0:00:02 > 0:00:03- We'll have to force access. - DOG BARKS
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.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:14 > 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 > 0:00:24- It really does look a shanty town. - Yeah, it's not up to standard.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29If someone had died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32you would've been standing in a coroner's court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35'I'm Matt Allwright
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'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.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41'I'll be with them
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'as they tackle problem properties and slum conditions...'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46MATT LAUGHS
0:00:46 > 0:00:49That's a new design that I haven't seen before.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'..as they deal with dodgy landlords, nightmare neighbours
0:00:52 > 0:00:53'and everything in between...'
0:00:53 > 0:00:57My God, straightaway, there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58You never know what you're going to find.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02..doing their best to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Today, we discover a house so overcrowded
0:01:11 > 0:01:14that even the housing officer is shocked.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I wouldn't want to stay in here more than a couple of hours.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite honest.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23One man calls in the council
0:01:23 > 0:01:25after his neighbours take a unique approach
0:01:25 > 0:01:27to landscaping in the back garden.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31I couldn't believe it. That's it, I'll just pile through the house
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and into the back garden without any disregard to nobody else.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40'And we visit what I think might be the smallest home in the country.'
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I don't know if you can see, but that there,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that is the width of the whole house.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47That's all you get.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57When was the last time you heard anyone use the phrase
0:01:57 > 0:01:59"slum landlord"?
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Not that recently, right?
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Well, that's because we live in a country with laws
0:02:04 > 0:02:08that make sure housing meets basic standards.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10And it's not just landlords.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14There are laws that mean that tenants need to behave too.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17I'm working alongside the men and women from councils
0:02:17 > 0:02:21across the UK who enforce those laws.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28We're in Newham, East London,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31a borough which attracts a high number of immigrants
0:02:31 > 0:02:34who all need somewhere to live.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38But that also leaves them open to exploitation by greedy landlords.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42'I'm with housing officers Christine Lyons and Holly Ripp.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45'They're checking up on a privately rented property
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'they suspect to be seriously overcrowded.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50'By making an unannounced visit,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'the officers hope to see the real conditions inside.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'But first, they have to get in.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Hello, can you just let me in?
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Hi?
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Excuse me?
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Mm, definitely somebody inside, cos we've seen movement,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07but they don't appear to be answering the door.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08KNOCK ON DOOR
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- Must be in. - Don't knock that one, it's broken.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Christine's wisely gone straight past the doorbell.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Just from a quick visual inspection,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I would say is non-functioning.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Please, just let me in. Open the door.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Excuse me.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'The landlord of this property only has planning permission
0:03:29 > 0:03:32'to rent it out as a single family home.'
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Hello, can you open up?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37But Holly and Christine think it's actually being used to house
0:03:37 > 0:03:40a number of people who don't know each other.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42The landlord's already been served with an enforcement notice,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45ordering him to comply with planning permission.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48If it isn't being rented to just one family,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52'he'll be breaching the notice and committing a criminal offence.'
0:03:52 > 0:03:54If they're not regulated by the council,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'large shared homes like these are often rundown,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01'overcrowded and sometimes dangerous.'
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Hi? Excuse me?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Can you just open the door for a minute?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11We just want to talk to you about the property, that's all.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It's not a problem, it'll be five minutes of your time.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15Definitely people inside,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19definitely not really interested in talking to us.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Having said that, there are clues here.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Overflowing wheelie bins, always a good sign.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37'Because we haven't got a warrant, we can't demand entry,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40'so for now, it looks like it's a no-go.'
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Realistically, we're not getting in there,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46but there are lots of clues, aren't there?
0:04:46 > 0:04:48With this kind of property,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52in some cases the landlord has told them not to answer the door.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56With any case of overcrowding, it's also a question of safety.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00There are issues, you know, fire safety,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02poor quality, overcrowding.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04You know, our real aims are to ensure they're safe
0:05:04 > 0:05:06and we don't know, do we?
0:05:06 > 0:05:08We don't know what's going on, and if we're not allowed in,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and we're only allowed in with the landlord,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13what you'll see with the landlord is different
0:05:13 > 0:05:15than what we see when we knock on the doors.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17You can only imagine what it is that's preventing them
0:05:17 > 0:05:20from letting people in who could help them.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23It must be, one would imagine, a fear of eviction,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25a fear of what happens to them if, you know,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29they bring some kind of trouble to bear on the landlord.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32It must be, whatever it is, it must be quite effective and strong.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Yeah, they would probably be evicted, wouldn't they?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37That's what they see as being the worst, worst thing to happen,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39to look again for somewhere to live.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Coming up, our worst fears are realised
0:05:42 > 0:05:45as the Newham team finally get into the house.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I don't know what I'm going to find in the rest of the house,
0:05:48 > 0:05:50but it's not looking good so far.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Back in Newham,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'I'm joining James Burton and Ellen Nicholson
0:06:01 > 0:06:03'from the council's planning department.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06'They've had a complaint about cramped conditions
0:06:06 > 0:06:07'in a privately rented home,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11'and this time, it's come from the tenants themselves.'
0:06:11 > 0:06:12OK, so what's on the list?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15A garage that's been converted into a studio flat.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Right, and what information have we got?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Is there any kind of permission on it at all?
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Yeah, there was planning permission in 1991
0:06:23 > 0:06:25for an erection of a two-storey extension.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28It should be part of the family house, though,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32and not necessarily being used as separate accommodation.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35The tenants have been here for a while,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38but they say they're now struggling to manage.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And even at first glance, it's not hard to see why.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45I don't know if you can see, but that there,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48that is the width of the whole house.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51So, from drainpipe to wall, that's all you get.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54'Unbelievably, this house, if you can call it a house,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56'is home to a family of three.'
0:06:56 > 0:06:57Is that it?
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- Tiny.- There's a tiny, tiny kitchen.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02It's so narrow.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06And then you've got a single room above that.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08This is a very small place, isn't it?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11The landlord is the next-door neighbour.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15And it looks like this house was once part of an extension.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16You can see the little door,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20uPVC door that's been chucked on the side of the property,
0:07:20 > 0:07:21but then where does it go?
0:07:23 > 0:07:26OK, the owner here doesn't want to show his face
0:07:26 > 0:07:28and doesn't want to be on television,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31but he has allowed us to do a tour of...
0:07:32 > 0:07:36..just the most incredibly tiny property I've seen so far
0:07:36 > 0:07:38on this programme.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And it's... You just have to come see it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43You just have to come.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49The problems of living somewhere like this are obvious,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51even before you step inside.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54So, you go through this lean-to, kind of alleyway thing
0:07:54 > 0:07:57with its own front door here...
0:07:57 > 0:07:59which, by the way, has got no way of opening it
0:07:59 > 0:08:02in the case of an emergency, cos it's got a key shut.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06And then you have this wall, which is quite visibly falling down.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08'And the reality of the living conditions indoors
0:08:08 > 0:08:12'for a family with a small child is even worse.'
0:08:12 > 0:08:15OK, so this is the living area, as such,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and in here we've got two chairs,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22and a table, microwave. We've got two armchairs as well.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26And then straightaway, we move into the kitchen,
0:08:26 > 0:08:31and in here you've got an electric hob and a sink.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35That's the downstairs. That's your whole downstairs, right here.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40OK, a tiny staircase...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43leads you up to this, which is
0:08:43 > 0:08:47a bedroom for Mum, Dad and Baby.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52(That's it. That's it for the bedroom.)
0:08:52 > 0:08:55And then we've got...its en-suite.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57I can't open the door fully, even.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02You've got a sink, toilet and a shower room.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04You just can't live like this.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05You can't do it.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09It's obviously quite an undersized flat.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It's just over two metres width across
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and looks slightly longer than that long.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18For three people, it's drastically undersized.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22A one-bedroom flat like this to meet minimum requirements
0:09:22 > 0:09:26would have to be pretty well over 50 square metres
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and there's no way this gets even close.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32It's obvious this place is not fit for one person to live,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34never mind a family.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39It would never have got planning permission to let out as a separate unit.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I'd say this is almost the smallest family house
0:09:43 > 0:09:44in the country right now.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47If you've got one that's smaller with three people in it,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51let me know cos I can't imagine how you'd do it.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Fortunately, James has managed to get hold of the landlord.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03He may be able to shed some light on how his tenants came to be living like this.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Hi there, we're from the council, from the planning department.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11After a quick chat, it seems we have some answers.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Until the time that he put that kitchen in,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15it was just part of the main dwelling.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19The kitchen went in and he let it out separately a year ago.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23From planning terms, even though the main structure has been there for a
0:10:23 > 0:10:27long time, it's still a new use and something we can enforce against.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30So when you change the use and then let it out, in this case,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32that's the crucial bit.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Always check with Planning and make sure, can I do this?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38He will probably get a notice to return the use
0:10:38 > 0:10:41of that side extension for the main property.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45- So we just keep an eye on that, make sure he does follow through. - Exactly.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48So it looks like the house will soon return to being what it
0:10:48 > 0:10:50was supposed to be - an extension,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52and not a home for a family of three.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55The result of all of this, sadly,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58is that he'll probably make it what it should have been all along,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02which is one family home, and that means that our couple with
0:11:02 > 0:11:06their baby next door could well be looking for somewhere new to live.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10That's the pressure of Newham and on London generally.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Earlier, I accompanied Newham Council housing officers
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Holly and Christine to check up on a private rented property which
0:11:24 > 0:11:26only has planning permission for one family
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and is thought to be seriously overcrowded.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31But, despite our best efforts...
0:11:33 > 0:11:34Hello, can you just let me in?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36..we couldn't get access.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Holly's back, armed with a warrant and colleague Stephen Pavett
0:11:40 > 0:11:43to find out what's really happening inside.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- Is there someone in there? - Hello.- Hello, sir,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50we're from the planning department from Newham Council.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52We're here to do an inspection of the property.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Are we all right to come in?
0:11:54 > 0:11:57The landlord has already been served with an enforcement notice to
0:11:57 > 0:12:00make sure the property only houses one family.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Anything other than that and he's breaking the law.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- So how many people are living in your room here?- My daughter.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- Your daughter?- Yes.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- And your wife.- Yes. - In this room here?- Yes.- OK.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15How long have you been living in this room?
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- Three years.- Three years? It's a long time to be in one room.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20And how much rent do you pay for this room?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- 400.- £400 per month?- Yeah.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27So that's two adults and a teenage child, crammed into one room,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31complete with all their worldly possessions, for three years!
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Does this pull out, and you sleep on...?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40It's hard, it must be.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Yeah, OK.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48It's hard to believe that this man thinks there's no better alternative
0:12:48 > 0:12:52to living in conditions like this than to be on the streets.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- Thank you very much.- Sorry to disturb you.- OK, no problem.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I don't know what I'll find in the rest of the house, but it's not looking good so far.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03And things don't get any better in the kitchen.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06It's not in a very good condition, we can see the ceiling is
0:13:06 > 0:13:08in a terrible mess here.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I don't know what's happening, it must have been a leak, probably
0:13:11 > 0:13:13from the upstairs bathroom that's all caved in.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15We've got a number of fridges,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19another good indication that this is a shared home.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23So, I think we're going down the back here.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27We've got this extension here, this is someone's room.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I wouldn't be particularly happy to have it as my room,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32it doesn't look in particularly good shape.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Do you know how many people live in here?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38- Two.- Two people in this bed here?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40It's...
0:13:43 > 0:13:44Yes.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50The landlord is pocketing almost three grand a month
0:13:50 > 0:13:52for this property, including £320 quid
0:13:52 > 0:13:55for what is not much more than a lean-to.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59It's quite a small room.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- And this is your heating?- Yes.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Does it get quite cold in here?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- Sometimes.- It feels quite damp.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Cramped, cold and damp, not what any of us are looking for
0:14:11 > 0:14:13in a home.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Planning and housing restrictions are there to ensure safe,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19acceptable conditions, but judging by the state of the bathroom
0:14:19 > 0:14:21it's an epic fail on both counts.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25The whole floor is wet and I can't actually tell
0:14:25 > 0:14:27where that's coming from.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29There seems to be a bit of movement to the floor.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33I would say that the floorboards underneath are sodden
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and this probably may collapse.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38With the amount of people that we think have been told to us
0:14:38 > 0:14:40are living in this property, which is 14,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43we've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44I wouldn't want to be in here.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47I wouldn't want to stay in here more than a couple of hours
0:14:47 > 0:14:49and breathe the air in because it feels damp.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51There's mould everywhere.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's one of the worst overcrowded properties I've seen.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55The conditions are not great,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58so it would have to rate as one of them, yeah.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Depressingly, there's yet another family of three living in this room.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06And how much do you pay for renting the room?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08500.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12£500 altogether for the room. OK.
0:15:12 > 0:15:18When you pay the money, have you got a contract or tenancy agreement
0:15:18 > 0:15:21saying that you stay here?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Nothing, you don't have any tenancy agreement?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26So with three people in a number of the rooms,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29no tenancy agreements, and unsafe conditions, it's enough to
0:15:29 > 0:15:32make any housing officer's toes curl.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35But although the landlord could face prosecution,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37it's the tenants who have to deal with the fallout.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Does that mean, then, that we will have to look for new places to live?
0:15:42 > 0:15:45There's a good chance that that will have to happen.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48He would have to give you what's called a Section 21 notice
0:15:48 > 0:15:50under the Housing Act.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54A Section 21 notice is part of the Housing Act of 1988
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and it gives the tenant a minimum of two months' notice
0:15:57 > 0:16:00before they have to vacate a property.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Although that's probably small comfort to the tenants.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06I'm seeing...
0:16:06 > 0:16:10People there genuinely are nice and you've got families in there.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12They're just trying to make a life for themselves,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16paying a lot of money and for not a lot of return.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20It's not being kept up at all by the owner of the property,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22you've got damage and leaks and issues everywhere.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Yeah, we'll look to take further action on this one
0:16:25 > 0:16:28by probably going for a prosecution.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Defending our right to a safe place to live is
0:16:34 > 0:16:38the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Do you think?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I'm working alongside the men and women
0:16:45 > 0:16:47that do exactly that.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48- Top marks.- Yes!
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I'm hitting the streets...
0:16:51 > 0:16:53That's ready to collapse.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55..Finding out what's happening on the front line.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57The cistern's in the bath.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59I don't know how they flush it.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02..and learning what it takes to make sure a house
0:17:02 > 0:17:05is fit to be called a home.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16North Wales has some of the most stunning scenery
0:17:16 > 0:17:18in the British Isles...
0:17:19 > 0:17:21..with the Snowdonia National Park
0:17:21 > 0:17:25attracting people who want a small piece of this relaxed lifestyle
0:17:25 > 0:17:28and everything that comes with it.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Gwynedd Council housing officer Carwyn Roberts is on his way
0:17:31 > 0:17:35to a house that's been causing problems for neighbours after
0:17:35 > 0:17:38a new owner bought it and started work on the property.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44So we're going to a property in a small village
0:17:44 > 0:17:46called Llan Ffestiniog.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51The property in question is a small, little miner's cottage
0:17:51 > 0:17:55which has been empty for a number of years.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58The current owner started work on landscaping the garden.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01He couldn't get the digger in through the garden,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05so he drove the digger right through the middle of the house.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10That's right. Unable to gain access to the rear of his property,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13the owner thought it would be a good idea to smash through the house
0:18:13 > 0:18:15from front to back.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20He didn't just wreck his own property,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24his neighbours are worried it's damaged the structural integrity
0:18:24 > 0:18:28of their homes too. Noel Rhys Owen owns the house next door,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31but conditions have got so bad, he's had to move out.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34I couldn't believe it that he could get away
0:18:34 > 0:18:38without any thought actually of just...
0:18:38 > 0:18:40"Oh, that's it, I'll just pile through the house
0:18:40 > 0:18:43"and into the back garden without any disregard to nobody else."
0:18:43 > 0:18:48It's a shock to see such a beautiful old cottage being demolished
0:18:48 > 0:18:52and being left as it is for such a long time.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56The new owner was given planning permission for the work
0:18:56 > 0:18:59on the cottage by Snowdonia National Park Authority,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01not Gwynedd Council.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05So Carwyn can't compel the owner to make good on the works needed
0:19:05 > 0:19:09to put the house right, but he can intervene in the neighbour dispute.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Although looking at the property,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14it's difficult to see what he can do.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16There's not a lot of structure of the property left to hold
0:19:16 > 0:19:19the whole thing up, and that's my main concern.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25The owner of the property started the work over three years ago.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It's caused a great deal of stress for Noel,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31who's now moved out and put his house on the market.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35But it gets worse because it's estimated that empty properties
0:19:35 > 0:19:38can devalue neighbouring homes by up to 18%.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42He's had it on the market,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46people come for viewings, they're not interested.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Erm...and why would they with this next door?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53You can't hide what's actually behind the boarding
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and the scaffolding. So, yeah, that's basically it.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Later Carwyn discovers things are even worse than he thought.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07He's dug down so deep now, the foundations have started to cave in.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14In three months during 2015,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18local housing authorities received over 27,000 applications for
0:20:18 > 0:20:21housing assistance from homeless people.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23But with high demand for council properties throughout the
0:20:23 > 0:20:28country, this can be a challenging, time-consuming process that
0:20:28 > 0:20:31can often include long stays in temporary accommodation.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36In the Gloucestershire town of Stroud,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40housing officer Vicky Stephenson is helping one young woman leave
0:20:40 > 0:20:43her past behind to start a new life in her own home.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50We have picked her up as a priority because of medical problems,
0:20:50 > 0:20:55and she has been bidding regularly on Homeseekers,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58which is the council waiting list.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01And fortunately, we have been able to secure
0:21:01 > 0:21:04a private rental through our homeless prevention fund.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Vicky's client is Sally-Ann.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14After losing close family members, Sally-Ann was homeless,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and became addicted to drugs.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22The drastic change in my life was my brother getting killed, yeah.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28My nan and grandad passed away in 2009,
0:21:28 > 0:21:35and that just sent me off the hook, yeah. That broke me.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Over the past few months, Sally-Ann has been battling her addictions,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42living in temporary accommodation whilst she and Vicky tried to
0:21:42 > 0:21:45find her a place of her own, but it hasn't been an easy time.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48I have fought for this.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53I've fought so hard to get where I'm at now, but I've let
0:21:53 > 0:21:57myself down, obviously with my addiction,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00it is so powerful and cunning,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04and I feel lonely, I feel weak,
0:22:04 > 0:22:11depressed, and I have contemplated suicide, put it that way.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14In England, at the end of June 2015,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18more than 66,000 households were in temporary accommodation.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Sally-Ann believes leaving this world behind is her best
0:22:22 > 0:22:26chance for a fresh start at life away from her addictions.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31I don't want to ruin this chance because the council are not
0:22:31 > 0:22:36going to keep helping me, they can't keep doing it for me.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38I'm getting a flat.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43I am getting a flat and it's just worked out so perfectly.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45I'm excited, it's a new chapter.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Getting her own place to live might not seem like a big change,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53but for Sally-Ann, it's allowing her to let go of the past and look
0:22:53 > 0:22:55towards a positive future.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59And on a wet morning in Stroud, Sally-Ann is on her way to
0:22:59 > 0:23:03a meeting that's another milestone in her recovery.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07The time has come for her to collect the keys to her very own flat.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Signing my papers, getting out of the B&B,
0:23:10 > 0:23:12erm...
0:23:12 > 0:23:15getting my own space, my sanctuary,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19and a lot, a lot of excitement.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Hi, Sally. Come on in so you can see what you think of the flat.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- Thank you.- Hi, Mark. - Hi, how are you?
0:23:30 > 0:23:31I'm Vicky. This is Sally-Ann.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33What do you think, Sally?
0:23:33 > 0:23:36What I like about the flat, it's mine, I'm not sharing.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Yeah, it will be my own security.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45This is the supplemental agreement, and this is between your
0:23:45 > 0:23:48landlord, yourself, and Stroud District Council,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52so if you're happy with all that, if we could get you to sign there.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56For Sally, it comes down to this moment.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58All she has to do now is sign.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02It's not just a signature, this is like a new life.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Excited, I've got butterflies.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06I can't wait to get in and give it a good clean.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Yeah, then it's mine.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I've got my own key then, not a B&B key.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16I'm going to come back in six months to see what you've done.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Give it a couple of weeks! - I'd like to do that, to see.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23- Give it a couple of weeks. - It will be different.- Yeah.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28Thanks to Vicky, Sally-Ann has signed a 12-month tenancy agreement on the flat.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30I'm over the moon.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Two weeks later and Sally-Ann's house is starting to look like a home.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38As a future home,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43I could see it as a homely home and a place of sanctuary and security.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It's not just Sally-Ann that's delighted,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49it's also a job well done for housing officer Vicky.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53It's really nice to see how happy Sally-Ann was, getting her settled
0:24:53 > 0:24:59into a new property, and having gone through such a tough time.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02I feel proud of myself. No, I do, I feel very proud of myself.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05But, yeah, no, I'm more than content.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13We're back in Llan Ffestiniog in North Wales,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16where housing officer Carwyn Roberts
0:25:16 > 0:25:18has been investigating a half-demolished house
0:25:18 > 0:25:22which has been making the neighbours' lives a nightmare.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27The shock to see such a beautiful old cottage being demolished,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31and being left as it is for such a long time.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Carwyn's been here before, but Noel's told him that the
0:25:34 > 0:25:37state of the building next door has deteriorated.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40The best view is from Noel's back garden.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44I can see that part of the roof has been taken off now.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Last time I was here, it was half-demolished.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Three-and-a-half years like this.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53I call it my own battlefield, to be honest.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58He's dug down so deep now, the foundations on the end of the house
0:25:58 > 0:26:03apparently have started to cave in, and it's just a pity to see one
0:26:03 > 0:26:07of the oldest houses in the village literally being torn to pieces.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09I'm trying to sell the house
0:26:09 > 0:26:12and this is the biggest drawback.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- This demolition job next door. - Yeah, it's not helping.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19The owner's tried to board up the front of the property to try
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and hide, really, the massive hole at the front.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23It's quite shocking to see it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It's certainly one of our worst ones we've got.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29My concern is obviously that this is going to eventually
0:26:29 > 0:26:31drag down the roof of this house.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The issue at the heart of this dispute is that planning permission
0:26:36 > 0:26:40was given by the Snowdonia National Park authority, not Gwynedd Council.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44And that means Carwyn can't compel the owner to complete
0:26:44 > 0:26:46the work required and restore the house.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50We've contacted the owner to try and see, you know,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51what's going on.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53He says it's works in progress
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and although it's works in progress, to have it go on for so long
0:26:56 > 0:26:58is not reasonable.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02There is a recent planning permission gone in to erect
0:27:02 > 0:27:04an extension on the back.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Erm, so whether that will spur him on to do the works, who knows?
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Noel thinks he's going to have to cut his losses, and soon.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18I might have to reduce the price drastically, put it on auction.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22This is quite a frustrating case that we've got
0:27:22 > 0:27:25because we're really not able to do much.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28It's just a waiting game, crank up a little
0:27:28 > 0:27:32bit of pressure and see, you know, if we can get him to move quicker.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37The Snowdonia National Park Authority tells us that
0:27:37 > 0:27:40while it understands the neighbour's frustrations,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43they don't have the power to compel the owner to work faster.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46They say a notice can only be served on the owner
0:27:46 > 0:27:48if no work had been carried out at the property,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51or if the work was in breach of planning,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53which at the moment, it isn't.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59That's it for today.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Join me next time, on the front line with Britain's housing officers.