35The retaliation is why people are afraid to come forward, isn't it?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Yeah.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39I feel that management in the Housing Department
0:13:39 > 0:13:42are not strong enough in their convictions.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44No good saying this, that and the other
0:13:44 > 0:13:45and not doing anything about it.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48- Hmm.- Believe me, we are trying our best to stamp down
0:13:48 > 0:13:52on the antisocial behaviour on this estate but, as it says in my letter,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55I need some help from the tenants.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57We can't just do it on our own.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00The job of finding tenants willing to speak out
0:14:00 > 0:14:05against their antisocial neighbours isn't an easy task.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07For now, though, the drugs raids have given the council
0:14:07 > 0:14:11enough evidence to start the ball rolling, and a few days later,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Karen has some news.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Because there was a positive drugs warrant at more than one
0:14:17 > 0:14:21property, we're looking to serve a notice of seeking possession
0:14:21 > 0:14:22to all of those involved.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Hopefully, we'll let the community know that we are taking action
0:14:25 > 0:14:28against people's tenancies, and we're not going to tolerate
0:14:28 > 0:14:31behaviour such as intimidation, drug dealing,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33and violence on the estate.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Because of all of the previous antisocial behaviour,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41the drug use, and what we know about the occupants of the property,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44we're taking the police with us.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Dozens of incidents of antisocial behaviour have been traced back
0:14:47 > 0:14:50to the first council property.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It's thought that the mother, the partner,
0:14:52 > 0:14:53and her adult children are involved.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I'm serving you with a notice seeking possession...
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- Yup, OK.- ..property on grounds on grounds of antisocial behaviour.
0:14:59 > 0:15:00- There's one for you, and one for- BLEEP.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- Yup, right, yup, I'll get my solicitor onto it.- OK.- OK.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07That went quite well, at the minute, so we're going to...
0:15:07 > 0:15:11The second property's... Let's hope that goes just as well.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15This next house was also subject to a drugs raid,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and members of the family have a long list of offences
0:15:18 > 0:15:22to their names, including violence and intimidation.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- Is your wife in?- BLEEP.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Shall I knock, or...?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- Hello.- Hello.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Oh, no, what now?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32OK, so it's a notice seeking possession.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- Oh, for what?- Antisocial behaviour.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36I haven't done anything!
0:15:36 > 0:15:39- It's all in there. - You've got to be kidding, Donna.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41DOG BARKS OK? You need to read the notice,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43as it is... It's ongoing antisocial behaviour.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- It details it all in there. - That's every year with him.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Go in and read it, OK?
0:15:48 > 0:15:52It's a notice that we may take you to court to seek possession.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The tenants' adult son has been responsible for many
0:15:56 > 0:16:00of the incidents, with his parents claiming he's out of control.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- MAN:- He wants to get his own place. - WOMAN:- He's been trying for a year,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05but we've only just managed to sort his money out,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07been in appeal for a year.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- DONNA:- To be totally honest, can he sustain a tenancy?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- MAN:- I don't know. Only one way to find out, isn't there?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18The thing is, that if he stays there, and this behaviour continues,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and there's more after today, we will be taking him to court.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- WOMAN:- He's not going to change.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Can't kick him out on the street, can I?
0:16:25 > 0:16:27You have got choices.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- Yeah, all right, OK...- Bye.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33The tenant is putting most of the blame on their son,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37so they're saying, if their son leaves, things will improve,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40but it's really difficult to get them to understand
0:16:40 > 0:16:42that they do have a choice.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47He's a man and they need to choose whether to decide to kick him out
0:16:47 > 0:16:52and keep their...keep her tenancy or whether she wants to support him
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and having them risk losing their tenancy.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Which they will end up losing their tenancy over.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The notices are finally served, and for Karen and Donna,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04it's the culmination of months of hard work.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07We sit in the office for weeks and weeks, collating all of this,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10it takes a lot of man-hours getting all this together,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14and then that piece of paper is in the door within two minutes.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15But you know, it's quite significant,
0:17:15 > 0:17:22cos it is the first legal step, so it's quite a significant thing,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24serving notice on the property.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37It's depressing, isn't it, when you book a room online
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and then find out you've got a view of the bins.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45What if it's dirty, unsafe, overcrowded and not even a B&B?
0:17:47 > 0:17:53In 2012-2013, there were over 27 million overseas and domestic overnight visitors to London.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56And with the growth of the online B&B trade,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00homeowners are increasingly tapping into what is a lucrative market.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05It's especially true in the London Borough of Newham.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Home to the Olympics
0:18:07 > 0:18:11and an easy ride to the tourist sites of central London,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Newham is Greater London's second-fastest-growing borough
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and the growth of unlicensed and frankly pretty dodgy B&Bs and hostels
0:18:19 > 0:18:23in residential neighbourhoods is becoming a real problem.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27This is...
0:18:30 > 0:18:33She might look like she's booking a room for a trip away.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Actually she's investigating some of those unregulated businesses
0:18:37 > 0:18:40in what are supposed to be ordinary private homes.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43We're looking to protect our family housing stock here
0:18:43 > 0:18:49and by renting it out and the churn of people within properties like this isn't what we want.
0:18:50 > 0:18:56We have very few of these terraced properties available for family housing, they're all being split up
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and so it's houses like this that we need to protect.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05'It's 7am and I'm on a dawn raid with Megan and her team
0:19:05 > 0:19:10'to investigate a possible B&B or short-term let.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It has been reported as a B&B or short-term lettings.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16We've had a couple in this area and we can see them all online.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18It's just a matter of getting into them.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23They normally have a telephone number on the door and it says, "When you arrive, call this number."
0:19:23 > 0:19:28So they don't have necessarily a receptionist or anything like that so is not really like a B&B or a hotel.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32No services provided, occasionally there is a kettle in a room.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34This is again another level of licence
0:19:34 > 0:19:39that they should be playing by to be able to provide this.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Yeah, and you'll have no tenancy agreements, no contract necessarily,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46very little security for anyone that will come and stay there.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- So we need to get in and have a look.- And the turnover is pretty great.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- What about booking? We shouldn't book.- No, we won't be making a booking today!
0:19:53 > 0:19:55SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Good morning. Sorry to disturb you.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00I'm from the council. My name is Megan.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04I'm from the planning department. Is it all right if we come in and have a look, please?
0:20:04 > 0:20:08'None of the guests here were prepared to be on camera.'
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Sorry to disturb you, sorry. How did you book this? Was it online?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16OK, fantastic. And how long are you staying for?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Until Sunday? And when did you arrive?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25OK, so it's almost a week. OK.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'These kind of rooms are easily bookable online by anybody.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36'Click the wrong link while looking for a cheap stay in this part of London
0:20:36 > 0:20:37'and this is where you will end up.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40'It's a case of bed, but no breakfast.'
0:20:40 > 0:20:44- So this is a really weird setup. - Very weird.- What's going on here?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47This is quite a usual setup at the moment.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48- Really?- And...
0:20:48 > 0:20:52They book online and the landlord will change the property
0:20:52 > 0:20:56or it could possibly be sublet as well and they'll advertise online
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and all they'll provide is a telephone number for guests to call
0:21:00 > 0:21:04and they may ring them at night and come down and let them in
0:21:04 > 0:21:07and that will be the last they hear of it.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09They'll stay their week and then leave.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15This is, what, people coming in and doing bits of work or holidays?
0:21:15 > 0:21:20A mixture of both, to be honest. I've been to the reviews online.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Some of them have come for business,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25some of them have come for a week trip,
0:21:25 > 0:21:30- for a weekend trip, and various reviews, most of them bad. - But then...
0:21:30 > 0:21:34This is one of the worst properties I've seen for a hotel booking.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- But this is a business we've got here.- This is a business.
0:21:37 > 0:21:44This is not a home, this is a hotel/B&B/hostel sort of arrangement.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47- There doesn't seem to be anybody in charge here.- No, there isn't, no.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50For hotels and other booking places like that,
0:21:50 > 0:21:55they have to get their own planning permission and this is not run like that.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00(This is rank. It's really...)
0:22:01 > 0:22:03(It doesn't feel right at all, this place.)
0:22:03 > 0:22:05SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Good morning, sorry to disturb you.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11How long have you been staying in your room for?
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Three days? And are you here on holiday?
0:22:15 > 0:22:18As a tourist in London?
0:22:18 > 0:22:20How long are you planning on staying here?
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Moscow, OK.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28'This place seems to be in breach of so many regulations.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32'In this case, B&B must mean bad and badder.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:36This is not something we want.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- This is someone trying to turn a fairly shonky house...- Into a profit.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46..into a business with five rooms and nobody with overall control day and night.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- No, no.- Right, OK. That's an eye-opener.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- Yes.- Next time I book online, I will remember this place.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57- Good, bear it in mind. - Thank you.- No worries.
0:22:59 > 0:23:06It's not clear whether the landlord or the tenant was responsible for this bed-and-breakfast setup.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11But this place won't be making it into any tourist guides any time soon.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21I've been on dawn raids and house visits.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Now I'm going to get a slice of life
0:23:22 > 0:23:25behind the public counter here in Stevenage.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Of course, before anything happens,
0:23:31 > 0:23:36before any housing officers can go off in their cars to sort anything else out,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39there has to be some kind of contact,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42either a complaint or a notification
0:23:42 > 0:23:47and that all takes place in there. So today, that's where we are going.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51'This is the borough council's customer services centre,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54'operated by 23 full-time staff.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56'People come here with a range of issues
0:23:56 > 0:24:00'from rubbish collections to council tax payments and benefits.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'A big slice of these visits are people seeking housing help and advice.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'Right on the front line of client support is...'
0:24:14 > 0:24:17And you don't know when they come through the door
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- exactly what it is you're going to be faced with.- That's right.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24There must be occasions when people come in and they're genuinely,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28you know, this is the first port of call when they're desperately in need.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31That's right. We only deal with the first part of it
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and then we would ring through to the relevant departments
0:24:34 > 0:24:38to somebody more trained in that area to carry it further.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42And you literally get people rocking up here with suitcases?
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Yeah, it's happened, yeah.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48'This is Catherine Heywood, here with her baby daughter, Ruby.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52'Her first problem is a bit of missing correspondence.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:54We received a letter last month.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56My partner brought it in on roughly 15th of November
0:24:56 > 0:24:58and handed it to the gentleman at the front.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02This is saying that it wasn't received. It's not the first time it's happened to me.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05No, we've had a few of these and they've gone out in error to people that have.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08'But the real issue is simple - overcrowding.'
0:25:08 > 0:25:12It was quite distressing this morning because we are stuck in a two-bedroom house
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and my boys just bounce off each other every night,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17they have different sensory needs at bedtime.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20One needs a little quiet DVD or a radio
0:25:20 > 0:25:24and the other one needs nothing but a book and I'm catering for that in one room.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26It's not easy.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Do you have any letters proving that,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32from social workers or anything like that, just saying...
0:25:32 > 0:25:38No, it's just what we've read on the website that stated that anybody who is disabled
0:25:38 > 0:25:43is entitled to their own bedroom, and as far as I'm aware, that's for most councils.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50'Catherine and her family currently live here in a two-bedroom property.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53'The problem is they're a family of five.'
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Right, well, we've got two boys in here.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58The one that sleeps here is nine and a half,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00the one that sleeps there is seven.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Both the boys have special needs.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06We have one with core autism and one with autism.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10They've got completely opposite sensory needs.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12In turn, them being in the room together,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14they bounce off each other other's attitudes
0:26:14 > 0:26:19and hyperness all night and they're awake very late every night.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21And it's quite difficult.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25We can't separate them, we can't make life easier for one than the other.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28They're stuck in here, there's nothing we can do.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33'It's clear Catherine is keen to have her sons' medical conditions reclassified
0:26:33 > 0:26:36'in the hope it will improve her housing priority.'
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Where do you feel you are now?
0:26:38 > 0:26:43We feel we should have been further along the housing chain than we are now.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47'However, it's not all hopeless for Catherine and her family,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50'as lettings manager Richard Mitchell explains.'
0:26:50 > 0:26:54They've been moved from band E to band C so they've got higher priority.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Previously, they would have been further down the list.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Now they are higher up the list.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01The new problem we're going to have with them
0:27:01 > 0:27:05is they now need a property that we have very few stock of.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06Four-bedroom homes,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10we only have maybe four or five that become available a year.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15Her wait could be months or maybe years.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19'So Catherine's case is moving forward, albeit very slowly.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24'For some tenants, coming in to the customer service centre might be an unnecessary hassle,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26'but not for Catherine.'
0:27:26 > 0:27:29A lot of stuff can be done online now,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33but you choose to come in personally and do this face-to-face.
0:27:33 > 0:27:39I prefer face-to-face because then I'm speaking to a person.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43I don't like having a chat with a computer.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47- You'd always prefer to do it this way, face-to-face with human beings. - Yes, definitely.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51'Catherine has now been successful in her appeal
0:27:51 > 0:27:54'and is on the waiting list for a four-bedroomed house.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58'Fingers crossed it won't be too long before her family get the space they need.'
0:28:02 > 0:28:04That's it for today.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09Join me next time, when I'll be learning more about what it takes to be a front-line housing officer.