0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.'
0:00:05 > 0:00:07HE GASPS
0:00:07 > 0:00:10I wouldn't ever envision anybody living like this.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13'But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16'the reality can be more hovel than home.'
0:00:16 > 0:00:18The house was a death-trap, at the end of the day.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20'In the battle for decent housing...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Leaving things - that's what happens.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23This is totally unacceptable.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27'..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30If somebody had died here, you'd be standing in coroner's court.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36'I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with the housing enforcers.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:37BANG Oh...!
0:00:37 > 0:00:39- You all right?- Yeah, good(!)
0:00:39 > 0:00:42'I'll be with them as they tackle problem properties
0:00:42 > 0:00:44'and slum conditions...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Faeces isn't an issues, that's standard...
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Faeces is an issue!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50'..as they deal with dodgy landlords,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52'nightmare neighbours and everything in between...'
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Oh, no! That's incredible.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58'..doing their best to help those in need of a happy
0:00:58 > 0:01:00'and healthy home.'
0:01:00 > 0:01:02- Ain't it fabulous?- Oh, Margaret.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Oh, Margaret!
0:01:07 > 0:01:10'Today we try and solve the mystery
0:01:10 > 0:01:13'of how many people are living at a shared house in Oxford.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:16So, in total then, there's you, the landlord,
0:01:16 > 0:01:17one in there
0:01:17 > 0:01:19and those two people in that room there. Nobody else?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- Another cousin?- Yeah.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24There's a lot of cousins.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'Housing officers help Sydney
0:01:26 > 0:01:28'to remain in his home of the past 46 years.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Last time I fell down here and I couldn't get up,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37but perhaps these rails now will help me get up all right
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and I shan't fall again.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41'I have to deliver some bad news
0:01:41 > 0:01:44'to a couple renting a room at a shared house in Newham.'
0:01:44 > 0:01:49The reason that the council is here today
0:01:49 > 0:01:52is because the landlord is not supposed
0:01:52 > 0:01:54to use this house for lots of people.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56This house should be for one family only.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59'And in Suffolk, an overgrown garden
0:01:59 > 0:02:01'is causing complaints from the neighbours.'
0:02:01 > 0:02:06As you see... these haven't sprung up overnight.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07These thistles,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10all around the shed...
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Doesn't tell me there's been a REGULAR gardener here.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21When was the last time you heard the phrase "slum landlord"?
0:02:21 > 0:02:22Not that recently, right?
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Well, that's because we live in a country
0:02:25 > 0:02:29with laws that make sure housing meets basic standards.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31And it's not just landlords -
0:02:31 > 0:02:35there are laws that mean that TENANTS need to behave, too.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38I'm working alongside the men and women
0:02:38 > 0:02:42from councils across the UK who enforce those laws.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46They...are the housing enforcers.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50'In Oxford in 2014,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54'the average house price in Oxford was £315,000 -
0:02:54 > 0:02:58'a rise of £30,000 on the previous year,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02'pricing many local people out of the market.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04'With affordable properties in short supply, there's been a boom
0:03:04 > 0:03:08'in the number of family homes being converted into shared housing.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11'It's Adrian Chowns' job
0:03:11 > 0:03:13'to make sure that these conversions are safe,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'and that tenants aren't being exploited by landlords.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20'Today I'm joining Adrian, who's on his way to a surprise inspection.'
0:03:20 > 0:03:22What is it we're off to see?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24We're going to look at a property where the...
0:03:24 > 0:03:27one of the local councillors has had a report
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- that there's somebody living in an outbuilding.- Right.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35And also that the main house is a HMO.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37So this is double bubble, or double trouble.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41That the main house is a house of multiple occupation possibly -
0:03:41 > 0:03:45too many people in it, unlicensed, which it needs to be in Oxford -
0:03:45 > 0:03:46and in addition to that
0:03:46 > 0:03:48we've got somebody living in
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- some kind of garden or outside building separately.- Yeah.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56- Do they have any idea that we're coming?- No.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Needs a bit of work.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08'Luckily for us, one of the tenants is home,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12'so hopefully we can find out how many people are living here.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'But he's not being particularly forthcoming with the details.'
0:04:16 > 0:04:18And how much rent do you pay?
0:04:18 > 0:04:20You don't pay rent.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Are you related to the landlord then?
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- Cousin. He lives here as well?- Yeah.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28'If the landlord wants to rent the house out to more than one family
0:04:28 > 0:04:29'he needs a licence from the council,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32'so Adrian and I need to investigate
0:04:32 > 0:04:36'to find out who's living here and whether they're related or not.'
0:04:36 > 0:04:39You might live here LIKE a family but you're NOT a family, are you?
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Cos there's two Spanish people here.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43They're not related to you, are they?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46So, in total then, there's you, the landlord,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50one in there and those two people in that room there. Nobody else?
0:04:50 > 0:04:51- Another cousin?- Yeah.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54There's a lot of cousins.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56'I make that six people in total -
0:04:56 > 0:05:00'some of whom may be and some of whom who clearly AREN'T related to each other.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02'Based on what we've seen so far,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'it would suggest the landlord may be committing a criminal offence
0:05:05 > 0:05:09'by not having a licence to rent the property to more than one family.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13'The tenant allows Adrian and me upstairs without the cameras,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15'where we find another person,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17'who tells us she's just visiting a friend.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19'As Adrian was invited into the property,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'he's within his rights to carry out a full inspection
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'without having to go to the court for a warrant.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28'But as he goes into one of the upstairs bedrooms,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30'things become less friendly.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'And before the situation gets too heated,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35'Adrian and I decide to err on the side of caution
0:05:35 > 0:05:38'and make a hasty retreat.'
0:05:38 > 0:05:41If you see the landlord, you'll have to tell him we'll be back.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49It's one of the fishiest presentations of a property
0:05:49 > 0:05:52I think I've come across so far,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55just in terms of the fact nobody seems to know anything,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58the little bit of information we DID get out of the tenants there
0:05:58 > 0:05:59was immediately contradicted
0:05:59 > 0:06:02by what we saw and what other tenants said.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It's completely shambolic.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07There doesn't appear to be a single bathroom or kitchen that,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10you know, is in an acceptable state.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14And then, once you get in, none of the tenants - suddenly NONE of them are tenants, they're all visitors.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16They're all seeing friends.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19They're cousins, but they can't remember their own cousins' names,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21they can't remember the name of the landlord.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- You know, none of it adds up at all.- No.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Well, this is just typical of, you know, the situation we come across.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32Those tenants are going to think they're in trouble
0:06:32 > 0:06:35cos I've knocked on the door, told them I'm from the council
0:06:35 > 0:06:38and they're going to think, "The council are here, we're in trouble."
0:06:38 > 0:06:41They obviously have in the back of their mind
0:06:41 > 0:06:42that, if they tell me anything,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and it gets their landlord in trouble,
0:06:44 > 0:06:45then they're going to be homeless.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I actually thought it could quite easily have got out of hand.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51My antenna were twitching at that point because
0:06:51 > 0:06:54she was getting more and more upset,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and the other guy had started to put his hands on you,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58which is never a good sign.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01If I'm honest, I'm quite glad I was here with you.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I wouldn't have wanted you... I'm sure you're big enough,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06but it would have been worrying
0:07:06 > 0:07:08if you'd have been by yourself, I think.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11As soon as the guy starts to put hands on, you know,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14we have to, sort of, be aware of that situation.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17I don't think he was physically threatening,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20but it was good to have you there just in case.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23I'd want to come back here and go through those doors
0:07:23 > 0:07:25to see exactly how people are living,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29how many numbers of people are living in there,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and that's going to take...a bit of carpentry.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34And a bit of court work, I think.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Yeah, I think we're going to have to get a warrant.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40The people that are in there haven't been very helpful
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and, as you say, there's some rooms that are locked,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46so we need to go and get a warrant and come back.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'Later on, Adrian's back at the house
0:07:49 > 0:07:52'and the situation goes from bad to worse.'
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Can you get us in?
0:07:58 > 0:08:00'Here in Swale,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03'housing officer Susan Hughes is back on the road.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05'Susan works for the council's Staying Put service,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09'which aims to help elderly, vulnerable and disabled clients
0:08:09 > 0:08:11'stay in their own homes.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'It's an important part of the council's work.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17'It's best for everyone if people CAN stay in their homes
0:08:17 > 0:08:21'wherever possible, but only if they remain safe.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23'And it can be a difficult process
0:08:23 > 0:08:25'because some people are uneasy about accepting help.'
0:08:25 > 0:08:30We're going off to Dunkirk near Faversham to a gentlemen...
0:08:30 > 0:08:32We've dealt with him quite a bit -
0:08:32 > 0:08:34his mobility's quite poor.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38He was top of the list to go and have a disabled grant,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40but when we called he actually didn't want it.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43He said he didn't want his bathroom adapted.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45So we were a bit concerned about
0:08:45 > 0:08:47he was using the outside toilet downstairs,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and how he was getting there and what state it was in,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53so we were going to go back and see if we could upgrade this.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Lots of our clients do have outdoor toilets still,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58as well as inside ones,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02but, weirdly, I'm still seeing about three a year
0:09:02 > 0:09:05that only have outside toilets.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07They've lived like that all their lives,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10quite often they've inherited the property from their parents,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12so they've grown up in it,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and they've never had bathrooms put inside.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18And so we have to go and look at the property,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20and see how we can help them
0:09:20 > 0:09:21to live better inside cos,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24obviously, an outside toilet is not the way forward.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29'Sydney Drury is 83 years old
0:09:29 > 0:09:33'and wants nothing more than to remain in his own home.'
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I've lived in this house for 46 years.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I love it here, yeah.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42I'm not very good at getting about at the minute, no.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Got DVT, innit.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Deep vein thrombosis.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Well, it's painful when it swells up,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53and the nurse has to come
0:09:53 > 0:09:56twice a week to dress it.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01'And it's this lack of mobility that has Susan worried for Sydney.'
0:10:01 > 0:10:04When we started to try and phone him, to talk about it,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07we couldn't get hold of him at all for about three weeks.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10So we then eventually sent him a letter
0:10:10 > 0:10:13and it came about that he had been in hospital,
0:10:13 > 0:10:14so he'd been quite poorly.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18I don't want to walk away from somebody because they don't want a grant
0:10:18 > 0:10:21but leaving him vulnerable because he's using the downstairs outside toilet,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24and then he might fall.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28All right? It's Susan. You're looking well.
0:10:28 > 0:10:29- Oh, thank you.- Yeah.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Erm, you phoned us because you wanted some more rails
0:10:32 > 0:10:34or something done. Can you remember?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37'Sydney's clearly not as quick on his feet as he was,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41'so he's using his outside toilet when he's downstairs.'
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- So you've just come out of hospital? - Yeah.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45What was it that happened, then?
0:10:47 > 0:10:48I fell over.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- You fell over?- Yeah.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52Where did you fall?
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Out there.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59- Out there?- Yeah. - What, going into the toilet?
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Yeah.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03So we do need to get some rails there then, don't we?
0:11:03 > 0:11:08So what did you do when you fell? What did you hurt?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Didn't hurt myself.- You didn't hurt yourself?- Just couldn't get up.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14'Sydney's clearly not ready to give up on his independence just yet,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18'but Susan has to make sure there's not a repeat of his recent fall.'
0:11:18 > 0:11:20And you've got your rails here. Oh, right,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23you have to be careful of this step.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25And that's your toilet.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I was thinking of putting some rails on the wall,
0:11:28 > 0:11:29but I'm not sure quite where.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Erm... The floor's coming up a bit as well, which is a bit...
0:11:33 > 0:11:36I think we're going to look at putting a new floor down
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and a new toilet in there.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39And then once we've done that,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- I think we need two rails on the wall to help you up as well.- Yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46So we'll get Paul back again. I think you're going to win the award
0:11:46 > 0:11:48for the most rails in your house. OK?
0:11:48 > 0:11:49THEY LAUGH
0:11:49 > 0:11:52So do you think two rails there would help?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- Yeah.- Yeah? We'll do that. OK, thank you.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- I must get my dinner. - OK, you go and sort your dinner out.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02If he's using this every day, we've just got to make it safer.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05He might even need some rails here to lift up this one.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I know it's a lot of rails, but... Yeah. I'll have a word with him.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But that might make it easier as well.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15'With the help of her handyperson, Paul,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18'Susan can at least make Sydney's trek to the bathroom
0:12:18 > 0:12:20'a little bit safer.'
0:12:20 > 0:12:22If you want to hold that in the middle for me...
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Just hold that in your hand
0:12:24 > 0:12:26so it comes out further away from the frame.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34'But outside, she's found another problem.'
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Yeah, we've just noticed that there's wasps going in and out,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40so it looks like there's a wasp's nest above the toilet there.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43So I'm just going to go and have a word for him,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46and ask Mr Drury if we can get the pest control out.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50That will have to be funded by him,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52that's why I need to chat to him first.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55I do think you ought to get pest control
0:12:55 > 0:12:58cos, if it stung you, it's going to be worse for you, isn't it?
0:12:58 > 0:13:01I'll get pest control out, but it will be down for you to pay for it.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03They come and put some stuff in,
0:13:03 > 0:13:04and then they come back and check it.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06'Sydney's story demonstrates
0:13:06 > 0:13:08'how Susan often walks a tightrope
0:13:08 > 0:13:12'between keeping people independent and keeping them safe.'
0:13:13 > 0:13:14So that's really good.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Paul's been there and he's put two grab rails at the front door,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19which is what Mr Drury asked for.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Yeah. Lovely.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I shan't be afraid of falling over this step now.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31We also identified the back into the outside toilet that needed two more,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33and that's where he fell and ended up in hospital,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36so it's good to put two there, and even he said himself
0:13:36 > 0:13:38that will hopefully prevent him falling.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Last time, I fell down here and I couldn't get up,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46but perhaps these rails now will help me get up all right
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and I shan't fall again.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Next week, we're going to get the builder in to do a new toilet,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and a floor to make it safer for him,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and I happened to meet the neighbour,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00who said that she will sort out the wasp's nest for him.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04So it looks like we're getting him sorted, which is really good.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08I was married, but my wife died about 15 years ago.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13It's not too bad, but it's the evenings time,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16when there's nothing on the television,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19you just sit there looking at the four walls.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22When my wife was here, you know,
0:14:22 > 0:14:27we used to go out everywhere, all round the coast...
0:14:27 > 0:14:31The council have been a big help to me, putting these rails in.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Oh, I want to stay in this house, for sure. Yeah.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35I love it here.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45'Back in Oxford,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47'Adrian Chowns has been trying unsuccessfully
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'to investigate a shared house on the outskirts of the city.'
0:14:51 > 0:14:54If you see the landlord, you'll have to tell him that we'll be back.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57It's one of the fishiest presentations
0:14:57 > 0:15:01of a property I think I've come across so far.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It's completely shambolic.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05'Adrian's about to make good on his promise.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06'Armed with a warrant,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09'he's on his way to the property with colleague Katherine.'
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Well, we went here last week...
0:15:14 > 0:15:17and I went in and did an inspection, or part of an inspection,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20and one of the guys in there, who I spoke to,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23had said that he was a tenant,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28and that really he was uncomfortable us being in there doing an inspection without the landlord
0:15:28 > 0:15:32being there, so we were kind of asked to leave,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and so, reluctantly, we did.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38And when I came back to the office, I checked out some information
0:15:38 > 0:15:40with the ASB team and there's a
0:15:40 > 0:15:43police record on the system,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and there's a photograph of this guy,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47who had told me he was the tenant and, actually,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50it turns out that he's the landlord.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53If he's living there as a resident landlord
0:15:53 > 0:15:58then that's fine, it's acceptable, but...
0:15:58 > 0:16:00you know, I've asked him questions as to who he was
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and how many people were living there,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and he's obviously not told me the truth,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09so it suggests that he's trying to hide something.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12So what we've done is we've gone and got a warrant
0:16:12 > 0:16:14and now we're going to execute that today.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17'Remember, if the team can prove there's more than one family
0:16:17 > 0:16:20'living in the property, and the landlord
0:16:20 > 0:16:24'doesn't have a licence, then this is breaking the law.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27'The only problem is they've got to get IN to find that proof.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29'They've come prepared though
0:16:29 > 0:16:30'as, today, Adrian and Katherine
0:16:30 > 0:16:33'are accompanied by a locksmith and the police.'
0:16:41 > 0:16:42Can you get us in?
0:16:48 > 0:16:50'It only takes the locksmith a matter of minutes
0:16:50 > 0:16:53'to break open the door and the team are in.'
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Hello?
0:16:59 > 0:17:00Hello, I'm from the council.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03I've got a warrant to enter the premises and do an inspection.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05'It's time for Adrian and Katherine
0:17:05 > 0:17:08'to start checking names, looking for evidence
0:17:08 > 0:17:10'and adding up just how many people are living here.'
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Can we start with your room?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16The landlord gave you a piece of paper?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18- No.- OK, thank you. - OK, thank you.- Thank you.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21'Adrian and Katherine need to be sure
0:17:21 > 0:17:24'they know exactly who and how many people are living in the house,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26'so that they can decide what, if any,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'action should be taken against the landlord.'
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Well, we've got a couple from Portugal living in that room there,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37potentially another couple living in this room here as well,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40but they've gone to work, so we're going to have to break in
0:17:40 > 0:17:42and do an inspection of that room.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51My guess would be...a lady.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59Er... Well, yeah, unless it's a lady that wears Old Spice.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00Oh, OK. Might be a couple.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So it's a man and a woman, I would expect.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05'If you've lost count, that's two unrelated couples
0:18:05 > 0:18:07'in the rooms downstairs
0:18:07 > 0:18:09'and that means the landlord IS breaking the law
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'by not having a licence to let the house
0:18:12 > 0:18:13'to more than one family.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16'Adrian and Katherine will obviously be interested
0:18:16 > 0:18:20'to hear his side of the story - but so far there's no sign of him.'
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I haven't seen the guy who claimed to be this tenant
0:18:24 > 0:18:25when I came last week,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28and I found out he was actually the landlord,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31but this lady in this room has said that he does live here.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34So whether he's just in one of the rooms
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and he's waiting for us to go up there, I don't know.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- Hello? - KNOCKING AT DOOR
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Is it all right if I inspect your room? Yeah?
0:18:48 > 0:18:50OK, thank you.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55'There's no sign of the mystery landlord in the bedrooms,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57'so it's time for the team to search the extension
0:18:57 > 0:19:00'we didn't get into on the last visit.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Yeah.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09So there's just an extension on the back of the house,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12which, again, has probably got people living in there, but,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14you know, until we get in, we ain't gonna know.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'Once again, there seems to be nobody home,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21'so it's up to the locksmith to break open the door.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Hello? Hello?!
0:19:27 > 0:19:28I can't even...
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Ah! It's a self-contained flat, this is.- Yeah.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35It's not a massive kitchen at all.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Well, it looks like what's happened,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40the landlord has built an extension on the back
0:19:40 > 0:19:44and he's turned it into a self-contained flat,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47which means that it's got all its own facilities
0:19:47 > 0:19:50contained within this building.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52'Whoever's been living here
0:19:52 > 0:19:54'obviously isn't the tidiest of people,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57'but there's one thing in particular that they've left lying around
0:19:57 > 0:19:59'and that's caught the eye of PC Morley.'
0:20:01 > 0:20:03It looks like some traces of cannabis
0:20:03 > 0:20:05that was just on display on the table,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and there's some scales there with some
0:20:08 > 0:20:09traces of cannabis on.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13What have we got?
0:20:14 > 0:20:15Yeah, you can smell it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23'And it's not just the drugs
0:20:23 > 0:20:25'that have caught the officer's attention.'
0:20:25 > 0:20:29It's always difficult to say, but when you start to come across
0:20:29 > 0:20:32sort of like...certain types of lingerie underwear,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35linked with condoms and certain wipes as well,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38it could be indicative of perhaps prostitution or something
0:20:38 > 0:20:40along those lines, so...
0:20:40 > 0:20:42And it's the quantity of it that's being found at the moment
0:20:42 > 0:20:45that would suggest that. It's a possibility, again.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48'Even without coming face-to-face with the landlord,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51'it's been a good result for Adrian and Katherine,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'as they now have the evidence they need to take further action.'
0:20:54 > 0:20:56We've inspected all the rooms,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58we've found...
0:20:58 > 0:21:01well, potentially six people,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04possibly seven,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and there is a little self-contained flat at the back as well -
0:21:08 > 0:21:10looks like there's something going on there.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11There was some drugs in there.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15It looked like there was potentially two or three people
0:21:15 > 0:21:17living in there as well.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19So, you know, there's a lot of...
0:21:19 > 0:21:23good information that we just need to take forward with the landlord now.
0:21:26 > 0:21:27Since we visited the house,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30the landlord has still not licensed the property
0:21:30 > 0:21:32and also failed to attend an interview
0:21:32 > 0:21:33with housing officers.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35If he fails to submit an application
0:21:35 > 0:21:37to make the property into a shared house,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40the council will step in to MANAGE the property.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43The landlord will then be offered two further opportunities
0:21:43 > 0:21:44to attend an interview.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48If he fails to show on THOSE occasions, he may face prosecution.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54'Defending our right to a safe place to live
0:21:54 > 0:21:58'is the job of housing officers right across the UK.'
0:21:58 > 0:22:00This is not really an acceptable way
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- of leaving the property behind. - D'you think(?)
0:22:03 > 0:22:07'I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.'
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- Top marks.- Yes!
0:22:09 > 0:22:12I'm hitting the streets...
0:22:12 > 0:22:14That's ready to collapse.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'..seeing what's happening on the front line...'
0:22:16 > 0:22:18The cistern's in the bath.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I don't know how they flush it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22..and learning what it takes
0:22:22 > 0:22:26to make sure a house is fit to be called a home.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37'We're in Newham,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39'and I'm on the road with housing officers
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'Holly Ripp and Christine Lyons.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43'We're on the hunt for a house
0:22:43 > 0:22:46'that they suspect might be overcrowded and unsafe
0:22:46 > 0:22:48'for the people living inside.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51'And it might not be too hard to find.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54'Christine's seen loads of similar properties
0:22:54 > 0:22:56'in this neck of the woods.'
0:22:56 > 0:23:00They tend to be larger type housing - three or four bedrooms...
0:23:02 > 0:23:04..two living rooms downstairs and a kitchen -
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and this one actually has got an outbuilding as well.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09'The last time the team visited,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11'they found people living in the outbuilding.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14'They've since served an enforcement notice,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16'forcing the landlord to remove the bathroom and kitchen
0:23:16 > 0:23:19'with the aim of stopping this from happening.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21'Hopefully, he's complied.'
0:23:22 > 0:23:24So what we should be walking into
0:23:24 > 0:23:28is a house which is back in family occupation.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30One family living in the place,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- that's what we should be looking at. - That's correct, yeah.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Or it's undergoing renovation.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I think this house was in quite a poor state.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41We hope it's been renovated and it's back in good order,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and it's been now re-let to a family.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'If the landlord's failed to sort this property,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'it could mean there are still more people living here
0:23:50 > 0:23:51'than there should be,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54'so, understandably, Christine's keen to make sure we get inside.'
0:23:54 > 0:23:56BRISK TAPPING ON DOOR
0:23:56 > 0:24:00We're using the Newham knock, but it's not effective at the moment.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03MORE INSISTENT KNOCKING
0:24:03 > 0:24:06If Christine takes it up to the next level from this,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08that's when we get people from houses on either side
0:24:08 > 0:24:10starting to answer THEIR doors as well.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Ooh, someone's coming.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Oh, hi, sorry to disturb you. I'm Christine Lyons from Planning.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22I looked through the letterbox and saw a pair of chequered
0:24:22 > 0:24:24boxer shorts coming towards me,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28so I figure, at that point, it's best to step away.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Can we have a quick look round, please?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39'It looks like Christine's persistence has paid off.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Clearly people are living here...
0:24:43 > 0:24:44What we want to see
0:24:44 > 0:24:48is whether the outbuilding is still out there and occupied.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50'On the way, there may be a clue
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'the landlord HAS listened to the council's demands.'
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Clearly a lot of work has taken place here.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57We've got laminate flooring that's been ripped out
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and floorboards have gone as well.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01'And it does look like the dodgy outbuilding
0:25:01 > 0:25:03'has been cleared of tenants.'
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- This WAS occupied. It's set up as a little house.- Yeah.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08But obviously he's now using it
0:25:08 > 0:25:11to store all of his bits and pieces in here.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13'Then again, perhaps not.'
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Hold on. Look.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16KNOCKING AT DOOR
0:25:17 > 0:25:19- Someone in there.- Oh.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Can we ask you some questions?
0:25:23 > 0:25:24I'm from the council.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I need to ask you about who's living in the property.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Nobody. I'm just...
0:25:29 > 0:25:32You're quite obviously living here if you're sleeping here.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33Have you been living here long?
0:25:33 > 0:25:35OK.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Obviously doesn't talk.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39What's this for, then? Because you've got...
0:25:39 > 0:25:41The outbuilding here is complete
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and yet, down the side of the house, there's a load of flooring
0:25:44 > 0:25:46that's been ripped up, and floorboards,
0:25:46 > 0:25:47and in here there's clearly...
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- Well, he's obviously looking to... - He's doing something.- Yeah.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- Whether it's down here or in the main house.- Let's have a look.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55Right.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'So, the unlawful outbuilding IS still here
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'and, by the looks of things, still occupied.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06'It's clearly not an ideal - or even safe - sleeping arrangement.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07'But INSIDE the house,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11'there are even more signs of hazardous conditions.'
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Now, always what you want to be watching for in a kitchen
0:26:14 > 0:26:18is a bit of smoke detection of some sort, or ideally heat detection.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20There's nothing in here.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23You can see some...
0:26:23 > 0:26:27some really shonky-looking electrics going on there.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29'This is disappointing.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31'There doesn't seem to be any evidence
0:26:31 > 0:26:33'that the landlord is complying with the enforcement notice
0:26:33 > 0:26:36'to turn this back into a family home.'
0:26:36 > 0:26:40So it seems like little or nothing is taking place to change its use.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42There's lots of fridges,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45that sort of activity, which you wouldn't normally expect
0:26:45 > 0:26:48if it had been put converted back to just one family living here.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- Yeah.- You know, you'd expect to just see one fridge,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53a different layout in the kitchen...
0:26:53 > 0:26:56And also not quite so much of independent living as well,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58it would be more everyone living together.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Last time we visited, the two reception rooms
0:27:00 > 0:27:04towards the front - they were not occupied and now they're locked.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07- So they've actually got more people in, rent coming in.- I assume so.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09'If Holly is right,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'then this landlord is definitely adding insult to potential injury.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16'The enforcement notice is supposed to make this house safer,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19'by limiting the number of unrelated people inside.'
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Shall we try upstairs?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Erm... So we've got...
0:27:25 > 0:27:27The far room, there's a young lady that lives there,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29she's been there for two and a half years,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32and, even worse, this couple who've moved in here,
0:27:32 > 0:27:33they've been here a month.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- So he's actually got in new tenants...- Since...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38..since the enforcement notice was telling him,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41- "You can't have any more people living individually."- Yeah.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- So that's kind of brazen and in-your-face, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46And they're paying 500 in the end one
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and 550 in this one, so that's...
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- No mention to them of the enforcement order or anything else, they had no idea about that.- No.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56So probably, up here, you're looking at 1,500 a month,
0:27:56 > 0:27:57downstairs probably the same,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01- so you're probably looking at £3,000, £4,000 a month in rent?- Wow.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04'Later on, we find some tenants
0:28:04 > 0:28:07'who are shocked to learn the truth about their new home.'
0:28:07 > 0:28:09You must look after yourselves.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14OK? And this house is not completely safe.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20'We're heading to Suffolk...
0:28:21 > 0:28:24'..a county of beautiful rural landscapes
0:28:24 > 0:28:27'and many spectacular public and private gardens...
0:28:29 > 0:28:31'..but housing officer Andrew Weavers
0:28:31 > 0:28:33'isn't visiting one of those today.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36'He's had a complaint about a tenant's gardening habits
0:28:36 > 0:28:40'that are threatening the border between two neighbours.'
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Now going to an address in Stowmarket
0:28:43 > 0:28:48with a report of an overgrown garden that only came in the other day.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50I dealt with it a couple of years ago,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52got it all clear or got the tenant to clear it,
0:28:52 > 0:28:53but they haven't maintained it.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57And now we've got a complainant that's put up a brand-new fence,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00says nothing's been done for the last 24 months
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and he doesn't want his fence to break.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06And if it does break, he's gonna hold us responsible.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Sometimes, you know...
0:29:09 > 0:29:13some tenants will breach their tenancy conditions and
0:29:13 > 0:29:16we have to try and help them improve.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Rather than start serving notices,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22we have to try and help them keep that roof above their head.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26'It's part of Andrew's job to play the peacemaker,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29'and it's his diplomatic skills that will be put to the test today,
0:29:29 > 0:29:34'to ensure that a small problem doesn't grow out of all proportion.
0:29:34 > 0:29:35'It's a condition of tenancy
0:29:35 > 0:29:39'that residents keep their gardens neat and tidy,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42'and don't let shrubs or weeds cause a nuisance to their neighbours.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'Andrew's going to have a chat with pensioner Jean,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49'who rents her bungalow from the council.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52'The neighbour who's complained OWNS his own home -
0:29:52 > 0:29:56'a situation which, in itself, can cause friction.'
0:29:56 > 0:30:00- Hello, there. How are you? Remember me?- Yeah. Come in.- Thank you.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02- I haven't seen you for a long while, have I?- No.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04- Two years, I think.- Two years.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05- How are you doing?- I'm OK.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Andrew will have to use the softly-softly approach
0:30:07 > 0:30:11to find out why Jean's allowed her garden to become neglected again.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Have you spoken to your neighbour...lately?
0:30:16 > 0:30:17About my garden? Yes.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- ANDREW LAUGHS - Yes.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23And she's only too happy to tell him.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27I had a gardener and he's been coming every fortnight, and he died.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31- He was a friend of a friend...- OK. - ..and he kept my garden lovely, OK?
0:30:31 > 0:30:35- Yeah.- Then...so I phoned up.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38This must've been about a couple of months ago.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41OK. Oh, you've got a quote, yeah?
0:30:41 > 0:30:44He was supposed to start on the Monday
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- and I had a phone call to say he was in hospital.- Oh.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51- So I phoned him...- What are you doing to these gardeners?
0:30:51 > 0:30:53- That's what I mean... - You're killing them off.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57Am I making 'em ill? Whatever. Anyway...
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Cos what's happened is, obviously,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02the neighbour is sort of maintaining
0:31:02 > 0:31:04that the garden hasn't really been...
0:31:04 > 0:31:07- not much has happened in the last two years- Two years!
0:31:07 > 0:31:09What are they on about?
0:31:09 > 0:31:13The lady next door but one asked me where my gardener had got to.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Perhaps there's more to this case than meets the eye.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Do you mind if I go and have a look, just at your garden...
0:31:19 > 0:31:22- Yes, yes. - ..to see what we've got...? Yeah.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25- And to say my garden has not been done when it has!- OK.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30It soon becomes obvious why the neighbour is concerned.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34As you can see, these haven't sprung up overnight.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37These thistles, all around the shed,
0:31:37 > 0:31:41this doesn't tell me there's been a regular gardener here.
0:31:41 > 0:31:42There's a lot of bramble
0:31:42 > 0:31:46and stuff in there and that does get a bit wild, doesn't it?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Andrew sympathises with Jean, who can't look after her garden herself,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52but the neglect can't be allowed to continue.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55The neighbour's obviously put a quite expensive new fence up
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and he doesn't want it ruined.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Some of these weeds and things
0:32:00 > 0:32:02that must have been against the old fence,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I think, caused a bit of damage.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09So I think...see if we keep the borders clear, really,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11and the rest of the garden.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Jean insists that her new gardener is due to start work
0:32:14 > 0:32:16the following week.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Obviously, if you've got a regular gardener now, which is brilliant...
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Yeah. Well, the man couldn't help dying, could he?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24No, no-one can do that, can they?
0:32:24 > 0:32:27No, he'd turn in his grave if he saw how it was now.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Andrew knows that, in this case,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32it's gentle persuasion that will win the day.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35OK, I'm going to come back in a couple of weeks and have a look
0:32:35 > 0:32:38- at your lovely garden, how's that? All right?- Yeah.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- At least I get to see you again and give you a bit of a nag.- Yeah.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45If Jean can prove that her gardener's on the case,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Andrew will be satisfied.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Oh, well, lovely to see you again. I'll see you in a couple of weeks.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52- Thank you very much. - All right, sweetheart. See you.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54'I've had the complaint,'
0:32:54 > 0:32:57I've done the visit and she's got an answer.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59She's got a gardener coming round,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02but I don't know how much of that garden's been done lately,
0:33:02 > 0:33:03I've got to say.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I sort of deal with a lot of characters in my line of work
0:33:06 > 0:33:08and she's certainly one of them...bless her heart.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11I think she probably knew exactly why I was knocking on her door,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15to be honest, cos I think she mentioned the garden straightaway.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18But in a couple of weeks' time, that will be a lot clearer than it is.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22It's just me nagging her a little bit to keep up with it, really.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Every problem gets sorted out.
0:33:25 > 0:33:26Later, we'll come back to see
0:33:26 > 0:33:30if Jean's next gardener has made an appearance.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32He's working away there.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34I don't want to give him a heart attack.
0:33:40 > 0:33:45'In Newham...and I'm with housing officers Christine Lyons
0:33:45 > 0:33:46'and Holly Ripp.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48'The team are back at a property that was supposed
0:33:48 > 0:33:52'to be in the process of being returned to a family home.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55'They've served an enforcement notice on the landlord demanding
0:33:55 > 0:33:57'he stop letting the outbuilding to tenants -
0:33:57 > 0:34:00'doesn't seem to have done much good.'
0:34:01 > 0:34:03I'm from the council. I just need to ask you a few questions
0:34:03 > 0:34:05about who's living in the property.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09- Nobody. I'm...- You're quite obviously living here
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- if you're sleeping here. - Have you been living here long?
0:34:11 > 0:34:15OK. Obviously doesn't talk.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16And to make matters worse,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20ignoring the enforcement notice again, the landlord seems to have
0:34:20 > 0:34:24taken in even more tenants, making the property more dangerous.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'I'm not sure Kiko and Druni, who've moved here from Spain,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31'are aware of the situation.'
0:34:31 > 0:34:33When you moved in here,
0:34:33 > 0:34:38did the landlord mention that there was a problem with the council?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- No.- This information, no.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44- Yeah, so this is new.- Yeah. - You had no idea at all.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47How long do you think you will stay in this house?
0:34:47 > 0:34:52In this house, four months or six months.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55This room is very small for money.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00So you're both working. Maybe, in three or four months,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04you're hoping later to bring your daughter here to the UK
0:35:04 > 0:35:06and then move into a house?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10'It's devastating for this young couple
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'that, having moved in, they might now be facing eviction.'
0:35:13 > 0:35:19The reason that the council is here today is because the landlord
0:35:19 > 0:35:23is not supposed to use this house for lots of people.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26This house should be for one family only,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30but obviously you have a person there, a person here,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- in the garden, downstairs... - Six or seven families.- Yeah.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35In this house, families more.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39So, around two months ago, he was told he cannot do that.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- Did you know that?- No, no, no.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45- You had no idea at all? He didn't tell you?- No.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50'These guys will now be facing an uncertain future
0:35:50 > 0:35:53'and, even though it's unlikely they'll be able to see out
0:35:53 > 0:35:56'their desired six-month stay, I can't leave without at least
0:35:56 > 0:35:58'trying to help them feel more secure.'
0:36:01 > 0:36:03You must look after yourselves. OK?
0:36:03 > 0:36:09- This house is not completely safe, OK?- No?
0:36:09 > 0:36:10No, the thing you need to do -
0:36:10 > 0:36:15you must get smoke and heat detectors in this house, OK?
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Because downstairs you have a kitchen,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- which has no fire detection in this house.- No.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25And so everybody lives by themselves
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and that means that they only care for themselves,
0:36:28 > 0:36:32and you need a smoke and fire detector downstairs.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33Can you do that today?
0:36:33 > 0:36:36- You need to do that, please.- OK.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38- Take care. Thank you. Bye-bye. - Thanks.- OK, bye.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40'I feel bad about the circumstances
0:36:40 > 0:36:42'that we're leaving Kiko and Druni in.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45'But almost right on cue, Christine gets a call from the landlord,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48'which I'm pleased to say she approaches in her usual style.'
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Whilst your tenants are in there,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54there is no fire safety for those tenants,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56so what I would want you to do today
0:36:56 > 0:36:59is you take some fire and smoke detectors round
0:36:59 > 0:37:02and you put them back in that premises.
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Because, if there's a fire...
0:37:03 > 0:37:07They're not there, they're not there,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09and if anything happened to those tenants,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12you will be liable for anything happens to those tenants.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16'Hopefully, this visit now means the tenants will at least
0:37:16 > 0:37:19'get a chance to sleep a little bit sounder and safer.'
0:37:19 > 0:37:23What I like with you, Christine, it's not a case of, "May I come in?"
0:37:23 > 0:37:24It's a case of, "I'm coming in
0:37:24 > 0:37:27"because there's something in here that needs dealing with."
0:37:27 > 0:37:28From our point of view,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31we need to get in, we need to sort these problems out.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33He wasn't aware of anyone living in the outbuilding
0:37:33 > 0:37:37- and we obviously saw a gentlemen living in the outbuilding.- Yeah.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40And his aims are now, because we've affected his business,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44he's going to... He's putting the property on the market for sale.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Did he explain how he's introduced more tenants
0:37:47 > 0:37:51since the enforcement notice and how is that helping the situation?
0:37:51 > 0:37:56He didn't sort of acknowledge that at all. That was wiped over.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58What he was more concerned about
0:37:58 > 0:38:01was that I said he could earn between £4,000-£5,000 and he said
0:38:01 > 0:38:03that basically it's only got seven rooms,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06so that wouldn't be that much. It would only be £3,500.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09So he's admitted that he's renting out seven rooms individually
0:38:09 > 0:38:11and he's making £3,500, roughly, we think.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14So that's quite an interesting figure.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17My concern is for those tenants that are there at the moment.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20The fact that they've got no protection from fire in there,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22- all of that would have gone unseen...- Yeah.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26- ..if you hadn't just forced the issue just that little bit.- Yeah.
0:38:26 > 0:38:27It's not just about the landlord -
0:38:27 > 0:38:29it's about actually the people who live there.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33It's not just to tick a box in terms of a planning enforcement notice -
0:38:33 > 0:38:34it's actually about making a difference.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Do you think he got the message on the phone?
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Probably not, but you hope he did.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51We're back in Suffolk,
0:38:51 > 0:38:55where housing officer Andrew Weavers has been investigating
0:38:55 > 0:38:57a complaint about an overgrown garden.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01As you see, these haven't sprung up overnight.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05It doesn't tell me that there's been a regular gardener here.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07The neighbour is sort of maintaining
0:39:07 > 0:39:10that not much has happened in the last two years.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Two years! What are they on about?!
0:39:12 > 0:39:16The lady next door but one asked me where my gardener had got to.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Today, Andrew's on his way to see whether Jean has cleared her garden
0:39:20 > 0:39:24so it doesn't cause any damage to her neighbour's smart new fence.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29She's got in contact with me to let her know...
0:39:29 > 0:39:34well, let ME know that she's now got her gardener starting today.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38He should have been there at about ten o'clock this morning,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42so I thought this would be a good opportunity to go there now
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and have a look, try and have a chat with the gardener,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48and just give him an idea of what the complaint is and what we'd like
0:39:48 > 0:39:52to achieve, and see if he's going to be a sort of regular visitor there.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56If he is, then that's a... That's a job done.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58I'm hoping that he's well, for the time being,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01the first gardener had died and this chap had been poorly,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04so let's hope... Let's hope he's OK.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Before he has a chat with Jean,
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Andrew decides to have a peep over the garden wall.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Ooh, I can see him. He's working away there.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20I don't want to give him a heart attack!
0:40:21 > 0:40:23He seems to be working hard.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25It's looking good so far.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Right, I'll go and see her.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Hello again. How are you? Oh, you're cleaning up, look!
0:40:32 > 0:40:34But Andrew needs to know how long
0:40:34 > 0:40:37this gardener is going to stick around.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Do you think you're going to be a regular sort of visitor here?
0:40:40 > 0:40:41I think so, yeah.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46- That's certainly down to be cleared anyway as part of this work.- Yeah.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- So...- I can see you've been working really hard.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51I'm getting there, yeah.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55- To be honest, she's been quite quick on getting this sorted...- Yeah.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Normally, I have to push and push and push people,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00- so this is quite nice to see somebody actually doing it.- Yeah.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03To stop any further complaints, what I wouldn't mind is
0:41:03 > 0:41:05if we sort of concentrated on that area,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- so that all that bramble and that stuff goes...- OK.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11..so it doesn't cause any future problems
0:41:11 > 0:41:13because they're basically saying that,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15if anything happens to that fence,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17- they're going to hold us responsible.- Crikey! OK.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22Jean hasn't wasted any time getting Paul in to help her with her garden,
0:41:22 > 0:41:23so Andrew hopes the neighbour now
0:41:23 > 0:41:26won't have any further cause for complaint.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Is that going to be regularly maintained, your garden, now?
0:41:29 > 0:41:33Yes, he said he'd come once a week for an hour.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36So I can confidently now go away, can't I,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39and be confident this is going to be a regularly maintained garden?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45Yes, Andrew, as long as you're not in charge of it - not an expert.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48What's this, a thistle of some description?
0:41:48 > 0:41:50- No, that's a dandelion.- Is it?
0:41:50 > 0:41:52I know what I'm talking about(!)
0:41:53 > 0:41:57See, you can tell I'm a keen gardener, can't you?
0:41:57 > 0:41:59It's green, you know. Is this a tree?
0:41:59 > 0:42:02- That's a hawthorn. Hawthorn.- Oh, OK.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07I was just asked to identify it and I was using my gardening skills.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12Andrew doesn't want to hear any more from Stowmarket about wild weeds,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15brambles or disappearing gardeners in the undergrowth.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18He can let the neighbour know that the case is solved.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23This sounds good. I'll be able to write this one off.
0:42:23 > 0:42:24I wish they were all like this.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26I normally have to go round about three or four times
0:42:26 > 0:42:29and start threatening tenancies,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32but she's a sweetheart, really, and she sort of knows she's probably
0:42:32 > 0:42:35left it and has done something about it under her own steam.
0:42:35 > 0:42:41So it's good because that's how I'd like to see everyone do it, you know.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44I think the ball has got to be put in the tenant's court.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47I don't think we ought to, as a landlord,
0:42:47 > 0:42:49go and provide a garden service to everybody,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52but she's taken responsibility and that's what should happen.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53Bye.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02That's it for today. Join me next time, when I'll be learning
0:43:02 > 0:43:05more about what it takes to be a front-line housing officer.