0:00:02 > 0:00:03Hello, can you let me in?
0:00:03 > 0:00:06The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I wouldn't keep my dog there is the honest truth.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The house is falling to bits. There's nothing I can do.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20In the battle for decent housing...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25I don't know how people are coping, to be honest.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29If somebody had've died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32you would have been standing in Coroner's Court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with The Housing Enforcers.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- 15 people in this house. - 15 people total living in here.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43I'll be with them as they tackle problem properties
0:00:43 > 0:00:45and slum conditions...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47It really does look shantytown.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Yeah, it's not up to standard.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51..as they deal with dodgy landlords,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53nightmare neighbours and everything in between...
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Oh, my God, straight away there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59You never know what you're going to find.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..doing their best to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Today, terrible living conditions
0:01:10 > 0:01:14leave a mother fearing for her family's health...
0:01:14 > 0:01:17It's not safe for you, it's not safe for my children.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20That just makes it even more upsetting.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27..a terminally ill tenant is trapped in his own home by vandals.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29He's totally reliant on the lift here.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32He needs to enjoy the time he's got left.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36..and an overcrowded flat puts lives in danger.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39- Today there was five people living here.- Yeah.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41OK, so someone's lying to me, then.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49We might not always know it, but there are people from every
0:01:49 > 0:01:52local council whose job it is to make sure
0:01:52 > 0:01:55we have a safe roof over our heads.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I'm working alongside the men and the women
0:01:58 > 0:02:02who use the law to make sure we don't live in slums,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07but in homes fit to raise a family or enjoy our retirement.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11They can make sure that you have the facilities you need as
0:02:11 > 0:02:12you get older.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17They also have the power to start the process that can send
0:02:17 > 0:02:21a bad landlord to prison or help evict a bad tenant.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29At Swale Borough Council, housing officer David Dale
0:02:29 > 0:02:32is helping a mum of three from Croydon,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35who was moved 45 miles away from friends and family.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39She's now bringing up her kids in a dangerously run-down property.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Anne-Marie is worried that severe damp, rotten windows
0:02:44 > 0:02:49and leaks are putting her children's health at serious risk.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- What's the purpose of the visit? - We've served notice on the owner.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Attached to that was a list of works that we would want done.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02We should therefore see quite a lot of this work either under way or
0:03:02 > 0:03:04- completed.- That would be our hope, yep.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08David's asked housing officer Glyn Pritchard to join us
0:03:08 > 0:03:10at the terraced house in Sittingbourne.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14The tenant, Anne-Marie, was relocated here, 45 miles away
0:03:14 > 0:03:19from friends and family in Croydon, nearly two years ago.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21I'm interested to hear a bit about your story, then,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23how you ended up here.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27If you were in Croydon, how does that work?
0:03:27 > 0:03:29It was because of the benefit cap.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33I had a three-bedroomed flat on top of a shop in Croydon,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and it was 1,300 a month.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I actually asked the council if they could help me.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42The rent was so high, they wouldn't pay that much rent.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46They said they will relocate me out of Croydon.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Anne-Marie's on the waiting list
0:03:50 > 0:03:52for a council property back in Croydon,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56but high rents mean her benefits would only just cover the cost
0:03:56 > 0:03:59of accommodation, leaving nothing for food and bills.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03To make things worse, her current home is in a shocking state.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Have you got any hot water or heat in the house at the moment?
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Just because the boiler looks like it's got no pressure on it.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Yeah, I keep having trouble with that. I have to keep
0:04:12 > 0:04:15turning it on and off, and touching all the buttons to try
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and get the hot water going.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Upstairs, things aren't any better.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Just hold on to the handrail.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Oh, look at that!
0:04:24 > 0:04:28It's not just the dodgy banister we're concerned about.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30You've got a damp wall there, we've got a rotting window.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32There's a child standing on the end of the bed,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34could go straight through.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Anne-Marie was absolutely right to complain to the council.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42All the problems she's pointed out are genuine areas of concern
0:04:42 > 0:04:44for David and Glyn.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46We've got a single light bulb here.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48The rose is not fixed to the ceiling at all.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51What has happened to the piping over there?
0:04:51 > 0:04:54These are pipes from the radiator upstairs.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58They could be pulled away from the top so that, before you know it,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00you're going to get water coming down if they get pulled off,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- damaged any further.- These should be boxed in.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04They should be boxed in, yeah.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07This place obviously needs a lot of money spent on it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Anne-Marie first complained to the landlord.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13By law, he has to ensure that the property is maintained and safe.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17When the work required wasn't done, she complained to the council,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20but the landlord told the council that the problems are caused
0:05:20 > 0:05:22by Anne-Marie herself.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24You can't blame me,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28because you can see for yourself
0:05:28 > 0:05:29how bad the house is.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33It hasn't just been like it, it's been like it for a long time.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39What Anne-Marie says makes sense when you see her bathroom.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42It's in a small extension at the back of the house, and the problem
0:05:42 > 0:05:44is obvious as soon as we walk in.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48So, you can smell the damp.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Yeah, the damp is overwhelming in here.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- All the paper is peeling off because it's so damp on the walls.- Yeah.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59An absolute minimum of care and attention
0:05:59 > 0:06:01has been paid to this property
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and the way it's been put together.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06And it's not only in the bathroom.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09We noticed that where the landlord has put a new back door
0:06:09 > 0:06:12on the house, it's created yet another problem.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17This is the new door that was fitted just a matter of weeks ago,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and already the damp is creeping up it.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- This is an internal fire door... - Right.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26..so it's not meant to be mounted on the outside of the house.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28They saved money, chucked in an internal door
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- that they might have had already and there we have the result.- Yep.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33And it's starting to degrade.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I know Anne-Marie has limited options,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37but I am surprised she hasn't tried
0:06:37 > 0:06:39to find an alternative to this place.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Why are you still here? It's in such a shocking condition, I'm just
0:06:43 > 0:06:46interested to know what your other options are, why you'd choose to
0:06:46 > 0:06:50stay somewhere which seems to have so many problems attached.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Well, I'm not choosing to stay here at the moment.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58I am trying to get as much support and help as possible,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00but Croydon Council is helping me.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03As soon as they find me somewhere, then
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I will be moving out as soon as possible.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11You can't blame Anne-Marie for wanting a more suitable home
0:07:11 > 0:07:12for her kids. In the meantime,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15the landlord has a further two weeks to sort out
0:07:15 > 0:07:17the problems at the house - or face prosecution.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Hopefully the threat of prosecution at the end might get him to do it.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27If not, then, yeah, we will go down that route.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Later, David returns to see if the work has been done.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34It hasn't been replaced, and it actually seems to have got
0:07:34 > 0:07:36a little bit worse since we were last here.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48In Hertfordshire, like many local authorities across the UK,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Stevenage Council works really hard to tackle vandalism and anti-social
0:07:52 > 0:07:55behaviour, which can blight the lives of residents.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00It's an ongoing problem for housing officers like Natasha Best, who's
0:08:00 > 0:08:04dealing with a particularly heartbreaking situation today.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07She's been called in to help a man with cancer,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09who's just a few months left to live.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12He's become trapped in his own home because of vandals.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Where he lives, there's only access by one lift,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19and we've had a lot of problems
0:08:19 > 0:08:22with youths recently damaging the lift.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26So, because of his health problems, if the lift is damaged,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28he can't leave his flat.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32It's Natasha's job to find a new flat quickly
0:08:32 > 0:08:35for someone who now has no choice but to leave the place
0:08:35 > 0:08:37he's called home for 23 years.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41He's simply too ill to walk down the stairs.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47As you can see, it's not a very disability-friendly flat block.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52There is steps, there's only one lift. It's not good, really.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Today Natasha is calling in to see Neill...
0:08:58 > 0:08:59- Hi, Chris.- Hi, Natasha, come on in.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02..and his brother Chris, who's been a constant support
0:09:02 > 0:09:04through months of treatment and surgery.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Hi, Neill.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Neill's had a problem eating for a long time,
0:09:09 > 0:09:14but...well, at the beginning of this year, really,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17he had cancer diagnosed.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Neill can't speak any more, but he wanted to tell us,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23in his own words, what he's been going through.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26He was diagnosed with cancer in the voice box.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Then he had six weeks of radiotherapy
0:09:36 > 0:09:38at Mount Vernon Hospital.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42He went out on his own, he was independent, took his own car out.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46But the treatment didn't kill it.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49The radiotherapy had not worked at all,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53so he had to have surgery.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Neill's voice box and windpipe were removed,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59but there was worse news to come.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It led to finding cancer at the base of his tongue.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10For Neill, the loss of the tongue means that not only has he lost
0:10:10 > 0:10:14the ability to speak, but he can't taste anything, he can't smile,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16he can't...
0:10:16 > 0:10:20He can't do so many things that we all take, you know,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22so much for granted.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28And then it wasn't too long after that final diagnosis
0:10:28 > 0:10:32that Neill was told that there was nothing that could be done.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Neill knows he's got six months left, and things are not going to get any
0:10:40 > 0:10:43easier. There's nothing he can do about it.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49I was at the meeting when he was told that, and he...
0:10:49 > 0:10:51He was much braver than I was.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52He's incredibly brave.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58I wanted to give him a cuddle,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00and I reached forward to hold both his shoulders,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04and because he was frightened, he jerked.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07And that hurt, didn't it?
0:11:07 > 0:11:12So, these little things like that can create problems.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13Can't cuddle him.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Desperately want to, but can't.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28"That'll stop him blubbing."
0:11:28 > 0:11:31SHE LAUGHS
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Clearly, the brothers are supporting each other through a very difficult
0:11:34 > 0:11:37time, and Chris knows that being stuck in the flat
0:11:37 > 0:11:40is making life even more miserable for Neill.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Well, he's totally reliant on the lift here.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45He can't get up and down the stairs without it.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Do you feel kind of lonely and depressed being here?
0:11:53 > 0:11:54- "Trapped." Yeah.- Yeah.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56If Neill was here for...
0:11:57 > 0:12:00..much longer, he'd become totally marooned.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04He needs to enjoy the time he's got left.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10"It might mean I can start to get out and about a bit.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11"Yes."
0:12:11 > 0:12:15It's not much to ask for a man in Neill's situation,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19and his family and friends are determined to make the transition as
0:12:19 > 0:12:20easy as possible for him.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26I mean, Neill's been here for 23 years,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28and there are lots of memories and everything else here,
0:12:28 > 0:12:33and making the move is quite difficult for him.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Natasha wants to move Neill into a sheltered home on the ground floor,
0:12:38 > 0:12:39where he'll still be independent
0:12:39 > 0:12:43but have a warden on hand if he needs help.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46How do you think that you're going to manage with the move?
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Do you think that you're going to cope OK?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55"No problem." No problem. I'll see you on Thursday.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00That's the nearest I've seen of a smile for a long time.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01SHE LAUGHS
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Later, we'll find out whether Natasha
0:13:03 > 0:13:06has found Neill the new home he needs
0:13:06 > 0:13:08in order to make the most of his last few months.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11How are you feeling in yourself now?
0:13:11 > 0:13:12"At this minute, very good."
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Oxford, a seat of learning, and one of the most beautiful cities in
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Britain. But for one in five of its residents,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30life might not quite live up to that image.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33They're living in shared houses, one kitchen and lots of bedrooms.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Housing officer Adrian Chowns
0:13:36 > 0:13:38is the council's top man when it comes to
0:13:38 > 0:13:42ensuring everyone in Oxford is safe in their own home.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43To keep them safe,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46the council started a licensing scheme for landlords,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49to make sure basic things like proper fire alarms are fitted.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Family homes are excluded from this.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56If a house has three or more unrelated people living in it,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58the landlord needs a licence to show
0:13:58 > 0:14:01he or she is complying with safety legislation.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02What's our purpose?
0:14:02 > 0:14:06We're going to have a look at a property above a restaurant.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Apparently the leaseholder
0:14:08 > 0:14:13of the restaurant has put in some of his staff into the
0:14:13 > 0:14:14accommodation above.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15Right.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19And also, allegedly, he's renting some other rooms
0:14:19 > 0:14:21out to foreign students.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25- So, what's the issue with that? - Well, we've got the licence issue,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27so, you know, we've got a multi-occupied property.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32- So this could need a licence, when we haven't got a record of one. - Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35The restaurant staff are living above their place of work.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37We'll need to find out if they're related.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40If not, then the landlord will need a licence.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43The fee for that helps fund inspections like this.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50Hello?
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Hello! So, I just need to get some details from you first,
0:14:56 > 0:14:57if that's OK.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00How many people we got living here at the moment?
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Just three?
0:15:04 > 0:15:05And what's their names, please?
0:15:09 > 0:15:11You don't know their names here?
0:15:11 > 0:15:12OK, so who have we got?
0:15:12 > 0:15:14We've got you and your friend here.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15You both live here?
0:15:16 > 0:15:18And you said those people,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20which suggests there's more than one.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24- Do you pay any rent?- No. - No, no, no, we don't pay rent.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26You work in the restaurant, do you? Yeah?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31It seems that Adrian's suspicions may be correct.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33There are definitely people living here,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35and they don't seem to be family members.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Time for some further investigation.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Other than you, how many people live here?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Five. Today there was five people living here.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52OK. So, someone's lying to me, then, in other words.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55There seems to be a little confusion about exactly how many people
0:15:55 > 0:15:56are staying here.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00But looking round, there are a few pointers that could help.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Toothbrush test.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05One here.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08Three beds.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12So, three beds - one, two, three.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15With four toothbrushes and three beds in just this one room,
0:16:15 > 0:16:20it seems very unlikely the whole flat is shared by just three people.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Coming up, things don't get any better, as we discover some
0:16:24 > 0:16:25decidedly dangerous-looking wiring.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29It says here, "Important: disconnect mains before removing the jacket."
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Is that the jacket that's already off?
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Looking at that, I would be asking for a gas safety certificate.- Yeah.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Defending our right to a safe place to live is the job of housing
0:16:43 > 0:16:46officers, right across the UK.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50Do you think?!
0:16:50 > 0:16:54I'm working alongside the men and women who do exactly that.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56- Top marks.- Yes!
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I'm hitting the streets.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- Hello? Can you open up? - Definitely somebody inside,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02because we've seen movement.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Finding out what's happening on the front line.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08The cistern's in the bath. I don't know how they flush it.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11And learning what it takes to make sure that a house
0:17:11 > 0:17:13is a fit place to call a home.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27In Stevenage, a vandalised lift left terminally ill tenant
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Neill feeling like a prisoner in his own flat.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32He was just too ill to manage the stairs.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Housing officer Natasha Best is on the case, finding him a new home,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41so his final months are as comfortable as possible.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Do you feel kind of depressed being here?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- "Trapped."- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Luckily for Neill, she has been able to help,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56finding him a sheltered ground-floor home with everything he needs.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01The importance of getting all of this done,
0:18:01 > 0:18:06so he could move and actually live a little bit of his last...
0:18:06 > 0:18:09of his life in this accommodation,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13hopefully, is going to make him happy.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Neill's recently moved into the flat.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18It has easy wheelchair access and, even better,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21no sign of the vandals who damaged the lift and kept him housebound.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Today Natasha's paying him a visit,
0:18:25 > 0:18:30with support worker Sarah, to see how he's settling into his new home.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33And they're not alone. Neill's friend Bob has popped in, too.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- Hi, Neill.- You all right?
0:18:37 > 0:18:41How was the move? Did it go OK?
0:18:44 > 0:18:47"Because I was helpless, it was really hard for me."
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Are you happy here?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Have you managed to settle in OK?
0:18:55 > 0:19:00"Yes, no more anti-social lift and people nice here."
0:19:00 > 0:19:01That's really good.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- So, do you mind if Sarah just shows me around the flat?- Yup.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06SHE LAUGHS
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- Yeah, that's grand.- Is that all right?
0:19:09 > 0:19:10Although Neill is frail,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14it's clear that he's much happier and more comfortable here.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19The flat has much better facilities and emergency pull cords in every
0:19:19 > 0:19:21room, so he can summon help whenever he needs it.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25OK, this is the wet room.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Obviously, he's got a nice big shower.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- Brilliant. Grab rails.- Grab, yeah.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- A lot of grab rails.- Yeah, all nicely decorated.- Yeah.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Being on the ground floor means that Neill can now get out and about
0:19:39 > 0:19:41with his friends and family when he feels up to it.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45This might seem like a small thing,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49but it's transforming the time he has left.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52So, I'm really glad the move went good for you.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54How are you feeling in yourself now?
0:19:58 > 0:20:00"This minute, very good."
0:20:00 > 0:20:01That's really good.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03You have to admire Neill's spirit.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07And Natasha is delighted to have been able to help improve his life.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12This is one of the cases that
0:20:12 > 0:20:15is going to make me feel a sense of
0:20:15 > 0:20:20satisfaction, because I know that I've managed to help him.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23He obviously is in a lot of need,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26so it's really good when you can manage to help someone
0:20:26 > 0:20:30right to the end with what they need, to make their life better.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Sadly, Neill's now passed away.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Neill's brother Chris told us having the new flat, even for a short time,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45had made a huge difference to Neill's final months.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Earlier, urgent repairs to Anne-Marie's rented home
0:20:55 > 0:20:58still hadn't been made, despite the council serving
0:20:58 > 0:21:01her landlord with a notice to improve the house.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06It's just so horrible, and depressing.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09I feel like I'm stuck, and I can't get out.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Two weeks later, the notice has expired
0:21:11 > 0:21:15and housing officer David Dale's back to see if there's been any
0:21:15 > 0:21:17progress since our last visit.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Hi, Anne-Marie. You OK? Just here to check on the works.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The first thing David wants to check is the back door.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27OK, so this is the door we saw last time.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Obviously, it hasn't been replaced, and it actually seems to have got
0:21:31 > 0:21:33a little bit worse since we were last here.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37And it's starting to peel all along the bottom,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39where the water's getting to it.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44The door isn't the only thing left undone.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45The last time we were here,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48the bathroom was damp, with peeling wallpaper.
0:21:48 > 0:21:54The electrics needed attention and the windows were rotten.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57So, I've had a quick look around the place.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Everything is still exactly the same as it was last time we were here.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04But despite all that, David has made progress.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07The landlord hasn't carried out any repairs yet,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11but he has finally agreed to get the work that needs doing done.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15I'm meeting a contractor round here on Monday.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I will go through our entire schedule of works
0:22:18 > 0:22:20with the contractor,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23so not just the door, which is being fixed on Monday,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25but the floor, the windows,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28the carpet on the stairs, the electrical faults.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32I am happy that someone is coming round to actually have a look
0:22:32 > 0:22:37and price up the works, so hopefully the landlord will do the work.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39And there's more good news for Anne-Marie.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44Because high rents in Croydon led to the council there relocating her
0:22:44 > 0:22:47to Kent, they're still responsible for her.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50And they're trying to find her a home in Croydon she can afford,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53so she's closer to her relatives.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I'm enormously sympathetic to Anne-Marie.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57She's been trapped here for two years.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01I just really hope she finds somewhere nice to live,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and we can get on and deal with the property,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08because the works needed are quite extensive.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Swale Council have had an estimate for necessary repairs to the house.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17It's going to cost £20,000
0:23:17 > 0:23:20to bring it up to the basic standard required by law.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24The council's prosecuting the landlord for failing to comply
0:23:24 > 0:23:26with improvement notices.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Croydon Council, who moved Anne-Marie and her kids to the area,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31told us, "We were disappointed to learn that this property
0:23:31 > 0:23:34"was not maintained to the standards we expect.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38"We found a suitable new home for Ms Hardcastle near close family
0:23:38 > 0:23:39"in Margate."
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Anne-Marie and the children have indeed been moved again
0:23:42 > 0:23:45by Croydon Council, to be near to her sisters.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Not back to Croydon, as she'd hoped, so she could be near to her mum.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51A combination of the benefit cap and soaring housing prices
0:23:51 > 0:23:53have made that impossible.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57While Croydon may have found a happy compromise in Margate,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01the council there do say cheaper accommodation has led to other
0:24:01 > 0:24:04councils dumping their dependent population into the area,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07exacerbating serious social problems.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Back in Oxford, we need to find out how many people
0:24:15 > 0:24:18are living in this flat above an Indian restaurant.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21But the numbers aren't our only concern.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27It says here, "Important: disconnect mains before removing the jacket."
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- Yeah.- Is that the jacket that's already off?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Looking at that, I would be asking for a gas safety certificate.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Yeah, yeah.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39- We can do the bathroom.- Let's do the bathroom next.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- A shower. Electric shower. - Yeah.- Toilet.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47We've got a hot-water heater that is jerry-rigged onto that.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- Now, the wiring's not... brilliant, really. - HE LAUGHS
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Oh, my God, yeah. You'd really want that behind the tiles.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It's enough to suggest that we need
0:24:55 > 0:24:58- an electrical safety check doing on the flat.- Yeah.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01There's already a number of concerns,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and we haven't even seen all of the property,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05as two of the rooms are locked shut.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08I'm going to speak to the owner now, I'm going to come back.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10I'm going to need to get into these two rooms.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- Right, that's fine, yeah.- I mean, if we don't get into these two rooms,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15we might have to come back with a warrant
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and do the old breaking in and...
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Is this feeling quite serious to you? I mean,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21- it's beyond the licence, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25- There are other matters here that need looking at.- Yeah.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28It's time for us to track down the leaseholder of the restaurant,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30to try and find out what's been going on upstairs.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35- The door's open, isn't it? - No, it's not.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Unfortunately, there's no response,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and I'm starting to worry about what
0:25:39 > 0:25:42our visit could mean for the tenants upstairs.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46The feeling that I got from those guys was one of intense nervousness.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Because their jobs are linked to that place,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51they could end up losing accommodation and jobs
0:25:51 > 0:25:54if the landlord doesn't like what they've, you know,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56- what they've said. - It's not their fault,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59you know, the conditions that they're living in,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01it's the landlord's. And we, you know, we're trying to, you know,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04we're on their side. We're trying to make it better for them.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06With the leaseholder nowhere to be found,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08there's not much more we can do here.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Another day?- Yeah. Definitely.- Right, nice one.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17But Adrian is not a man to give up, and a few weeks later,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19he's on his way back to check on this shared house,
0:26:19 > 0:26:24known to the council as a house in multiple occupation, or HMO.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29So, we're going to go and have a chat with this leaseholder
0:26:29 > 0:26:32about this property that we inspected.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34There's two locked rooms we couldn't get into,
0:26:34 > 0:26:38so we're going to go back now and see what the situation is.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44And the good news was that the leaseholder was there this time,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and allowed Adrian into the flat - but not our cameras.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52So, he's let me into the two rooms that were locked last time we did
0:26:52 > 0:26:55the inspection. One of them looks like it's been occupied
0:26:55 > 0:26:58as an office. There's a desk and some computers
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and that sort of stuff. The other one is a bedroom.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03There's definitely someone else, you know, there,
0:27:03 > 0:27:08which just confirms our suspicions that it is an unlicensed HMO.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11There's some work being carried out.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Two of the smoke alarms that we installed when we went last time,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16which were broken, they are brand-new,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19they've been replaced now. That's not, you know,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22to say that we're not going to do anything about the fact
0:27:22 > 0:27:25that it's unlicensed, but at least we've had an impact.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27You know, we've made something happen.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34The leaseholder's reluctance to talk to housing officers hasn't stopped
0:27:34 > 0:27:38the City Council from still pursuing its investigations,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41and the leaseholder will be brought in for an interview.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45He'll be questioned about both conditions at the property
0:27:45 > 0:27:47and the lack of a licence.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50What happens after that will be partly dependent on him.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56That's it for today. Join me next time,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59when I'll be learning more about what it takes
0:27:59 > 0:28:01to be a front-line housing officer.