0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The 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 > 0:00:12'But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15'the 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 > 0:00:20'In the battle for decent housing...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We've got conditions that are just appalling.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite 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've been standing in Coroner's Court.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34'I'm Matt Allwright
0:00:34 > 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 > 0:00:43'I'll be with them as they tackle problem properties
0:00:43 > 0:00:45'and slum conditions...'
0:00:45 > 0:00:47It really does look like a shanty town.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Yeah, it's not up to standard.
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 > 0:00:57Oh, 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 > 0:01:00'..doing their best to help those in need
0:01:00 > 0:01:02'of a happy and healthy home.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:12'Today, housing officers investigate an unlawful bedsit
0:01:12 > 0:01:15'putting tenants' lives at risk.'
0:01:15 > 0:01:17A kitchen which is just a disaster,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20a bathroom which is dangerous to your health.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23'A disabled man and his family get help from council officers
0:01:23 > 0:01:26'so they can stay in their remote home.'
0:01:27 > 0:01:30I dread the day I can't cope with living here, I must admit.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'Housing officers discover that an ex-serviceman's rented house
0:01:33 > 0:01:36'isn't a home fit for a hero.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:38You served the UK for 12 years.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40I deserve better than this.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42'And the council finds a solution
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'to help an elderly widow who's been trapped indoors.'
0:01:45 > 0:01:48To be able to go out that back gate -
0:01:48 > 0:01:51a simple little thing, but it's everything.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Every year more of us rent the homes that we live in,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and every year rents go up.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04For those of us chasing cheaper housing,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08that can mean enduring living conditions so bad
0:02:08 > 0:02:09that they break the law.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13I'm working alongside the men and women whose job it is
0:02:13 > 0:02:15to uphold those laws.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17They are the Housing Enforcers.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I'm in Newham with Stephen Pavett and Holly Ripp
0:02:24 > 0:02:27from the council's planning department.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Part of their job is making sure family homes
0:02:29 > 0:02:33are kept for families, not unlawfully converted into bedsits
0:02:33 > 0:02:37by landlords keen to maximise their rental income.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40When this happens, the number of people in the area
0:02:40 > 0:02:42rises as a hidden population,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45putting extra pressure on the NHS and schools.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49We're on the way to a property which was converted into bedsits,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51and the landlord's already been told
0:02:51 > 0:02:53he needs to change it back to a family home.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Stephen and Holly are keen to check on his progress.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01We have visited previously,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and it was in breach of the enforcement notice,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06so they were sent letters warning
0:03:06 > 0:03:09- that we were going to take prosecution action.- Right.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Following that, we did speak to the owner on the telephone
0:03:12 > 0:03:16and he gave us all the good intentions
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and that he was going to remove the tenants.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Unfortunately, we haven't heard back from him since,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and that's why we're going back today to see the current situation.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29When houses are converted in this way,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32they often fall into disrepair,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34making the property unsafe for tenants
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and creating problems for neighbours.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Today, we shouldn't find any evidence that this is still
0:03:40 > 0:03:43a shared house or a collection of bedsits.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45KNOCKING ON DOOR
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It's all dark inside, so that means doors are closed,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52which means individual rooms, cos people close their bedrooms.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- There we go. - Hello, from the council.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59We've got a visit today to have a look around the property, please.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01OK? Thank you.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03It's not a promising start.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06As soon as we're inside there are more telltale signs
0:04:06 > 0:04:08all is not as it should be.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12So straight away, we've walked in through the front door
0:04:12 > 0:04:16and on the left-hand side we have a room that's shared by two beds.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18The gentlemen who's staying here
0:04:18 > 0:04:20says he's been here for a few nights.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23If that's all right, sir, we just need to have a look around.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Thank you. How many people were sleeping here last night?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31You and friend? Well, you've got bedding on the ground,
0:04:31 > 0:04:32so there's two people.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Do you want to tell me what we saw in there?
0:04:35 > 0:04:37OK, so in that bedroom just there,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39we had one gentlemen with a single bed,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42but he did have some people stay last night.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46Already we've got four people, at the least,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49from what people are telling us, and we don't know how many rooms
0:04:49 > 0:04:53are upstairs, so it could be quite a significant number in this property.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54Yeah. I mean, it's a big house,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56but the way it's being divided up
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- just doesn't really work at all. - I doesn't work.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01We need to see it as a family house,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04so obviously the owner hasn't taken notice
0:05:04 > 0:05:07of the enforcement notice on the property.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11In a family home, it's assumed everyone cares for the other people
0:05:11 > 0:05:14who live there and the property itself.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17But that's not an assumption that can be made in a shared house.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18Is it OK to come in?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21With three separate flats downstairs alone,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24there'll be extra pressure on things like sewers and bins,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26but no-one taking care of the general state
0:05:26 > 0:05:28of the house and garden.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31So hygiene and safety standards are often low.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Part of what we can hear while we're in here
0:05:35 > 0:05:38is the sound of a fire alarm or a smoke alarm that's...
0:05:38 > 0:05:40BEEP There's another one.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43..that's not got a battery, or got a battery that's running down.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Low on battery.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47So they may have inserted the fire alarms as safety measures,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49but obviously, from what we're hearing,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51they're not looking after them sufficiently.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55That is something that the landlord will have to have to look into.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59'And there are plenty of unhealthy issues in the kitchen, too.'
0:05:59 > 0:06:01As you can see,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04when people are living like this,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08it's not necessarily the cleanest environment.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10There's some definite health issues here.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13It's like a free-for-all, isn't it?
0:06:13 > 0:06:16I mean, it's just covered in burnt-on food,
0:06:16 > 0:06:17and it's pretty filthy.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20You do get the feeling that there are a lot of people
0:06:20 > 0:06:24using this kitchen on a regular basis, probably throughout the day.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26'It's a similar story in the bathroom.'
0:06:28 > 0:06:30This is where you come at the end of the day
0:06:30 > 0:06:33or in the morning before you go to work
0:06:33 > 0:06:35to get yourself clean and ready for work.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37And judging by this shower,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39you're almost putting more dirt back on yourself.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It's in very poor condition.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I mean, those tiles at the back look like water has got right in
0:06:44 > 0:06:49behind them, and then it's been like a silicon job has been applied
0:06:49 > 0:06:51to try and stop that happening,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54but you're fighting a battle you can't win there.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- Have a look at that basin. - Oh, my God.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00There's no way of washing in this basin, cos it's got....
0:07:00 > 0:07:03You can't even fill the basin up with water.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It's completely cracked. That's just awful.
0:07:07 > 0:07:08Oh!
0:07:10 > 0:07:11You see that, I would say,
0:07:11 > 0:07:16is not professional standard electrical installation.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18So you come in and you reach for the light.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22That's the end of your day,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24and possibly everything else.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27All these are signs that this is an unlawful bedsit
0:07:27 > 0:07:29with potentially lethal problems.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Coming up, we discover how tenants are struggling
0:07:32 > 0:07:35to live with dignity in a dangerous environment.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39This is... This is terrible.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43This house is forcing them to live like animals.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Next we're in Gwynedd in Wales,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54which back in the mists of time was a kingdom in its own right.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Now it's one of the largest counties in Wales,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00but with one of the sparsest populations,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03posing very different challenges for its housing officers.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10Today Gwynedd Council's Gareth Owen and Edward Owen are travelling
0:08:10 > 0:08:12to a remote rural area to visit a family
0:08:12 > 0:08:15who have what some may call an idyllic lifestyle,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17living off the land.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20But after years of being self-sufficient,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22bad health has forced the family to ask the council
0:08:22 > 0:08:24for help to modernise their home.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35So we're here today, we've got a gentleman who lives off grid -
0:08:35 > 0:08:38that means he hasn't got an electricity supply to the house.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41And basically, to meet his personal hygiene needs,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43he needs a renewable energy source
0:08:43 > 0:08:45to heat hot water during the summer months.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48The council officers stepped in to help the family
0:08:48 > 0:08:50when dad Patrick became disabled
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and hospital staff told him
0:08:52 > 0:08:55he could be entitled to local authority support.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The council hopes to be able to provide a grant or loan
0:08:58 > 0:09:01to get power to this secluded farmhouse
0:09:01 > 0:09:04so the family can continue to live in their own home.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06They've chosen to live in this manner,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09so if we can help them to achieve a sustainable source of energy,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11then we'll do everything we can to help.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Patrick and Lindsey Wright and their two children have been living
0:09:15 > 0:09:18happily in this remote corner of the county for 13 years.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22This is my wife Lindsey coming in now.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Hello! Hiya.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27- Hi, spoke to you on the phone, yeah? - Yeah, hello.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Pat and Lindsey grow their own fruit and vegetables,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33keep animals, and their 17-year-old son Peter
0:09:33 > 0:09:35runs a falconry business.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37They've always enjoyed being self-sufficient.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42When Lindsey and I came here, Peter was four or five.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44As you can see, pretty remote.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48We're about a mile and a half away from the nearest neighbours.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52But we just love being in the middle of nowhere
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and listening to the birds and the animals.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57It's just a nice way to live.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02It's not a lifestyle that would suit everyone.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04It can be quite hard as well.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06When the weather's bad, snow,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08you're cut off for quite a while.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11But I dread the day I can't cope with living here, I must admit.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16To start off with, the couple relied on paraffin lamps and candles,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19until Patrick fixed up a generator to batteries
0:10:19 > 0:10:21which then powered some lights,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and installed a wood burner which heats water
0:10:23 > 0:10:25when it's on in the winter.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28But with Pat's health problems,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30living without hot water in the summer
0:10:30 > 0:10:32has taken its toll on family life.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38I was fine for many years. I mean, I did the work on this house.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40But a few years ago I got pneumonia.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44So obviously, one lung was affected quite badly,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46and since then, I seem to have had...
0:10:46 > 0:10:49You name it, I've had it.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Getting power to the cottage became more important,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56but connecting to the National Grid would've cost £50,000,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59and when Pat had a stroke and became unable to work
0:10:59 > 0:11:01it was out of the question.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04We're getting to a point where we need to do something about it.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06It's making life a struggle now.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Lindsey took a part-time job as a dinner lady
0:11:09 > 0:11:12so that she still had time to care for Patrick.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15And it wasn't until an occupational therapist visited the house
0:11:15 > 0:11:17to assess his needs that it became obvious
0:11:17 > 0:11:20how badly the couple needed help.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25You've got a back boiler that heats the hot water, OK.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26I'm not as fit as I was,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29so I can't go out and collect wood and things now,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31so we're having to buy coal in,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33which is getting expensive.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Basically, what we're here to do today
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- is to discuss different options on how we can help you.- Right.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Before they do that, Gareth and Ed
0:11:40 > 0:11:43need to identify the main needs the family has.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Shall we have a look at the bathroom first?
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- Yeah.- Yeah, I'll show you the way.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50As you can see, the bathroom's small.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52So basically, when he wants to have a shave or anything,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- I come and move the stool for him.- Yeah.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Once their energy issues have been sorted out,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Patrick could be eligible for a disability grant
0:12:00 > 0:12:02to have the bathroom adapted.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Cos I think if we had solar thermal,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- we could then look at the grant for the adaptation.- Yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Ah, right. I see
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Ed and Gareth can see that the family is in desperate need of help.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17They hope that installing solar panels on the house
0:12:17 > 0:12:19would provide a renewable energy source,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23and would be a much cheaper option than linking to the National Grid.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28As you can see, we've got the windmill just up there as well.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Will that charge your batteries as well?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It's not as efficient as it should be, really.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- OK.- It's getting old,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39and the wind, believe it or not, isn't always the right type of wind.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40SHE LAUGHS
0:12:40 > 0:12:43So it's important they get the right type of solar panel.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Thermal panels use the sun's energy to heat water,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50while photovoltaic panels harness the sun's power
0:12:50 > 0:12:51to create electricity.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56I think the best place for the solar panels
0:12:56 > 0:12:58for the water heating would be on the main roof itself.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- There seems to be plenty of area and the orientation is spot on as well. - Sounds good.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- You need hot water.- Yeah.- There's no way round that one, is there?- No.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08'It would certainly make life easier.'
0:13:08 > 0:13:10What's the verdict there, then?
0:13:10 > 0:13:14It seems fine. If we have the photovoltaics up on the main roof,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16I think that's going to give us extra clearance,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- so hopefully should be OK. - Ah, brilliant. Brilliant. Good.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Installing both thermal and photovoltaic panels
0:13:22 > 0:13:25would cost the Wrights around £7,000,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27money they simply don't have.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29A grant isn't suitable for their situation.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32But the council officers are leaving them
0:13:32 > 0:13:34with a number of loan options to think about.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40If all goes well, then hopefully we can get a renewable
0:13:40 > 0:13:42source of energy in place. We can look at the next step then,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46which will be hopefully to provide a disabled facilities grant
0:13:46 > 0:13:50to enable the adaptations that they require at the moment.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52But the first step will be helping them
0:13:52 > 0:13:55to achieve a renewable source of energy.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59And Patrick is already seeing a way forward,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01with a council loan against the property.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Well, it's been suggested that there could be a charge
0:14:04 > 0:14:07put on the house, cos it's our own house,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11which would be repayable if ever we sold the house off.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14That's quite attractive to us at the moment, as you can imagine,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17because there's very little coming in,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20but the same bills are going out all the time.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Patrick and Lindsey will have to wait to hear the outcome
0:14:22 > 0:14:25of Ed and Gareth's investigations, but they're confident
0:14:25 > 0:14:27the council officers will find a way
0:14:27 > 0:14:30to help them keep living the good life.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32If it all comes off, it's really good news.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34We're quite excited about it.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Obviously concerned about the financial side,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40but on the other side of it, yeah, it's exciting.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And we don't get excited very much nowadays.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44HE LAUGHS
0:14:44 > 0:14:48So yeah, hopefully its good news all round. Hopefully its good news.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Back in Newham, it looks like this property's still being
0:14:57 > 0:14:59unlawfully rented out as bedsits,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02despite the council telling the landlord
0:15:02 > 0:15:04to turn it back into a single family home.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07What's worse is that the place looks like it's dangerous.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11You see that, I would say, is not of a professional standard.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13What we've got so far, bearing in mind
0:15:13 > 0:15:15we haven't been upstairs yet, we've got downstairs -
0:15:15 > 0:15:17five, we think?
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Roughly five, if we're being told the right numbers.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23We've got a kitchen which is just a disaster,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26a bathroom which is potentially dangerous to your health.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29There isn't really a corner of this property that you can see
0:15:29 > 0:15:31where there isn't something really...
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Oh, my God, what's that?
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It's an exposed plug socket down there.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38It's dangerous for anyone to be in here, really.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- Yeah. There is nothing good about this place.- No.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45This is... On the scale of bad ones, it's pretty high.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48It's not just inside the house where the problems are to be found.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Outside in the back garden, things are no better.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53OK, so into the garden.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Garden, back yard.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58The positive thing to say here is it's fairly secure,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01so it doesn't look like anyone else can get in.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03The other thing is that no-one would want to.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06The fridge here that's been in the property has broken down,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08so the best place to put that is of course in the garden,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10and they have no fridge any more.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12There's nothing good out in the garden anyway,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15it's just more rubbish.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18You're looking at the back - the roof looks in shocking condition,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21as though it's been bodged a few times.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And we've got guttering or something up there,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26- the venting not connected. - What is that?
0:16:26 > 0:16:27But this has got all the signs
0:16:27 > 0:16:31of landlord neglect and occupier neglect.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34There's no way this property is maintained.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I don't know what this cabling is that goes up.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42It's hard not to feel sympathy for the people living here,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44who let's not forget are paying for the pleasure.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47And today's visit is not about hurting the tenants -
0:16:47 > 0:16:50it's about protecting them by making sure their home is safe
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and fit for human habitation.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57So this is the main bathroom.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's got no way of securing...
0:17:00 > 0:17:03No, the door... The window can't be secured at all from here.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Because this is the handle
0:17:06 > 0:17:09for the window that would keep it secure.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Then you come to the bathroom itself,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15where's no shower, there's just a bath and buckets.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19That's a new one - just to have a bucket shower,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22it looks like, is what they're attempting to do.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And there is a sign over the toilet,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28so the guys here are conscious that they're trying to keep themselves
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- you know, as good a standard of living as possible.- Yes.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35As is typified by this sign,
0:17:35 > 0:17:37which is very clear.
0:17:37 > 0:17:38It says: "Hey, you!
0:17:38 > 0:17:41"Don't just pee on seat like horse or donkey.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44"This is human house and human being lives here,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46"not donkey or monkey.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49"So mate, clean the toilet and dry the seat after you use."
0:17:49 > 0:17:51They're trying to have
0:17:51 > 0:17:55a relatively civilised
0:17:55 > 0:17:58or acceptable standard of living in circumstances
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- which are preventing them from doing that.- That's right, yeah.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Too many people, too small a space,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07without, really, the ability to keep these places clean.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11This house is forcing them to live like animals,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13just like it says there,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16rather than like human beings.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18It's a horrible place to come and visit.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21You wouldn't want to spend any time in here, really.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Nothing could sum up the situation in this property better.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27This is not a warm family home.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29If Stephen and Holly needed any more proof
0:18:29 > 0:18:32that this is an unlawful bedsit, I think they've just found it.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Whenever we go through doors here in Newham,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I always feel that sort of rush of guilt
0:18:38 > 0:18:42and anxiety that, you know, we're busting into someone's home.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Cos this is still someone's home, however horrible it is.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Then once you get into a place like this,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52it justifies that kind of breach of privacy,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55because what you see inside has to change.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57It has to change, for everyone's benefit,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59I mean, the tenants can't live like this.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It's an appalling way to live.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's not something we want to see in this borough.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08I'm lucky - unlike the poor souls who are stuck here,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10I can leave this house.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11But even as I try to get out,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15there's a reminder of just how unfit this place is for people to live.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19In a house like this, little things mean a lot.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22We've already established here that we've got fire alarms here
0:19:22 > 0:19:24which need re-batterying.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26The whole system doesn't work.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Look at the front door, OK?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It's got a standard lock on it like that.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Now, you're not going to leave your front door unlocked
0:19:35 > 0:19:37overnight in Newham.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41If it's locked, if there's a fire, how do you get out?
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Where are you going to go?
0:19:42 > 0:19:44If the fire's coming from the kitchen at the back,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46you're not going out the back.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48That means you've got to go out through the front door.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51If it's locked and you're looking for a key in the dark,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53that is a horrible scenario.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57But I'm glad to say, finally, that we can leave.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08It's now the second time that housing officers have ordered
0:20:08 > 0:20:11the landlord to turn this property back into a family home,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and they say the second time he's failed to do that.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18In the meantime, they'll identify any work that needs to be done
0:20:18 > 0:20:21at the property, and instruct the landlord to carry it out.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24If the work isn't done, the council could do the repairs
0:20:24 > 0:20:26and charge the owner for the work.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Defending our right to a safe place to live
0:20:32 > 0:20:36is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38This is not really an acceptable way
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- of leaving the property behind. - Do you think?
0:20:40 > 0:20:45'I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:46- Top marks.- Yes!
0:20:46 > 0:20:48'I'm hitting the streets...'
0:20:48 > 0:20:49Hello, can you open up?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Definitely someone inside, cos we've seen movement.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55..finding out what's happening on the front line...
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The cistern's in the bath.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59I don't know how they flush it.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02'..and learning what it takes to make sure a house
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'is a fit place to call a home.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:07I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Now to the West Midlands.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I'm in Wolverhampton with housing officer Clare Clifft.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24She's taking me to a house which has had complaints made
0:21:24 > 0:21:25by its current tenants.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28There have been no complaints about the property before,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30so she's visiting with an open mind.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36The tenant has complained about quite a lot of things, actually.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Erm, some rotting windows,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42leaks in the property coming from the kitchen ceiling.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46He actually says that he's got mushrooms
0:21:46 > 0:21:49growing in the corner of the kitchen ceiling.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52And presumably part of our job is going to be
0:21:52 > 0:21:55to differentiate between
0:21:55 > 0:22:00those things which are possibly there because of neglect
0:22:00 > 0:22:03by the landlord or because of the actions of the landlord,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and those things which are possibly behavioural
0:22:05 > 0:22:07on the part of the tenant.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09I always strongly try and advise the landlords
0:22:09 > 0:22:12to always do really regular maintenance inspections
0:22:12 > 0:22:14so that they have a point in time
0:22:14 > 0:22:17at different intervals of the tenancy
0:22:17 > 0:22:19where they know the condition of their property.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The house we're visiting appears to be a small
0:22:22 > 0:22:25but well-presented terraced property on a quiet street.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27There's double glazing at the front,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and no sign of rotting windows.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Hiya, you all right?
0:22:34 > 0:22:35One of the tenants is Alex.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39He's originally from Fiji, and recently left the British Army
0:22:39 > 0:22:42after a 12-year stint in the Staffordshire regiment.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44You guys have come straight from the forces.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- You haven't necessarily got a lot of possessions, furniture...- No.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50..or anything like that. Was all of that provided for you
0:22:50 > 0:22:51when you were in the forces?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Yeah, that was provided by the forces.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- You lived in the barracks? - The barracks, yeah.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- 12 years in the Staffordshires. - Yeah.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03- You must have served in Iraq, Afghanistan?- Yeah.- Both of those.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05In fact, Alex spent more than a decade in war zones,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09along with hundreds of other Fijian soldiers in the British Army.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13At the end of his tour, he started looking for a property to rent.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15And that was the start of his problems.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26And that was the big barrier for you.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28You didn't have a previous address
0:23:28 > 0:23:30cos you'd been in the army for 12 years.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33In 2012, the government passed a law
0:23:33 > 0:23:36which encourages local authorities to take into account
0:23:36 > 0:23:39the housing needs of former service personnel.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40And as an ex-serviceman,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Alex could be entitled to preferential treatment
0:23:43 > 0:23:45by his local housing department.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48But he opted for private rented accommodation.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Whoever owns them,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53all rented homes must abide by safety laws.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55So Clare is checking that the house
0:23:55 > 0:23:57has the right number of smoke detectors.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02All privately rented properties, as of October 1st,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05must have a smoke detector on every single floor
0:24:05 > 0:24:07that's got a habitable room in.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09And whilst I'm trying to track down
0:24:09 > 0:24:11the smoke detector on the ground floor,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I spot the problem that Alex has complained about.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17I think we've found the source of the mushrooms. Look.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- Did you say the leak was in this..? - Yeah, yeah, on the wall.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25And down at the bottom as well.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Yeah, you can see the mildew is coming up.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Alex says the whole wall is damp.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Fortunately, Clare has a moisture meter
0:24:33 > 0:24:36which measures the water content in the wall.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39It's still red. So it's basically all the way down this side.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41And then again kind of going that way, just to make sure we get...
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- So we get the pattern of it, yeah? - Yeah.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46The moisture in the wall is affecting all the woodwork
0:24:46 > 0:24:48that it comes into contact with.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51As I move the door it became clear that the door
0:24:51 > 0:24:54was only barely attached.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57When you stand back you can actually see it quite clearly.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00It's a big sort of fan shape that comes out from the window
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and goes all the way down, across to that door frame
0:25:03 > 0:25:05and then down to the floor as well.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And in the kitchen, we see the effect that
0:25:08 > 0:25:10that huge area of damp is having.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Clare needs to get this growth investigated.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14I'll take a picture of it,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16cos I need to find out exactly what it is.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18I've never seen anything like that.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21If you can imagine, behind this wall is just probably
0:25:21 > 0:25:23years and years' worth of water.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Water, warm air.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Ideal conditions for mushrooms to grow.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30What's the danger that we're looking at here?
0:25:30 > 0:25:32We've got two adult males in here.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35The health impact - they appear healthy, fit,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37so the health impact is going to be quite minimal to them.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40It's going to be structural, because that mushroom growth
0:25:40 > 0:25:44indicates some kind of massive wooden degradation
0:25:44 > 0:25:46and plasterwork degradation.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49All this is going to have to be hacked off.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Or I'd suggest some kind of damp survey,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54and some forensic testing of the mushrooms.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Once the damp has got to this stage,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58drastic action is needed.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01The sooner you can get a specialist to look at any damp issues
0:26:01 > 0:26:04in your home, the less likely you are to have to spend
0:26:04 > 0:26:06serious money putting it right later on.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12And also, it does affect the way that you can use the kitchen,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15because if you're starting to lose tiled surfaces like this,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- you can't clean it properly. - Absolutely.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20The dust that comes off, you know,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23the grout and the mortar, contaminate your food.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Wow.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Later, we discover that giant fungi are just one thing
0:26:28 > 0:26:31in a long list of problems with this house.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33I think you deserve better, if I'm honest.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I deserve better than this.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Accepting you're not as independent as you were
0:26:46 > 0:26:49can be one of the hardest parts of ageing.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51And after a lifetime of taking care of others,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55for many older people, all too often pride can get in the way
0:26:55 > 0:26:59of admitting that it's their turn to accept a helping hand.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03In Kent, Swale Council's Staying Put Manager Susan Hughes
0:27:03 > 0:27:07is there to give practical support to help people live independently
0:27:07 > 0:27:10in their own homes as their needs change.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14We're going over to the Isle of Sheppey to see a lady
0:27:14 > 0:27:17that I had a referral from the health authority.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20They're worried about her having a fall when she's going outside.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22She can't easily get out the front door,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24and even the back door is a struggle.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28So they've asked to look at doing a ramp for her to get down easy.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Already suffering with a long-term lung condition,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36a recent heart attack has left 70-year-old Judy Mayer
0:27:36 > 0:27:39feeling like a prisoner in her own home.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41My mobility is zip at the moment.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45I've not been out that front door since April.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49The back door, I step out with the rail,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52and I have to carry the oxygen
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and I have to have a walking stick,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57but as far as I get
0:27:57 > 0:27:59- is there, that shed. - SHE LAUGHS
0:27:59 > 0:28:01And that is it.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05A situation made worse by the death of her husband, Bern, last year.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I'm still not over his death at the moment.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16My husband got cancer.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19He had umpteen times of chemo,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and then after that it was radiation,
0:28:22 > 0:28:26and after that it was just a matter of time.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29And he died in my arms in the front room.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32And that was goodbye to my beloved.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35My man in a million, he was.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38He really was. Sorry, I can't...
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Stuck in the house,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Judy does at least have someone to keep her company.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50There's some clean water for you. Going to have a drink of water?
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Well, with Ozzie, he was bought for me
0:28:53 > 0:28:56when Bern found out he'd got cancer.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00And that was my gift from him, and...
0:29:00 > 0:29:03the lady did say he would talk a lot, and he does.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Despite a clear need for a ramp,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10funding from the local health authority will cover less than
0:29:10 > 0:29:13half of the £926 it will cost to build,
0:29:13 > 0:29:18leaving Judy to make up the shortfall of more than £500 herself.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20We sent her a form to ask her to pay the difference,
0:29:20 > 0:29:25and it's now been about three weeks and I haven't had the form back.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28So I phoned her up and she said that she hasn't actually
0:29:28 > 0:29:31quite managed to save the amount yet,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33but she's saving it out of her pension,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35which I thought was quite sad.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Rather than admit she couldn't afford to pay, but desperate
0:29:38 > 0:29:41to stay in the home she shared with Bern,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Judy's plan was to soldier on bravely,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46stuck in the house until she could raise the money.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51My husband fought to keep this house going, with the cancer,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55and so to me this home means an awful lot.
0:29:55 > 0:29:56I just haven't got it.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Luckily Susan's on hand to help.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01So I'm going out to see her to see how much money
0:30:01 > 0:30:04she has managed to get, and then I'll go back
0:30:04 > 0:30:07and look for funding for the rest so we can get the ramp done for her.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Cos the sooner we make it safer for her the better.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12We don't want her to fall.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15And with an average cost of £6,000 to adapt
0:30:15 > 0:30:19a property for somebody like Judy, compared to £26,000 a year
0:30:19 > 0:30:22for residential care, there's a very strong financial case
0:30:22 > 0:30:26for helping older people to live independently in their own homes.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Hello. Susan Hughes.
0:30:31 > 0:30:32- Oh, hello.- Hello...
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Straight away it's obvious just how much Judy needs that ramp.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38So if you go out now how do you get out?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40The back door?
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I go the back door, but I have to have...
0:30:43 > 0:30:45I've got a rail on the back door which I will show you.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Yeah, OK. We'll go and have a look at it.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Yeah, let's go and have a look at your back door then.
0:30:51 > 0:30:52But your front door's a no?
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Access at the rear of the property isn't much better,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58and it's clearly taking its toll on Judy's ability to do even
0:30:58 > 0:31:01the simple things we all take for granted.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- The back door is there.- Yeah. - That's where...
0:31:04 > 0:31:07We had a referral from the Health that said they do need to get you out.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09So there's not much difference to the front or the back.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11They're both difficult, aren't they?
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Except I've got that nice bar there.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Yeah. You have got a bar that helps.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Oh, you've got a lovely garden.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- I haven't seen the end of that garden since April.- Right.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Armed with the full picture of Judy's financial situation,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Susan will be able apply for a bigger grant
0:31:26 > 0:31:29from the Health Authority to cover the shortfall.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- So you have been trying to save a bit to get to this amount, haven't you?- I have, yes.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35So how much do you feel you can pay at the moment towards it?
0:31:35 > 0:31:36I've got the 300.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- You've managed to save the 300? - Yeah, yeah.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41So, right, if I say we change this to 300,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and then I'll get the rest topped up from then. Is that OK?
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- Yeah, that's fine. Thank you. - So that'll make it easier for you.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49It'll make it a lot, lot easier for me
0:31:49 > 0:31:52- We just want it done as soon as possible for you as well. - Yes, please.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Given her difficult circumstances,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Susan's hopeful Judy shouldn't have to wait much longer.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59I'm sure I'm going to get the OK for the rest of the funding.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01So if we can get that we could hopefully get it
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- looked at in the next week. - Oh, lovely.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06- Maybe a week or two.- That would be wonderful.- And then you can get out.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07Lovely, yeah. Thank you.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12After feeling isolated for so long. it can't come soon enough for Judy...
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Just having the ramp to be able to go out that back gate
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and walk out that front and see the neighbours that have always
0:32:19 > 0:32:23said good morning to me will be everything to me.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25It really would. Honestly.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29I know it's a simple little thing, but it's everything.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34..even if admitting she now needs help to look after herself doesn't come easily.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36You don't realise it when you've always done it,
0:32:36 > 0:32:41and now people are having to do it for you, that's not very nice.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42It really isn't.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46It's a situation that Susan knows very well.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49I think half of it is just the pride and, you know, what can you do?
0:32:49 > 0:32:53You're not used to people helping you, so you don't ask for it.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54Later, we'll be back in Kent,
0:32:54 > 0:32:59to find out that pride doesn't necessarily need to lead to a fall.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01Oh, this is just lovely.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Oh Sue, I can't tell you.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Back in the West Midlands, we've uncovered a serious case
0:33:15 > 0:33:20of fungus at ex-serviceman Alex's rented house in Wolverhampton.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Water, warm air. Ideal conditions for mushrooms to grow.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27'And it's soon clear that mushrooms growing out
0:33:27 > 0:33:31'of the kitchen wall aren't the only thing wrong with this place.'
0:33:31 > 0:33:35So we've got what looks like an exposed live...
0:33:35 > 0:33:38It's the brown wire, so that's going to be the live wire
0:33:38 > 0:33:41coming straight out of the ceiling rose.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42'Now watch closely, viewers,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46'because I'm about to do something very, very stupid and dangerous.'
0:33:46 > 0:33:49OK, that's not live.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Then it might be switched off.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Is there a light switch there?
0:33:54 > 0:33:57Oh, that's that one and that's that one, I think.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59WIRE SPARKS
0:33:59 > 0:34:00Oh. That's live.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03- OK. You all right?- Yeah. Good. - You OK?
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Yeah, I can't see very much.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07'Now, don't worry.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'Because the cable in the ceiling rose had bare ends,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12'my electrical safety screwdriver touched
0:34:12 > 0:34:16'both the live and neutral wires, shorting it out.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18'Hence the rather dramatic flash-bang.'
0:34:18 > 0:34:21That's definitely, er...
0:34:21 > 0:34:23- That definitely needs sorting out. - Yep.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25'There's a moral to this story.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30'A professional electrician would never use a DIY safety screwdriver,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34'and would have isolated the cables in the ceiling rose first.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37'Clearly it's much safer to leave any sort of electrical
0:34:37 > 0:34:40'testing and maintenance to someone who knows what they're doing,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42'as Clare is quick to point out.'
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Do you know what I'd ask for?
0:34:44 > 0:34:46I would... What I would be asking for
0:34:46 > 0:34:49in your position is an electrical safety test for the whole place.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52You would ask for an EICR, which is an electrical installation condition report,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54which will look at the whole electrics.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57'Landlords renting out private accommodation must make sure
0:34:57 > 0:35:00'all electricity and gas fittings in their properties are
0:35:00 > 0:35:02'safely wired and working properly.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05'The light in the front room clearly isn't.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08'The electrical problems continue in the kitchen.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10'I've spotted some high voltage appliances
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'plugged into a mains extension cable.'
0:35:15 > 0:35:18We've got a hotplate here, which is Alex's,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21it's his main means of preparing food.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24There's no oven here, it's just that hotplate.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28It hasn't got any sort of mains spur, which is what you'd expect.
0:35:28 > 0:35:34Instead, it's coming off this, what, three-way extension lead there.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37So really, really not acceptable.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41'Extension leads are not supposed to be used for high voltage
0:35:41 > 0:35:44'appliances such as kettles and Alex's hotplate
0:35:44 > 0:35:47'because the cable could melt and start a fire.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50'They should each have their own socket.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53'Alex and his friend are doing their best,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56'but this home is failing them on so many levels.'
0:35:58 > 0:36:01The other thing is here you haven't actually got very much
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- food preparation surface at all, have you?- No.
0:36:03 > 0:36:08So you've got that bit there, and it's directly underneath the fungus.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11I mean, that's not, that's not acceptable at all.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15We expect at least 500 to 1,000 millimetres worth of work surface,
0:36:15 > 0:36:20and it shouldn't really be right next to the sink drainer.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23'Just off the kitchen is the downstairs bathroom.'
0:36:23 > 0:36:24A large gap.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28So again, we've got all the tiles coming off, so they're just not fit for purpose.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31And what's going to happen is the water's going to down...
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Water's going to go straight down the side if you have a shower.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37..infiltrate under the tiles, and the tiles are going to start to lift.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39'There are laws in place to ensure that landlords
0:36:39 > 0:36:40'maintain their properties.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42'They're there to keep people safe.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45'This place is very poorly maintained,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48'and it appears that the source of the damp problem is a little
0:36:48 > 0:36:50'more obvious than I first thought.'
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- This is never, ever a good sign. - Oh-ho-ho!
0:36:54 > 0:36:55- Never a good sign.- Look at that!
0:36:55 > 0:36:59- So where there's plants there is? - Water.- Exactly.- Moisture.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03'It looks like there's a leak in the flashing above the kitchen extension.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05'Rainwater is seeping into the wall of the house
0:37:05 > 0:37:07'and the timbers of the extension,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10'hence the rot and the plant growing out of the windowsill.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13'When Alex and his housemate moved in two months ago,
0:37:13 > 0:37:18'they were given an inventory of the house, documented in photographs.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21'It shows the problems have been there before they moved in.'
0:37:23 > 0:37:26So in two months it's got quite bad.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29And you can see just a little mini-mushroom at the top.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31However, look at that.
0:37:31 > 0:37:32And that is actually much worse.
0:37:32 > 0:37:38So to be fair, renting this out like that is really, really...
0:37:38 > 0:37:40I'm actually quite shocked for this particular company
0:37:40 > 0:37:43because they never really come on our radar.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46'The various problems with the house are serious.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48'Under the current regulations,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52'it should never have been rented out in this condition.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:54I'm not being funny, Alex, but you've served the UK
0:37:54 > 0:37:59for 12 years as a soldier, and this is where you are now.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Can you make sense of that?
0:38:02 > 0:38:05- WHISPERED:- No.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07I think you deserve better, if I'm honest.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09I deserve better than this, yes.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12- And you and your friend deserve better than this.- Exactly.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15'I think the reality of Alex's situation has just hit home.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18'But Clare has spoken to the letting agent,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21'and it seems there is some good news.'
0:38:21 > 0:38:24It appears that, you know, everybody is well aware.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27It looks like the landlord knows the conditions,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29you know, and what needs doing.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34I believe that there's a quote in for about £1,900 worth of work.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38So none of this is going to come as a surprise to him,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41which is good, cos he might've had a damp survey done already,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and they might already know what it is
0:38:44 > 0:38:46and where it's coming from and what needs to be done.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- And then I'll come back after 28 days.- OK.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50And we'll check in then.
0:38:50 > 0:38:56All right, then, I'll see you soon, OK?
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Thankfully, since we filmed work, is now under way at the property.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03A new kitchen and bathroom have been put in
0:39:03 > 0:39:06and the house has been rewired.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09The landlord told us he'd employed an agency to look after maintenance,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12but they'd failed to carry out the necessary work.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15When we talked to the agency, they said the tenants had wanted
0:39:15 > 0:39:19to move in quickly and had viewed the property.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22After the complaints, the agency said they worked closely with
0:39:22 > 0:39:24the landlord to resolve the problems.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28Alex and his friend are now happy about the work that's been done
0:39:28 > 0:39:29and are staying at the house,
0:39:29 > 0:39:33so no further action will be taken by the council.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Earlier, in Kent, Susan Hughes needed to find additional funding
0:39:42 > 0:39:45after hearing 70-year-old Judy was saving money from her pension
0:39:45 > 0:39:48to contribute to the cost of an access ramp.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52I've not been out that front door since April.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Less than a month later, and with a grant secured,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59the new ramp's already been installed.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Susan's back to see how Judy's getting along.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Right, so how's it been then?
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Oh, marvellous, Sue. Absolutely marvellous.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- And you've managed to get out and use it?- Oh, God, yes.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15Just a few weeks ago Judy felt like a prisoner in her own home.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Thanks to her new access ramp that's all changed.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20The only way I can describe is it is fantastic.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22Absolutely fantastic.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27Because I can see people instead of standing at me front door or me back door,
0:40:27 > 0:40:31I'm out there being able to see people again, my neighbours.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35- Oh, it's the way they've done it as well.- Yeah.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39- The slope, the little wall, it's lovely.- That's good.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41It really is lovely, Sue, I can't thank you enough.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44It was heartbreaking seeing Judy trying to struggle on
0:40:44 > 0:40:46without the ramp because she didn't want
0:40:46 > 0:40:49to admit she couldn't afford it.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53So rather than when you were feeling very, sort of, isolated, stuck at home indoors.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57No, I feel liberated, to be honest. That's the word.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01Just getting out the steps, it was so difficult,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and now I haven't got that difficulty.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06She can't wait to show Susan her new-found independence.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Down here is a piece of cake. I just level myself with the brakes
0:41:09 > 0:41:11- OK.- Like that.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15So the brakes help cos they pull you back?
0:41:15 > 0:41:17They pull me back.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19Now Judy's had a taste of freedom,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21it looks like there's no stopping her.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24And then this is just lovely. Oh, I'm away.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28- SUSAN LAUGHS - And what's it like being out now?
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Oh.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Cos you've not been able to get out. That's good.
0:41:33 > 0:41:39I say good morning to people when my neighbour comes round.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- Oh, Sue, I can't tell you. - Oh, that's good
0:41:42 > 0:41:46Luckily for Judy, Susan and the council's Staying Put team will be
0:41:46 > 0:41:49there to help her adapt the house as her needs continue to change.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52So if there's anything else just come back to me.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55If you need any other rails or anything else you know my number.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58- Yeah.- Just give us a ring. But I'm glad that's got you out,
0:41:58 > 0:42:03- and made you a bit more independent. - Definitely.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07So for the foreseeable future, Judy will be able to carry on
0:42:07 > 0:42:10living in the home she's loved for so many years.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12And she couldn't be happier.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13Well, I'm just so thrilled.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16I'm sat out there, I'm just thrilled to bits with it.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19When I saw that little wall I thought they've made it look
0:42:19 > 0:42:24so neat and, you know... It's just lovely.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Helping people to carry on living independently for longer
0:42:29 > 0:42:31might all be in a day's work for Susan,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34but seeing Judy so happy makes today a particularly good one.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37At the end of the day, sometimes you can go home
0:42:37 > 0:42:40and you know you've made a difference to someone and you can
0:42:40 > 0:42:47go home very satisfied that you've improved somebody's quality of life.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52That's it for today.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56Join me next time, back on the road with the Housing Enforcers.