0:00:02 > 0:00:03DOG 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 > 0:00:12..but, for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:12 > 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 > 0:00:22We've just 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 died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33you would've been standing in Coroner's Court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36'I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with The Housing Enforcers.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:41- 15 people in this house. - 15 people in total living in here.
0:00:41 > 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 shantytown.
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 > 0:01:02'..doing their best to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:04- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12'Today, terrible living conditions leave a mother fearing for her
0:01:12 > 0:01:14'family's health...'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17It's not safe for you, it's not safe for the children.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22That just makes it even more upsetting.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25..a terminally ill tenant is trapped in his own home
0:01:25 > 0:01:26by vandals...
0:01:26 > 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.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36'..an overcrowded flat puts lives in danger...'
0:01:36 > 0:01:39- Today there was five people living here.- OK.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41So someone's lying to me then.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45'..and a neighbour's nuisance letters disturb the peace.'
0:01:45 > 0:01:49- Obviously, you called the police?- Yes.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57We might not always know it, but there are people from every local
0:01:57 > 0:02:03council whose job it is to make sure we have a safe roof over our heads.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08I'm working alongside the men and the women who use the law to make
0:02:08 > 0:02:10sure we don't live in slums,
0:02:10 > 0:02:15but in homes fit to raise a family or enjoy our retirement.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18They can make sure that you have the facilities you need
0:02:18 > 0:02:20as you get older.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24They also have the power to start the process that can send
0:02:24 > 0:02:29a bad landlord to prison or help evict a bad tenant.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The whole of the UK is struggling with the housing crisis,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41but in our capital the problem is at its worst.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Sky-high rents plus a cap on benefits means that people have to
0:02:45 > 0:02:47move from the area where they live,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51because they can no longer afford to live and pay the rent.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56And it's not just people living in the posh postcodes,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00it's also affected single mums and others in London's satellite towns,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03places like Croydon.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07By March 2015, councils in the capital had relocated more
0:03:07 > 0:03:10than 15,000 families to a different area.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19At Swale Borough Council, housing officer David Dale is helping
0:03:19 > 0:03:21a mum-of-three from Croydon,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24who was moved 45 miles from friends and family.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28She's now bringing up her kids in a dangerously run-down property.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Anne-Marie is worried that severe damp, rotten windows
0:03:33 > 0:03:37and leaks are putting her children's health at serious risk.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41What's the purpose of the visit?
0:03:41 > 0:03:43We've served notice on the owner.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Attached to that was a list of works that we would want done.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49We should, therefore,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51see quite a lot of this work either under way or completed?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54That would be our hope, yeah.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'David's asked housing officer Glyn Pritchard to join us
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'at the terraced house in Sittingbourne.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'The tenant, Anne-Marie, was relocated here, 45 miles
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'away from friends and family in Croydon, nearly two years ago.'
0:04:08 > 0:04:10I'm interested to hear a bit about your story, then,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12how you ended up here.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15If you were in Croydon, how does that work?
0:04:15 > 0:04:18It was because of the benefit cap.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I had a three-bedroom flat on top of a shop in Croydon.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25And it was £1,300 a month.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27I actually asked the council if they could help me.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31The rent was so high, they wouldn't pay that much rent.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35They said they would relocate me out of Croydon.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Anne-Marie's on the waiting list for a council property
0:04:40 > 0:04:44back in Croydon, but high rents mean her benefits would only just
0:04:44 > 0:04:48cover the cost of accommodation, leaving nothing for food and bills.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51To make things worse, her current home is in a shocking state.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57I wouldn't mind it so much if the place was actually suitable.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00You feel it's not safe for the children,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04you feel that it's not safe for you and you don't want to be in there.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08That just makes it even more upsetting.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10'The deadline for the council's improvement notice is
0:05:10 > 0:05:12'fast approaching,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16'so David, Glyn and I are here to check the landlord's progress.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19'And with winter coming, the heating system is a priority.'
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Have you got any hot water or heat in the house at the moment?
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Just cos the boiler looks like it's got no pressure on it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Yeah, I keep having trouble with that.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I have to keep turning it on and off and touching all the buttons
0:05:31 > 0:05:33to try and get the hot water going.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Have you got a gas safety certificate?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38I haven't received a gas safety certificate.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40When I first moved in at the property,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I never actually had any hot water or heating.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45But, at the moment, you can get hot water
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- and you can get central heating? - Yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51- If you keep topping it up, if you keep keeping the pressure up?- Yes.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53OK. This floor feels like it's ready to go.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Yeah, every time I come down, there's water.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57I have to mop it all the time.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00What we think has happened is there's been a leak from under
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- the sink.- Yeah. - It hasn't been repaired
0:06:03 > 0:06:07and it's just seeped through under the floor.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10'It seems like there's just one problem on top of another.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13'It's not an ideal environment for her kids.'
0:06:13 > 0:06:17It's almost impossible to clean the house in the state that it's in.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20This is the problem, this is why we want to get the floors done, we want
0:06:20 > 0:06:23to get the doors done, we want to get the leaks fixed,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25we want to get the work surfaces done.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28These are all things that are outstanding on this list.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31'Later, we find problems with the house that could cause
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'serious injury to young children.'
0:06:34 > 0:06:38A child, standing on the end of the bed, could go straight through.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48In Hertfordshire, like many local authorities across the UK,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Stevenage council works really hard to tackle vandalism
0:06:52 > 0:06:56and antisocial behaviour, which can blight the lives of residents.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It's an ongoing problem for housing officers like Natasha Best,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04who's dealing with a particularly heartbreaking situation today.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07She's been called in to help a man with cancer who's just a few
0:07:07 > 0:07:09months left to live.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13He's become trapped in his own home because of vandals.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18Where he lives, there's only access by one lift
0:07:18 > 0:07:23and we've had a lot of problems with youths, recently, damaging the lift.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26So, because of his health problems, if the lift is damaged,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29he can't leave his flat.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32It's Natasha's job to find a new flat quickly for someone who
0:07:32 > 0:07:37now has no choice but to leave the place he's called home for 23 years.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41He's simply too ill to walk down the stairs.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Moving is one of the most stressful things in anybody's life
0:07:47 > 0:07:52and being ill is just going to make it that much harder for him.
0:07:52 > 0:07:58As you can see, it's not a very disability-friendly flat block.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02There's steps, there's only one lift, it's not good, really.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Today Natasha is calling in to see Neil...
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- Hi, Chris.- Hey, Natasha.- Hi. - Come on in.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12..and his brother, Chris, who's been a constant support through
0:08:12 > 0:08:14months of treatment and surgery.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Hi, Neil.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Neil's had a problem eating for a long time,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23but, at the beginning of this year,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26really, he had cancer diagnosed.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Neil can't speak any more,
0:08:28 > 0:08:33but he wanted to tell us in his own words what he's been going through.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35He was diagnosed with cancer in the voice box.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Then he had six weeks of radiotherapy
0:08:45 > 0:08:48at Mount Vernon Hospital.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52He went up on his own. He was independent, took his own car up.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56But the treatment didn't kill it.
0:08:56 > 0:09:04The radiotherapy had not worked at all, so he had to have surgery.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Neil's voice box and windpipe were removed,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10but there was worse news to come.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14It led to finding cancer at the base of his tongue.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18For Neil, the loss of the tongue means not only has
0:09:18 > 0:09:23he lost the ability to speak, but he can't taste anything.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29He can't smile, he can't do so many things that we all take
0:09:29 > 0:09:32so much for granted.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37And then it wasn't too long after that final diagnosis that
0:09:37 > 0:09:42Neil was told that there was nothing that could be done.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Neil knows he's got six months left and things aren't going to
0:09:49 > 0:09:53get any easier, there's nothing he can do about it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59I was at the meeting when he was told that,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01and he was much braver than I was.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03He's incredibly brave.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I wanted to give him a cuddle and I reached forward to hold both
0:10:09 > 0:10:12his shoulders and because he was frightened,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16he jerked and that hurt, didn't it?
0:10:17 > 0:10:21So silly little things, like that, can create problems.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24You can't cuddle him.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Desperately want to, but can't.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34CHRIS LAUGHS
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Don't!
0:10:37 > 0:10:39"That'll stop him blubbing."
0:10:39 > 0:10:41THEY LAUGH
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Clearly, the brothers are supporting each other through a very
0:10:44 > 0:10:45difficult time.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And Chris knows that being stuck in the flat is making life even
0:10:48 > 0:10:50more miserable for Neil.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Well, he's totally reliant on the lift here,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55he can't get up and down the stairs without it.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Do you feel kind of lonely and depressed being here?
0:11:03 > 0:11:05- "Trapped," yeah.- Yeah.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Living in the flat, currently, it takes us
0:11:07 > 0:11:10half an hour to get down to the car park.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13It's dependent on a lift, but also stairs.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15There's no wheelchair access and, eventually,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Neil will need a wheelchair.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22If Neil was here for much longer,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25he would become totally marooned.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29He needs to enjoy the time he's got left.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36"It might mean I can start to get out and about a bit, yes."
0:11:36 > 0:11:40It's not much to ask for a man in Neil's situation.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42And his family and friends are determined to make
0:11:42 > 0:11:45the transition as easy as possible for him.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Neil's condition is going to get worse,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54so it will assist everybody,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57- I think, in the future.- Mm.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04I mean, Neil's been here for 23 years
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and there are lots of memories and everything else here.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13Making the move is quite difficult for him.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Natasha wants to move Neil into a sheltered home on the ground
0:12:16 > 0:12:18floor, where he'll still be independent
0:12:18 > 0:12:22but have a warden on hand if he needs help.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25How do you think that you're going to manage with the move,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28do you think you're going to cope OK?
0:12:31 > 0:12:33"No problem."
0:12:33 > 0:12:35No problem, I'll see you on Thursday.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39And that's the nearest I've seen of a smile for a long time.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Later, we'll find out whether Natasha has found Neil the new
0:12:44 > 0:12:48home he needs in order to make the most of his last few months.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50How are you feeling in yourself now?
0:12:50 > 0:12:52"At this minute, very good."
0:12:58 > 0:13:03Back in Sittingbourne, Anne-Marie's unhappy with her rented home,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05after being relocated here by Croydon Council
0:13:05 > 0:13:08because the benefits cap means rents there were too high.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13..knowing you've left your family, left your friends into a house
0:13:13 > 0:13:16that you feel is not safe for the children.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20'We're checking to see if the landlord has fixed a long list of
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'potentially dangerous problems with the property.'
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Just hold on to the handrail.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28HE GASPS Look at that.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31It's not just the dodgy banister we're concerned about.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34We've got a damp wall there, we've got a rotting window.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36If there's a child standing on the end of the bed,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38could go straight through.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- Looking at the back window, where the glass has fallen out...- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43..same sort of thing.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- This one is just waiting. - It's just waiting to happen.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48It's totally rotten.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52'Anne-Marie was absolutely right to complain to the council.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54'All the problems she's pointed out are genuine
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'areas of concern for David and Glyn.'
0:13:57 > 0:14:00You've got a single light bulb here,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02the rose is not fixed to the ceiling at all.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04What's happened to the piping over there?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07These are hot-water pipes for the radiator upstairs.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09They could be pulled away from the top,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11so that, before you know it, you're going
0:14:11 > 0:14:14to get water coming down, if they are damaged any further.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- They should be boxed in, ideally. - They should be boxed in, yeah.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20This place obviously needs a lot of money spent on it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Anne-Marie first complained to the landlord.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26By law he has to ensure that the property is maintained and safe.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30When the work required wasn't done, she complained to the council.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33But the landlord told the council that the
0:14:33 > 0:14:35problems are caused by Anne-Marie herself.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Tell me about the practicality of living in a house like this.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42What's it like?
0:14:42 > 0:14:44It's one thing after another,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48you think you've sorted one problem out and then...
0:14:48 > 0:14:51It's just so horrible and depressing.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I feel like I'm stuck and I can't get out.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Part of what he's claiming is that the state the house is in
0:14:58 > 0:15:01is because of you and your kids and the way that you behave.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05How would you react to him saying that?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07You can't blame me,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11because you can see for yourself how bad the house is.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15It hasn't just been like it, it's been like it for a long time.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21What Anne-Marie says makes sense when you see her bathroom.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23It's in a small extension at the back of the house
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and the problem is obvious as soon as we walk in.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33- So, you can smell the damp.- Yeah, the damp is overwhelming in here.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37- All the paper is peeling off cos it's so damp on the walls.- Yeah.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39An absolute minimum of care
0:15:39 > 0:15:43and attention has been paid to this property in the way it's been
0:15:43 > 0:15:45put together.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49'And it's not only in the bathroom.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'We noticed that where the landlord has put a new back
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'door on the house, it's created yet another problem.'
0:15:55 > 0:15:59This is the new door that was fitted just a matter of weeks ago.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03And already, the damp is creeping up it.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- This is an internal fire door. - Right.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08So it's not meant to be mounted on the outside of the house.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11They saved money, chucked in an internal door that they might
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- have had already...- Yeah. - ..and there we have the result.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And it's starting to degrade.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20'This place is clearly badly maintained
0:16:20 > 0:16:23'and it doesn't look to me like it's the fault of Anne-Marie
0:16:23 > 0:16:25'or her kids.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:30The landlord is claiming that all of these things are down to
0:16:30 > 0:16:34tenant behaviour and the house was pristine, supposedly,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36before this tenant moved in.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41But sash windows don't rot from the outside because of tenant neglect.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- No.- This is something that's directly attributable
0:16:43 > 0:16:45to the landlord, surely.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48If people are desperate or need housing in a hurry,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52they can end up with landlords who really don't feel the same
0:16:52 > 0:16:54responsibility towards them.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57As rents in parts of the south-east go up and up,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59more and more people, like Anne-Marie, are forced to
0:16:59 > 0:17:03settle for living conditions which just aren't good enough.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06I think they grab the first property they can,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08because they don't want to end up homeless.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10As you can appreciate, she's got children.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Unfortunately, she came here from a London borough.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15In our area, we check the property,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18so we know that there's no category hazards in there.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23What we're talking about, it sounds like, is boroughs outside London
0:17:23 > 0:17:26being a dumping ground for the responsibilities of London
0:17:26 > 0:17:28boroughs who just can't cope, maybe.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I would say it's probably going to be on the increase,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34because the closer you get to London, the higher the prices.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Here, the lower the prices, but the rent seems to be going up and up.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40But then you only find out about it
0:17:40 > 0:17:43when they present themselves as homeless or there's a problem
0:17:43 > 0:17:45with the property, because the original deal is with
0:17:45 > 0:17:48the private landlord and you don't get involved at all.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51- No, no.- Wow.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53I know AnneMarie has limited options, but I am surprised
0:17:53 > 0:17:57she hasn't tried to find an alternative to this place.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Why are you still here? I mean, it's in such a shocking condition,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I'm just interested to know what your other options are and why you
0:18:03 > 0:18:08choose to stay somewhere which seems to have so many problems attached.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Well, I'm not choosing to stay here at the moment,
0:18:11 > 0:18:16I am trying to get as much support and help as possible.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19But Croydon Council is helping me. As soon as they find me
0:18:19 > 0:18:24somewhere, then I will be moving out as soon as possible.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27'You can't blame Anne-Marie for wanting a more suitable
0:18:27 > 0:18:29'home for her kids.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32'In the meantime, the landlord has a further two weeks to sort out
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'the problems at the house or face prosecution.'
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Hopefully, the threat of prosecution at the end might get him to do it.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44If not, then, yeah, we will go down that route.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Later, David returns to see if the work has been done.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51It hasn't been replaced and it actually seems to have got
0:18:51 > 0:18:55a little bit worse since we were last here.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03In Stevenage, a vandalised lift left terminally ill tenant Neil
0:19:03 > 0:19:06feeling like a prisoner in his own flat.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10He was just too ill to manage the stairs.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Housing officer Natasha Best is on the case, finding him
0:19:13 > 0:19:17a new home so his final months are as comfortable as possible.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Do you feel kind of depressed being here?
0:19:22 > 0:19:26- "Trapped," yeah.- Yeah.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30These sorts of cases do pull on your heartstrings a little bit,
0:19:30 > 0:19:36because it's really difficult to see someone in a state and stuck
0:19:36 > 0:19:41and just being able to help them.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Cos not all cases you can do anything.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Luckily for Neil, she has been able to help, finding him
0:19:46 > 0:19:51a sheltered ground-floor home with everything he needs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54The importance of getting all of this done...
0:19:54 > 0:19:58so he could move and actually live a little bit
0:19:58 > 0:20:01of the last of his life
0:20:01 > 0:20:03in this accommodation,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06hopefully, is going to make him happy.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Neil's recently moved into the flat.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10It has easy wheelchair access
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and, even better, no sign of the vandals
0:20:13 > 0:20:16who damaged the lift and kept him housebound.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Today Natasha's paying him a visit with support worker Sarah
0:20:21 > 0:20:23to see how he's settling into his new home.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25And they're not alone -
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Neil's friend Bob has popped in too.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Hi, Neil. You all right?
0:20:31 > 0:20:33How was the move?
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Did it go OK?
0:20:38 > 0:20:41"Because I was helpless, it was really hard for me."
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Are you happy here? Have you managed to settle in OK?
0:20:48 > 0:20:52"Yes. No more antisocial...lift
0:20:52 > 0:20:54"and people nice here."
0:20:54 > 0:20:55That's really good.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58So have you been through all the care plan with Neil
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and organised what support he's going to get?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Yeah, we've done a settling-in plan
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and we'll do a daily visit every day to see if he's OK
0:21:05 > 0:21:06and if there's any support he needs.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And does she do all right, Neil?
0:21:09 > 0:21:11"Spot-on." Brilliant.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14So, do you mind if Sarah just shows me around the flat?
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Yeah, that's fine. - Is that all right?
0:21:19 > 0:21:20'Although Neil is frail,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24'it's clear that he's much happier and more comfortable here.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26'The flat has much better facilities
0:21:26 > 0:21:29'and emergency pull cords in every room
0:21:29 > 0:21:31'so he can summon help whenever he needs it.'
0:21:32 > 0:21:35OK, this is the wet room.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Obviously he's got a nice, big shower.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It's really good that he's got the walk-in shower,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43because at his last property
0:21:43 > 0:21:46he obviously had to contend with a bath and...
0:21:46 > 0:21:49as well as the stairs and everything else
0:21:49 > 0:21:50it wasn't suitable for him,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54so it's great that he's got this facility as well now.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56The shower has got easy buttons to push.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58There's also a chair there so that he hasn't got to stand,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00he can always sit down.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- Brilliant. Grab rails. - Yeah, a lot of grab rails.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- Yeah. All nicely decorated.- Yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Being on the ground floor
0:22:07 > 0:22:10means that Neil can now get out and about with his friends and family
0:22:10 > 0:22:12when he feels up to it.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16This might seem like a small thing,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19but it's transforming the time he has left.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22So I'm really glad the move went good for you.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24How are you feeling in yourself now?
0:22:28 > 0:22:30'"This minute - very good."
0:22:31 > 0:22:33'You have to admire Neil's spirit.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37'And Natasha is delighted to have been able to help improve his life.'
0:22:39 > 0:22:41This is one of the cases
0:22:41 > 0:22:46that is going to make me feel a sense of satisfaction,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50because I know that I've managed to help him.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53He obviously is in a lot of need
0:22:53 > 0:22:54so it's really good
0:22:54 > 0:22:57when you can manage to help someone right to the end
0:22:57 > 0:23:00with what they need to make their life better.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Sadly, Neil's now passed away.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Neil's brother Chris told us having the new flat,
0:23:11 > 0:23:12even for a short time,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15had made a huge difference to Neil's final months.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Defending our right to a safe place to live
0:23:21 > 0:23:24is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:23:28 > 0:23:29You think(?)
0:23:29 > 0:23:33I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- Top marks.- Yes!
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- I'm hitting the streets... - Hello, can you open up?
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Definitely somebody inside, cos we've seen movement.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44..finding out what's happening on the front line...
0:23:44 > 0:23:48The cistern's in the bath. I don't know how they flush it.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50..and learning what it takes to make sure that a house
0:23:50 > 0:23:52is a fit place to call a home.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Oxford, a seat of learning
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and one of the most beautiful cities in Britain.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11But for one in five of its residents,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13life might not quite live up to that image.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16They're living in shared houses -
0:24:16 > 0:24:18one kitchen and lots of bedrooms.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Housing officer Adrian Chowns is the council's top man
0:24:21 > 0:24:26when it comes to ensuring everyone in Oxford is safe in their own home.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27To keep them safe,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30the council started a licensing scheme for landlords,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33to make sure basic things like proper fire alarms are fitted.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Family homes are excluded from this.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39If a house has three or more unrelated people living in it
0:24:39 > 0:24:41the landlord needs a licence
0:24:41 > 0:24:44to show he or she is complying with safety legislation.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47We're strolling. I like that, Adrian.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51- We're strolling through the streets of Oxford.- Yes.- What's our purpose?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54We're going to have a look at a property above a restaurant.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Apparently the leaseholder of the restaurant
0:24:58 > 0:25:00has put in some of his staff
0:25:00 > 0:25:02into the accommodation above.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- Right.- And also, allegedly,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09he's renting some other rooms out to foreign students.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11So what's the issue with that?
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Well, we've got the licensing issue,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16so, you know, we've got a multi-occupied property.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19So this could need a licence and we haven't got a record of one?
0:25:19 > 0:25:23The restaurant staff are living above their place of work.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25We'll need to find out if they're related.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28If not, then the landlord will need a licence.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32The fee for that helps fund inspections like this.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Interesting, interesting. Rent a flat above a shop.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Do you remember that? It's a lyric from a song.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- Is it?- Yeah.- Oh, OK. - It's Pulp. Jarvis Cocker.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Probably a bit too old for Pulp.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- No, never too old for Pulp. - More of a Cure fan.- Oh, OK.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50# Rent a flat above a shop
0:25:50 > 0:25:54# Cut your hair and get a job... #
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Well, Adrian might not be terribly good at recognising song lyrics,
0:25:58 > 0:25:59but he is an expert
0:25:59 > 0:26:02when it comes to spotting potential problem properties.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'To do that, first, we need to get in.'
0:26:04 > 0:26:06MATT SNIFFS Takeaway land.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Yeah. Oh, most definitely.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10MATT SNIFFS AGAIN
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- It smells...- The thing is... - It smells good up here.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18There's no way in up here.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21ADRIAN LAUGHS
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Can't find a way into the premises.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25That's what we're trying to get into, there.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28There are times when you just have to shout through a window.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29I'm from the council.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33How do I get access to do an inspection of this flat?
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Where's the door?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Go that way. - The door's that way?- Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Can you just open it for me and let me in, then, please?
0:26:41 > 0:26:43They're obviously going down some stairs there.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Is it not through the front of the shop,
0:26:45 > 0:26:46if they want to get in that way?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48METALLIC CLANG
0:26:51 > 0:26:53- I'm baffled. - ADRIAN LAUGHS
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Is it this one here, do you reckon?
0:26:55 > 0:26:58It feels like we might have diluted the element of surprise
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- a little bit by now.- Yeah.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'Well, after we find the front door...'
0:27:03 > 0:27:04KNOCK ON DOOR
0:27:04 > 0:27:07'..we can finally get to work on assessing the property.'
0:27:07 > 0:27:08Hello?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11- Hello. Hi.- Hello.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15So I just need to get some details from you first, if that's OK?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18How many people have we got living here at the moment?
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Just the three?
0:27:21 > 0:27:23And what's their names, please?
0:27:27 > 0:27:29You don't know their names here?
0:27:29 > 0:27:30OK. So who have we got?
0:27:30 > 0:27:32We've got you and your friend here?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34You both live here?
0:27:34 > 0:27:36And you said there's "those people",
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- which suggests there's more than one.- Yeah.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39Do you pay any rent?
0:27:39 > 0:27:40No, I don't pay that.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44You work in the restaurant, do you? Yeah?
0:27:45 > 0:27:49'It seems that Adrian's suspicions may be correct.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51'There are definitely people living here,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53'and they don't seem to be family members.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56'Time for some further investigation.'
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Other than you, how many people live here?
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- Five? Today, there was five people living here?- Yeah.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09OK. So someone's lying to me, then, in other words.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11'There seems to be a little confusion
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'about exactly how many people are staying here
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'but, looking round, there are a few pointers that could help.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:19(Toothbrush test.)
0:28:21 > 0:28:23- One year.- One year?
0:28:24 > 0:28:28(Three beds. There's three beds. One, two, three.)
0:28:29 > 0:28:33'With four toothbrushes and three beds in just this one room,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37'it seems very unlikely the whole flat is shared by just three people.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41'And things could be even worse than Adrian suspected.'
0:28:41 > 0:28:43I don't think it's debatable at all.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45- You're looking at the state of the ceiling...- Yeah.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48..that's ready to collapse.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52- It's completely bowed across the surface.- Yeah.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55- I wouldn't want to be sleeping here at night.- No.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00'Coming up, we discover dangerous wiring and faulty smoke alarms.'
0:29:01 > 0:29:05It says here, "Important, disconnect mains before removing the jacket."
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Is that the jacket that's already off?
0:29:07 > 0:29:11- Looking at that, I would be asking for a gas safety certificate.- Yeah.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Earlier, urgent repairs to Anne-Marie's rented home
0:29:23 > 0:29:26still hadn't been made, despite the council serving her landlord
0:29:26 > 0:29:28with a notice to improve the house.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33It's just so horrible and depressing.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36I feel like I'm stuck and I can't get out.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Two weeks later, the notice has expired
0:29:39 > 0:29:40and housing officer David Dale
0:29:40 > 0:29:44is back to see if there's been any progress since our last visit.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Hi, Anne-Marie. You OK? Just here to check on the works.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52The first thing David wants to check is the back door.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54OK, so this is the door we saw last time.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Obviously, it hasn't been replaced,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59and it actually seems to have got a little bit worse
0:29:59 > 0:30:01since we were last here.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04And it's starting to peel all along the bottom,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06where the water's getting into it.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11The door isn't the only thing left undone.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13The last time we were here,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15the bathroom was damp, with peeling wallpaper,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17the electrics needed attention,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19and the windows were rotten.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24So I've had a quick look around the place.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Everything is still exactly the same as it was last time we were here.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31But, despite all that, David has made progress.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34The landlord hasn't carried out any repairs yet,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38but he HAS finally agreed to get the work that needs doing done.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42I'm meeting a contractor round here on Monday.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45I will go through our entire schedule of works
0:30:45 > 0:30:47with the contractor.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50So not just the door, which is being fixed on Monday,
0:30:50 > 0:30:53but the floor, the windows,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56the carpet on the stairs, the electrical faults.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I am happy that someone is coming around to actually have a look
0:30:59 > 0:31:04and price up the works. So hopefully the landlord will do the work.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07And there's more good news for Anne-Marie.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Because high rents in Croydon
0:31:09 > 0:31:12led to the council there relocating her to Kent,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14they're still responsible for her.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17And they're trying to find her a home in Croydon she can afford,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20so she's closer to her relatives.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23I'm just really happy within myself,
0:31:23 > 0:31:27knowing that Croydon council won't leave me after the two years,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31and knowing that they would move me somewhere where I want to be.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35That's kind of lifted my spirits, and made me really happy,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39knowing that they're really trying to help.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42I'm enormously sympathetic to Anne-Marie.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44She's been trapped here for two years.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47I just really hope she finds somewhere nice to live.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51And we can get on and deal with the property,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54cos the works needed are quite extensive.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Swale council have had an estimate for necessary repairs to the house -
0:32:02 > 0:32:04it's going to cost £20,000
0:32:04 > 0:32:07to bring it up to the basic standard required by law.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09The council's prosecuting the landlord
0:32:09 > 0:32:12for failing to comply with improvement notices.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Croydon Council, who moved Anne-Marie and her kids to the area,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18told us, "We were disappointed to learn that this property
0:32:18 > 0:32:20"was not maintained to the standards we expect.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23"We've found a suitable new home for Ms Hardcastle
0:32:23 > 0:32:25"near close family in Margate."
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Anne-Marie and the children have, indeed,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31been moved again by Croydon Council to be near to her sisters.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35Not back to Croydon, as she'd hoped, so she could be near to her mum -
0:32:35 > 0:32:37the combination of the benefit cap
0:32:37 > 0:32:40and soaring housing prices have made that impossible.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44While Croydon may have found a happy compromise in Margate,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46the council there do say cheap accommodation
0:32:46 > 0:32:50has led to other councils dumping their dependent population
0:32:50 > 0:32:54into the area, exacerbating serious social problems.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59MUSIC: Common People by Pulp
0:32:59 > 0:33:00Back in Oxford,
0:33:00 > 0:33:04we need to find out if this flat above an Indian restaurant is safe
0:33:04 > 0:33:07and suitable accommodation for the restaurant workers who live there.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10And, just as importantly, how many of them do.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Once again, we find ourselves in a flat in a property,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19trying to establish the truth.
0:33:19 > 0:33:25And trying to work out what set of rules apply to this place.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28If it's a family, a single family living here,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32it's different to if you have a series of individuals, unrelated,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36even if they are all working in the same place. The rules are different.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39And we're getting different stories from different people.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- So there's just you three that you know of?- Yeah.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45- Bit difficult.- You, this gentleman and the other guy that lives here?
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Are you sure that there's only you three here?
0:33:48 > 0:33:49Yeah, only three guys.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Because the guy in that other room
0:33:51 > 0:33:53has just told me that there's five people living here.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Five people? No, these other people have gone already.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Well, they were here yesterday, they were here this morning, he said.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03So either he doesn't know or you don't know.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06'The council insist that landlords in the city are licensed
0:34:06 > 0:34:09'before renting rooms out to more than two tenants,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'something the leaseholder of this property has so far failed to do.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15'And, on top of the confusion about numbers,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17'we're also more than a bit concerned
0:34:17 > 0:34:19'about the state of the property.'
0:34:19 > 0:34:23It says here, "Important, disconnect mains before removing the jacket."
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- Yeah.- Is that the jacket that's already off?
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Looking at that, I would be asking for a gas safety certificate.
0:34:28 > 0:34:29Yeah, yeah.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33- We can do the bathroom if you want. - Let's do the bathroom next.- Yeah.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36A shower. Electric shower.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Toilet.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40We've got a hot-water heater that is...
0:34:40 > 0:34:43jerry-rigged onto that.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- No, the wiring's not brilliant, really.- Oh, my God, yeah.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49You'd really want that behind the tiles.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52It's enough to suggest that we need an electrical safety check
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- doing on the flat.- Yeah.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'Potentially dangerous wiring in a bathroom can be deadly.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01'And, in the next room we check, the news is even worse.'
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Anything of concern on this one?
0:35:03 > 0:35:06We've got a smoke alarm. We can give that a check.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08BUTTON CLICKS QUIETLY
0:35:08 > 0:35:10- BOTH:- Nothing. - That's a dud.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12From our point of view, this would be what we would call
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- an inner room, in terms of in a fire situation.- Right.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21Um, so the fact that that smoke alarm's not working is not good.
0:35:21 > 0:35:22I look at it and I think,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25- "You've got to give people living here a chance."- Yeah.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29And this room in particular is not giving them that chance
0:35:29 > 0:35:31if something happened.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33'There's already a number of concerns.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36'That's before we can get behind the other two locked doors.'
0:35:36 > 0:35:37I'm going to speak to the owner now.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40I'm going to come back, I'm going to need to get into these two rooms.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41All right, that's fine. Yeah.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43I mean, if we don't get into these two rooms,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46we might have to come back with a warrant
0:35:46 > 0:35:47and do the old breaking in...
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Is this feeling quite serious to you?
0:35:49 > 0:35:51I mean, it's beyond the licence, isn't it?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53There are other matters here that need looking at, it seems.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57I mean, realistically, even if these guys were related to each other
0:35:57 > 0:36:02and we were saying it's not a house of multiple occupation,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06we'd want something doing with the gas and the electrics
0:36:06 > 0:36:09and the fire safety, just from a general point of view,
0:36:09 > 0:36:13because it's an occupied property in the private sector.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16'Adrian doesn't just want access to the two rooms.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19'He also wants some answers from the leaseholder of the restaurant
0:36:19 > 0:36:21'about the state of the property.'
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- The door is open, isn't it? - No, it's not.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26'Unfortunately, there's no response, and I'm starting to worry
0:36:26 > 0:36:30'about what our visit could mean for the tenants upstairs.'
0:36:30 > 0:36:35The feeling that I got from those guys was one of intense nervousness.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Cos their jobs are linked to that place,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39they could end up losing accommodation and job
0:36:39 > 0:36:42if the landlord doesn't like what they've...
0:36:42 > 0:36:44you know, what they've said.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45It's not their fault, you know,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48the conditions that they're living in, it's the landlord's.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51And, you know, we're trying to be... You know, we're on their side.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- We're trying to make it better for them.- It's really difficult
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- when you've got accommodation tied to employment, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Because it's almost like you're getting something for free,
0:37:00 > 0:37:01therefore you have no rights.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04But of course you do. Of course you have rights, just like anybody else.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- Yeah.- You've got to. You shouldn't be living in a hellhole
0:37:07 > 0:37:09just because it's tied to your job.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11'With the leaseholder nowhere to be found,
0:37:11 > 0:37:13'there's not much more we can do here.'
0:37:13 > 0:37:16- Another day.- Yeah, definitely. - Right, nice one.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21But Adrian is not a man to give up.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22And, a few weeks later,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25he's on his way back to check on this shared house,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29known to the council as a house in multiple occupation, or HMO.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35So we're going to go and have a chat with this leaseholder, um...
0:37:35 > 0:37:37about this property that we inspected,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39those two locked rooms we couldn't get into.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43So we're going to go back now and see what the situation is.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45We've got enough information
0:37:45 > 0:37:50to actually proceed with the HMO requirements,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55but it's just to check that if it's actually five people and not three,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57cos the original report was
0:37:57 > 0:38:01that there were also two foreign students living there as well,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04and I suspect that those two foreign students
0:38:04 > 0:38:07are possibly occupying those two locked rooms
0:38:07 > 0:38:08that we couldn't get into.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14And the good news was that the leaseholder was there this time,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17and allowed Adrian into the flat.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19But not our cameras.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21So he's let me into the two rooms
0:38:21 > 0:38:23that were locked last time we did the inspection.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26One of them looks like it's being occupied as an office -
0:38:26 > 0:38:29there's a desk and some computers and that sort of stuff.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30The other one is a bedroom.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33There's definitely someone else, you know, there,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38which just confirms our suspicions that it is an unlicensed HMO.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40There's been some work been carried out.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44Two of the smoke alarms that we saw when we went last time,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46which were broken, they are brand-new,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48they've been replaced now.
0:38:48 > 0:38:49That's not, you know, to say that
0:38:49 > 0:38:52we're not going to do anything about the fact it's unlicensed,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55but at least, you know, we've had an impact.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57You know, we've made something happen.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59And he's told me he's not prepared to speak to me.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01We've got to go through his solicitor.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04So that's what we'll have to do. You know, take it from there.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12The leaseholder's reluctance to talk to housing officers
0:39:12 > 0:39:16hasn't stopped the city council from still pursuing its investigations.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19And the leaseholder will be brought in for an interview.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23He'll be questioned about both conditions at the property
0:39:23 > 0:39:26and the lack of a licence.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29What happens after that will be partly dependent on him.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Mid Suffolk, and all is not as it seems.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39In this quiet pocket of rural England,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41there's been a strange delivery.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43It's unsettling a small community.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47So housing officer Andrew Weavers is on his way to investigate.
0:39:48 > 0:39:49We're going to Stowmarket.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53A gentleman complained a couple of weeks ago that his neighbour
0:39:53 > 0:39:56had been putting some very strange notes through his door.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59The trouble I have with this area -
0:39:59 > 0:40:03there's a lot of flats and small houses in a very small circle,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06so everybody can see what's going on.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08There is a mixture of council tenants and homeowners
0:40:08 > 0:40:11in this well-kept corner of Stowmarket.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13And, with everyone living so close together,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16it's vital that neighbours treat each other with respect.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- Sit down.- Thank you very much.- I'm in the middle of cleaning.- Are you?
0:40:22 > 0:40:25I'll tell you what, I'll employ you to come round my place.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Cos this is spotless anyway. It's always this spotless, isn't it?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30That's what I always say.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34There was nothing much to disturb Sidney and his wife Barbara's world
0:40:34 > 0:40:36until something dropped through their letterbox
0:40:36 > 0:40:38in the middle of the night.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Just have a quiet read of those.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44So these just came out of the blue?
0:40:44 > 0:40:47- There was no precedent at all for it.- Yeah?
0:40:47 > 0:40:49They were posted through our letterbox
0:40:49 > 0:40:51- at four o'clock in the morning. - OK...
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- Four o'clock in the morning?! - Yes.- Wow.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Andrew's a regular visitor to this community,
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and he knows that a neighbour with grievances
0:41:00 > 0:41:02can seriously disturb the peace.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Wow. It's all quite a ramble, really.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09There's talk about other people being on benefits,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12there's talk about privacy
0:41:12 > 0:41:14and "Genuine people, the truth is the only law."
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Don't forget, there's stuff on the other side
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- of some of those pages as well. - Oh, is there?- Yes.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Got "Sid 'n' Barbara, Village of the Damned." I don't know what that is.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24- This man is clearly unwell.- Yes.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Poor Sid and Barbara.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Clearly, this has come as a bit of a shock.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30We felt really aggrieved
0:41:30 > 0:41:33that we'd had these letters pushed through our letterbox
0:41:33 > 0:41:37by somebody who had had no contact with us previously.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40You know, apart from the odd hello, sort of thing.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44And it was quite a shock to our systems, to be honest.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46- Obviously, you called the police? - Yes.- Yeah?
0:41:46 > 0:41:51- And you had one of the local PCSOs out to see you?- We did indeed, yes.
0:41:51 > 0:41:52What was the result of that?
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- He phoned us up on the Sunday... - Yeah?
0:41:55 > 0:41:59..and said he'd had a word with the man, you know? And, er...
0:41:59 > 0:42:02he was going to sort out some, er...
0:42:02 > 0:42:04problem with the mental health people.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- Oh, are they going to just refer him across?- I think so, yes.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10I will get to speak to the PCSO
0:42:10 > 0:42:13and just sort of see what support he's put in place,
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- or who he has referred who to. - Of course.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19But if it's all nice and quiet, I think we'll leave it here.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22- Fine, yeah.- I will take this, just in case it flares up again
0:42:22 > 0:42:26- and we might need to sort of be more involved.- Yes, that's right.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28- All right?- Yes, that's fine by me, you know?
0:42:28 > 0:42:33Sidney has let the matter drop so, for now at least, it's case closed.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Goodbye.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39You know, having a few letters come in
0:42:39 > 0:42:40at about four o'clock in the morning,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44I think it would put the wind up anybody, really.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46But they're not directed to him,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48and they seem to be directed about other people
0:42:48 > 0:42:50in the grand scheme of things.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55Anything that upsets the neighbours in this close-knit community
0:42:55 > 0:42:57is something that concerns Andrew.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01But sometimes a visit and a chat is all it takes to keep the peace.
0:43:07 > 0:43:08That's it for today.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Join me next time, when I'll be learning more about what it takes
0:43:12 > 0:43:14to be a front-line housing officer.