0:00:02 > 0:00:03Hello? Can you just let me in?
0:00:03 > 0:00:06The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I wouldn't keep my dog there, is the honest truth.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The house is falling to bits. There's nothing I can do.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20In the battle for decent housing...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite honest.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29If somebody had've died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32you would've been standing in the coroner's court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with the housing enforcers.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- 15 people in this house? - 15 people in total living in here.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42I'll be with them as they tackle
0:00:42 > 0:00:44problem properties and slum conditions...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47It really does look a shanty town.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Yeah, it's not up to standard.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..as they deal with dodgy landlords, nightmare neighbours
0:00:52 > 0:00:53and everything in between...
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Oh, my God, straight away, there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58You never know what you're going to find.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02..to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Today, a landlord who's carved up a family house
0:01:12 > 0:01:15ignores council orders to put things right.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Now they've been partitioned off, this middle room is like a hellhole.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- There's no lights, no ventilation. - No, exactly.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24- It's just the worst option, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28A mysterious damp problem puts a family's health in danger.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31It's disgusting. It does leak into the light switch as well.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34So I tell the boys not to turn on the bathroom light at all
0:01:34 > 0:01:36because I don't want them getting electrocuted.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Housing officers step in to solve a dispute over a tiny kitchen.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Basically, the kitchen, it doesn't meet
0:01:43 > 0:01:45the kind of ten-square-metre requirement.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48But there's just so much space in the rest of the house.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It's about if you had all those people trying to cook.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53It's about giving them that extra space.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And one man and his dog find happiness in a new home.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Every day is going to be a happy day here, I think.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Every day will be, definitely.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Just to know I can just pop down the road
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and see my grandchildren and my children.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13We might not always know it,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but there are people from every local council
0:02:16 > 0:02:21whose job it is to make sure we have a safe roof over our heads.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I'm working alongside the men and the women
0:02:24 > 0:02:28who use the law to make sure we don't live in slums,
0:02:28 > 0:02:33but in homes fit to raise a family or enjoy our retirement.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37They can make sure that you have the facilities you need
0:02:37 > 0:02:38as you get older.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42They also have the power to start the process
0:02:42 > 0:02:47that can send a bad landlord to prison or help evict a bad tenant.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50They are...the housing enforcers.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58There's a housing shortage in London,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01so landlords are keen to plug the gap
0:03:01 > 0:03:04by converting family houses into shared homes.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07But in the London borough of Newham,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10the council takes a dim view of properties
0:03:10 > 0:03:12that are unlawfully converted.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16They reckon that a quarter of all rental properties in their patch are shared houses,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19what they call houses of multiple occupation,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21and not all of them have planning permission.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Housing officer Stephen Pavett is taking me to one of them.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26It's got an unusual history.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33This one has two enforcement notices on it.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36People were collecting scrap metal and storing it at the property.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41So the house itself was being used as a scrap metal dealership or storage?
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Yeah, essentially, by the people who were living there.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Erm...last time I visited.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51I'd found that the use had ceased as a scrap metal storage,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54but the large home of multiple occupation was still occurring.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59And the choice to go to prosecution would be based upon the level of risk
0:03:59 > 0:04:01that those people are being exposed to?
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Yeah, it is a last resort. We're left with no option
0:04:04 > 0:04:07than to consider prosecuting the owner for this.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13Since April 2015, Newham Council have carried out 400 inspections of shared houses
0:04:13 > 0:04:17and that's resulted in 200 prosecutions or cautions.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21This property's a small terraced house on a quiet residential street.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Not somewhere you would expect scrap metal to be stored,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27or a large number of people to be living.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Hello. We're from the planning department from Newham Council.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41We're here today to do an inspection of the property at the moment.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I want to see all of the house today.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Yes? OK?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48We need to come in, please.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Which bed are you sleeping in?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So we've come into the front room and straight away there are...
0:04:53 > 0:04:56there's one bed, there's a sofa, and there's a mattress.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59And it looks like all three have been slept in.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05But the guy that Steve is speaking to claims just to be a guest
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and not living here at all.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11So in there, Stephen, straight away it looks like we've got three guys sleeping.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- There's the bed, there's the mattress on the floor and then there's the sofa.- Sofa, yeah.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The chap there claims to be a guest and not here long-term.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- But it just...- Yeah.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I mean, he showed me some ID saying he was from...
0:05:25 > 0:05:28that he lives in Barking, which is just down the road.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33- So if he's sleeping here, I find that a bit unusual...- Mm-hm.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36..to find why he would be sleeping here, if he lives just down the road.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38So, we've got two people currently there,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40the third one's not in.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43But, yeah, it looks like it's occupied by three people in that one room.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46The downstairs of the property has been converted,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48creating an additional windowless room
0:05:48 > 0:05:50in the middle of the ground floor.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53OK, so there's no-one in this room.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55No, there is. There's a chap asleep there.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57He is there, too.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59So you've got another guy asleep here
0:05:59 > 0:06:01and you've got a bed,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03no windows at all.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07You've got rows and rows of suitcases here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11So this bedroom looks as if it's occupied by at least two individuals, if not more.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Double and a single.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18So you've got five people so far in these two rooms
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and all the signs of, you know, a large number of people living here.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I'm only going to find more bedrooms upstairs, I think, when we go up there.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30So let's carry on.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34All of these houses that we see, these terraces,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37used to have big, long living rooms that went all the way through
0:06:37 > 0:06:39for a family to sit in together, with a dining room maybe at the back.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- That's right.- And now they're being partitioned off.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- This middle room is like a hellhole. It's horrible.- Yes.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- There's no lights. - There's no ventilation.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- There's no ventilation.- No, exactly.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51It's just... It's the worst option, isn't it?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Yeah. It's an option where people have no choice.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They'll end up in this sort of level of accommodation.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57That's what we're seeing.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01So already we've seen the ground floor fully kitted out as bedrooms.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02Yeah.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04And it's not living, communal space at all,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06as you'd expect for a family.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09So I can only think that the rest of the property is going to be of a similar nature.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15While housing officers are more interested in the numbers of people in these small family homes,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18I'm concerned about the deeply unpleasant conditions,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22which also extend to the essential facilities.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- So this is the downstairs bathroom. - Yeah.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33We've got a toilet, a sink and shower
0:07:33 > 0:07:35and that's right next to the...
0:07:35 > 0:07:39To the kitchen. Not the best set-up here to have, really, hygienically-wise.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42There's no natural light in this bathroom.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44- Not once the door's shut.- No.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Ventilation is very poor.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49It's got a lot of mould and mildew growing.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54The kitchen and the bathroom seem to be in pretty poor condition.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- The kitchen has a feeling of coming in for some pretty heavy use.- Yeah.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03And the stove... Obviously, they're not worrying about cleaning particularly.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08All these people and use, again, will attract things like mice, rats.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Over use of the property, really, and not being cleaned.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15I'm going to open a cupboard and I'm going to see my arch enemy - the cockroach.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21He's long gone.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Well, no cockroaches, but the poor state of the kitchen
0:08:24 > 0:08:26and mould and mildew in the bathroom,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29coupled with a lot of people living in close proximity,
0:08:29 > 0:08:30is not a good mix.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32And we haven't even ventured upstairs yet.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39It looks as though there are people occupying the upstairs bedrooms.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41I can see things in windows.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45So I think, if we wander up there now and have a look and see if they're awake...
0:08:47 > 0:08:49So five so far on the ground floor.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50Yeah.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Coming up...
0:08:52 > 0:08:56We discover even more people living upstairs.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58So we've got here two more.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00So that's... I think we're up to seven so far.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Up to seven people so far, yeah.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03Yeah.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Damp and mould are among the most common causes of complaint
0:09:11 > 0:09:14to housing departments all over the UK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19But you don't expect to find them in a modern, purpose-built block of flats like this one.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24In Wolverhampton in the West Midlands,
0:09:24 > 0:09:29mum Kattrina Haney and her two sons moved into a flat here three years ago.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32But since then, she says damp has got steadily worse,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35making electrical sockets dangerous and damaging the family's health.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39OK, well, this started off as a leak.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Just a damp patch.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44And it's obviously got a lot worser.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46It comes down right into the back of the cupboards.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50It's disgusting and it's in the next one, too.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52The flat is privately owned,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55but leased and managed by a housing association.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57After three years of asking them to help,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Kattrina finally contacted her local council.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Housing officer Ravi Phull took up Kattrina's case
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and got in touch with the owner of the flat on her behalf,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10advising them that work needed to be done.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It started the day I signed my contract, actually.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15It was just a damp patch.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17A little, light faded patch.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20And they says that someone was going to come out and fix it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22You know, clean it up and repaint it.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24But no-one's ever been since.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26So it's been going on for three years.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Got worser over the years, obviously.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31And now it's just a state. It's disgusting.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33There's a smell to it. You know, a damp smell.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Horrible.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36It's disgusting.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38And it's not just the kitchen.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41OK, this is the hallway.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Obviously, it's all come out into the hallway down the frame.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47All the ceiling is starting to turn black now.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49It does leak into the light switch, as well.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52So I tell the boys not to turn on the bathroom light at all
0:10:52 > 0:10:55because I don't want them getting electrocuted.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57This is the bedroom where I sleep.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03And it's all in the ceiling there, where the flue runs.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05It runs down, straight down the wall.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09As you can see, the wood is coming away from the ceiling,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11and it's mould again.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13This is not only nasty to look at.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Living in an atmosphere of mould and damp can also be a health hazard,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20affecting the immune system and aggravating asthma attacks -
0:11:20 > 0:11:23something Kattrina's sons already suffer from.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The dirtiness of it.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28And having two children, it's not hygienic at all,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30especially them having asthma.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I mean, one's got a chest infection now and has been off school since last week
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and the other one's got tonsillitis.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39So living in this environment is not helping them at all.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44I've complained to the housing association that I rent the property from.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Someone should have already been out and dealt with it.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50But I've never had an appointment for anybody to come.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55I phoned the council because I think the housing association would listen to them more
0:11:55 > 0:11:58than they'd maybe listen to me.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And I'd get somewhere a bit more quicker,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03after waiting so long already.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06The council listened to Kattrina.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09But did the landlord and the housing association respond?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Ravi's arrived at Kattrina's flat to see if the repairs have been done.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15This is a revisit of a property.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17An inspection was carried out.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Hazards were identified.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21The landlord was written out to
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and we're just doing a re-inspection
0:12:23 > 0:12:26to see how much of the works have been complied with or have been done.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Ravi wants to know if anything's happened
0:12:29 > 0:12:31since the council stepped in.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Repairs and maintenance are the responsibility of the landlord.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38But he or she would expect to be alerted to any problems by the housing association,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40who are managing the flat.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42What's been done?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44The boiler's been repaired.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46It was leaking constantly.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48And that's been repaired.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50And the lights in the kitchen.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52What was wrong with the lights in the kitchen? Remind me again.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Water had leaked into them and they just kept blowing.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Carrying out these repairs has definitely made a difference.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02But Ravi knows that, unless the source of the problem has been found and dealt with,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04the damp won't go away.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Has the water stopped leaking?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Well, I haven't had no leaks, the buckets are empty.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10So the leaks have stopped.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13So did they actually find the cause of the leak and remedy it
0:13:13 > 0:13:15or did it just stop itself?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- The leaks do stop and carry on and stop and carry on.- OK.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Someone did come out,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24says the leak could be from my boiler or the man who lives upstairs.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- That's what I'm saying, because it's coming from above, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30But all the pipings, because the pipings run...
0:13:30 > 0:13:34- Mine run down and his run down, I think, the man said.- OK.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38But no-one's actually been out and investigated the leak.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41If the other tenants are having problems, too,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45there could be a serious underlying issue with this building.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48The man upstairs called his agent, because we're with different agencies.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- He did say that he had a leak in his boiler.- OK.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56So that could be the cause of what's happened in my kitchen.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59So even though the leak's in his flat...
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Until we go in there, we won't know.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04But there's no hazards. It's creating hazards in your flat, right?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07But then there's downstairs, as well.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10He knocked me and says there is a leak. Have I got something leaking?
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- So you're potentially leaking downstairs.- Yeah.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- So there seems to be a systemic problem.- Yeah.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- OK. Can we have a look in the other room?- Yeah.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23Oh, goodness me! OK.
0:14:23 > 0:14:24- It's vile.- Yeah, OK.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27It's just too much.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30And having two kids, as well, right next to the sink.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32All right. Well, obviously, there is also a concern
0:14:32 > 0:14:34because of the water coming in from upstairs.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37We've also got a concern if it's getting into the electrics,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40which is a even bigger issue, really.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- I have got a damp patch around my electric box.- Right.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But it's not, like, a leak, it's just a patch.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50The bathroom is a similar story to the kitchen.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Water has been seeping into the electrical sockets.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Ravi isn't happy about this.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Nor is she happy about the amount of mould the family are living with.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00It's even crept into Kattrina's bedroom.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Ravi wants the source found and this flat cleaned up and made safe.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Damp is the main issue.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- And it is bad.- It is bad.
0:15:09 > 0:15:10So what we're now going to do
0:15:10 > 0:15:13is we're going to get on to the next stage -
0:15:13 > 0:15:16to serve notice on the landlord.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18He's going to be charged for that notice, as well,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21because there's a fine that comes with it.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23And if they don't comply with the notice,
0:15:23 > 0:15:24then we will look to prosecute them.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26The council can now make sure
0:15:26 > 0:15:30that action is taken to put things right for Kattrina and her sons.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33There isn't anything else I need to do today.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37But as I said, you know, as soon as possible now,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39what we'll do is we'll serve notice on your landlord.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41This is a major...
0:15:41 > 0:15:42You know, this is a major thing.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45And that you've got it in your bedroom, as well.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47In a bedroom, you can't get away from it.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- You know, you're spending an X number of hours in that room. - Sleeping, too.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Yeah. Whereas, you know, you nip in and out of your bathroom, you nip in and out of the kitchen.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56It affects you mentally having these things in your property,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58which we also do take into account.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01And you'll hear from us.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04- You'll get a copy of all the notices served et cetera, as well.- OK.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07- Thank you very much for your help. - All right, no worries.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11It's Ravi's job to make sure that standards in the flat are improved
0:16:11 > 0:16:14to make it a safe environment for all the family.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18She has no hesitation in getting straight on to the housing association and the landlord
0:16:18 > 0:16:20to remind them of their obligations.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24They need to dig a little further into where the leak's coming from,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26if the leak has actually been stopped now.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31The biggest issue now was the damp itself and the mould growth.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33And it is...it's extensive.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37And this is something that the landlord needs to be looking into doing
0:16:37 > 0:16:39and really getting a proper contractor out here
0:16:39 > 0:16:43to make sure that it's not just a case of just patching up visibly whatever is there,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47but to make sure that whatever is going on doesn't recur.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Kattrina turned to the council for help
0:16:49 > 0:16:54because she says she was unable to get the housing association to do the work.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58She's hoping it won't be long now before the mysterious hidden leak can be located
0:16:58 > 0:17:01and the damp and mould are finally cleaned up for good.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13The agents for the property told us that, under the terms of Miss Harvey's tenancy agreement,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16she should have reported defects straight to them
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but, instead, she reported them to the council.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22When they were told of the issues, they said they inspected the property
0:17:22 > 0:17:24and, as a responsible housing association,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28agreed to repair and to recharge the costs back to the landlord,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30in line with the terms of the lease.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33They also said some repairs had already been done
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and they'd contacted the tenant on several occasions to do more work,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40but had been unable to arrange access to the flat.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Earlier, housing officer Stephen Pavett
0:17:48 > 0:17:50showed me a terraced house in Newham, East London.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53The council has served two enforcement notices on the landlord
0:17:53 > 0:17:56because the property was being used to store scrap metal
0:17:56 > 0:18:00and it's been unlawfully converted into bedsits.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I want to see all of the house today.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Yes? OK?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Stephen's here to check if the landlord's changed the property back to a single home.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14He reckons that as many as five people were living on the ground floor alone.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20All right, so we've got three doors here.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Hello. From the planning department. Newham Council.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27I just need to have a quick look around your room, please.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29- Are you living here in this room by yourself?- Yes.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30Just yourself.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- How much rent do you pay per month for the room?- £400.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35£400.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36How long have you lived here?
0:18:38 > 0:18:40- Two or three months.- Yeah.- OK.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43What's it like living here? Is it OK or is it...?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And do you have a tenancy agreement or anything like that that you pay rent to?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51How do you pay your money?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00So you pay the money to someone in the house
0:19:00 > 0:19:02and they pay the money to someone else? OK.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Thank you.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13It's worrying that this tenant doesn't pay his rent directly to the landlord,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15but to one of the other tenants in the house.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18Another bedroom here.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22But it seems like, from what the other guy was saying,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24- that he's paying his rent to somebody else here.- Yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27So there's a possibility that it's being sublet?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30It could be that there's a lead tenant here,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33who's got the lease of the property and they're subletting it out
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and renting it out to all these other individuals, who are at the property.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39We won't know that until we do a bit more investigation,
0:19:39 > 0:19:40but that does look like the case.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Is there sometimes the case
0:19:42 > 0:19:46where actually the owners have no idea what's going on within their property,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49that it's being let out without their knowledge?
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Yeah, it could be that.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55But, you know, it's up to the owners and the landlords to know what's going on in their own property
0:19:55 > 0:19:57and for them to carry out checks if they need to.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59But whichever way you look at it,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02it seems there are still too many people living in this house.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04So we've got here two more.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07So that's... I think we're up to seven so far.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Up to seven people so far, yeah.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10Yeah.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11It's over six people.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15OK, so over six to be a large house of multiple occupation,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17for which a special licence is needed.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- Planning permission is needed for the planning department.- Right.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- They'd also need a licence from the housing department, as well.- OK.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27So the plus side is we haven't seen any scrap metal here.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30No. But we're here to see all the rooms, but...
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- We've got one more room to go in. - We've got one more room.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36But, no. I'd safely say that that use is still ceased.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40But we've got the bigger issue, which is this use of a large home of multiple occupation.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Yeah, we don't know how many people are there on a regular basis.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47- There might be flexible numbers. - Yeah, coming in and out.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- Hello. I'm from the planning department from the council.- Yeah.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54We need to just have a quick look around your room, please.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55Thank you.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Are you living here at the moment?
0:20:58 > 0:20:59So how long have you lived in here?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05So in this room he's got a couple...
0:21:06 > 0:21:08..and a double bed and that's it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12So how much rent a month do you pay for the room?
0:21:15 > 0:21:16For which bit, the whole property?
0:21:18 > 0:21:22So are you the gentleman who's got the lease of this property?
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Right. So how much do you actually pay yourself?
0:21:33 > 0:21:34Right, OK.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40The plot thickens.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42The couple in this room
0:21:42 > 0:21:45appear to be looking after the bills for the whole house,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49although the gentleman says that someone else, who left recently, owns the lease to the house.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52It's possible that the owner of the house is unaware
0:21:52 > 0:21:55that his tenant is subletting rooms.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Is there a tenancy agreement for the property at all, do you know?
0:22:01 > 0:22:02OK.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06All right. Thank you.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Thank you very much. Sorry to disturb you.
0:22:12 > 0:22:13From Stephen's investigations,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17it looks like as many as nine people may be living in this house.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It's supposed to be a family home,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22but none of them appear to be related to each other.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26One of the things I really like about Newham
0:22:26 > 0:22:29is that it's really straightforward here.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32You know, we could see that there were things wrong with that property,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34you know, in terms of the condition.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- But actually, this is a planning matter.- Yes.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40There just shouldn't be that many people living in that way in that house.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43It is simply how many people are occupying the property.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45And it's not a shared home.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47No-one seems to be doing much cleaning.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49So it's a case of the people don't know each other,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52just live in one room and are isolated and that's not what we want.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56It has to go back to a family dwelling and that's all there is about it.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59There's no other use they can use for that property at this stage in Newham.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00So the next step, then.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Are we looking at a prosecution here?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Yeah, I've sent letters of warning of a prosecution in the past.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12And this further visit just confirms it's still in breach of our notice.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Even with the warning of a prosecution,
0:23:14 > 0:23:19the owners still haven't done anything about putting it back to a single family home.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21So we've got nowhere else to go now,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25other than to look to pursuing more proceedings as a prosecution.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The council have since told us that they didn't find enough evidence
0:23:32 > 0:23:36to prove that the property was still being used as a shared house.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39However, they say they'll keep on visiting
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to make sure that compliance with the enforcement notice continues.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Defending our right to a safe place to live
0:23:49 > 0:23:52is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57Do you think?!
0:23:57 > 0:24:01I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03- Top marks.- Yes!
0:24:03 > 0:24:05I'm hitting the streets...
0:24:06 > 0:24:09That's ready to collapse.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11..finding out what's happening on the front line...
0:24:11 > 0:24:13The cistern's in the bath.
0:24:13 > 0:24:14I don't know how they flush it.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17..and learning what it takes to make sure
0:24:17 > 0:24:20a house is fit to be called a home.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33With a thriving business economy and tourist trade,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35not to mention thousands of students,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38housing in Oxford is in huge demand.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41So, for landlords, there are rich rewards to be had
0:24:41 > 0:24:43from renting out every available room.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Housing officer Katherine Coney's job
0:24:46 > 0:24:50is to make sure these homes are fit for purpose.
0:24:50 > 0:24:56So in Oxford, landlords need a licence for any property they're renting to three or more people
0:24:56 > 0:24:57who aren't in the same family.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03The licence comes with conditions designed to make the house a safe and comfortable place to live.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Katherine is on her way to a shared house,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07where the landlord does have a licence,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11but he's recently increased the number of tenants by adding an extra bedroom.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14- Hi, Jacqui.- Hi.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- Hi, I'm Katherine. Nice to meet you, Jacqui.- Shall we...?
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Katherine is meeting Jacqui Edwards, the landlord's agent.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24With six people now living in the house, instead of five,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28the landlord should also have increased the facilities for his tenants.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31But it seems he's hoping his agent will persuade the council
0:25:31 > 0:25:34he doesn't need to do the work.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35So, obviously, I've come here today
0:25:35 > 0:25:40because the landlord is not happy with what we've asked him to do on the licence.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42So I just need to have a look around the whole property,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44look in the rooms.
0:25:44 > 0:25:45So if we start in the kitchen?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Yep, that's fine. Just through there.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52The kitchen is at the heart of this dispute.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Five is the absolute maximum number of people the council will allow
0:25:55 > 0:25:57to share a kitchen of this size.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Now there are six people in the house, the room just isn't big enough.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03And more bad news for the landlord...
0:26:03 > 0:26:04The facilities are inadequate.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07Five is the magic number.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10When you go from five to six, you need double.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13And then, when you go from ten to 11, you need double.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18So for every group of five, there's an increase in the number of facilities you need.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21You would need to have two cookers.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Although we do accept the microwave as the second cooker.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26You'd also need two sinks.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Though, again, we would accept a dishwasher as a second washing facility.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And we'd also ask for two fridges and freezers,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35as opposed to the one that they've just got here.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Katherine is here to enforce the rules
0:26:40 > 0:26:44designed to make sure the kitchen is big enough for tenants to cook safely.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47But Jacqui claims the tenants have no complaints
0:26:47 > 0:26:50and doesn't want the landlord to have to pay for improvements.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52It's deadlock.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56So, basically, the kitchen, it doesn't meet the kind of ten-square-metre requirements.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But there's just so much space in the rest of the house.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02And, like, the tumble dryer, the washing machine are all...
0:27:02 > 0:27:04there's a little utility room over there.
0:27:04 > 0:27:10So I'm struggling to understand what more space in the kitchen would do for everybody.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Well, it's about if you had all those people trying to cook.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- It's about giving them that extra space.- Yeah.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20And so, you know,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23we'd need to fit in a second sink somehow.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27- There is a dishwasher in the utility room.- OK.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30I know it isn't ideal, but, yeah.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33You know, and the fridge. So it's about trying to fit another one in.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35And there is another fridge in the other room.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Because I know, if you have an open living room and kitchen area,
0:27:39 > 0:27:40it needs to be 24 square metres.
0:27:40 > 0:27:47The living room is 27 square metres, so there's plenty of space.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49So I struggle to see...
0:27:49 > 0:27:51They don't all cook at the same time.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55There haven't been problems.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58You can't say Jacqui's not trying every angle.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I do understand where you're coming from,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05but, you know, we do have the kitchen as a sort of a minimum number.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08And while you've obviously got the extra space,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- it's about having that extra space in here.- Yep.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15I mean, we could look at the layout
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and whether there's anything that could be done.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- There might be that possibility. - Yeah, that would be good.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24It would be interesting to see if you have any thoughts on what we could do to make it work.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Jacqui is keen to minimise costs to her client, the landlord.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34But pointing out that there is a utility room at the other end of the house
0:28:34 > 0:28:36and that the living room is quite spacious
0:28:36 > 0:28:39doesn't seem to be cutting any ice with Katherine.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43The kitchen is fairly small and compact.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47And so, if you had more people, they would struggle to do the cooking.
0:28:47 > 0:28:52And also, not being able to have the dishwasher and all the facilities in the same room
0:28:52 > 0:28:54doesn't really enable good cooking,
0:28:54 > 0:28:59especially if you've got to go to another room to get your food out of the fridge or freezer.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Coming up...
0:29:01 > 0:29:04We find out if Jacqui's arguments measure up
0:29:04 > 0:29:06or if Katherine lays down the law.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09So most kitchens have the washing machine and all that stuff in there.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13So that just doesn't even... We can't count any of that space?
0:29:13 > 0:29:15No, you can't count any of that space.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17- That's just the utility space.- Yeah.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27There's a saying that home is where the heart is.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29But for some people, their home is in one place
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and their heart is somewhere entirely different.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35In Stroud, housing officer Rachel Pugh
0:29:35 > 0:29:37is waiting to welcome a new tenant
0:29:37 > 0:29:39who's taken the huge step of giving up his home
0:29:39 > 0:29:43and moving 200 miles to be closer to the people he loves the most.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46We're meeting Mr Weston today.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50He's relocating from Ipswich to be nearer his family.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52So from being very isolated, he's moving a lot closer
0:29:52 > 0:29:55to everybody and he's really excited about it.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57He might be excited now,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00but still in Ipswich, Pete Weston's decision to up sticks and move
0:30:00 > 0:30:03three-and-a-half hours away from his home
0:30:03 > 0:30:04hasn't been an easy one.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08One of my sons and his girlfriend moved down to Stroud,
0:30:08 > 0:30:09where they'd been given a job.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Four or five years later, my youngest son, he moved there, as well,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16which then left me here on my own.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Which was about seven or eight years ago, I think.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Despite feeling increasingly isolated in his own home
0:30:22 > 0:30:24and with only his dog Saffy for company,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27even pleas from his family to join them
0:30:27 > 0:30:31weren't enough to convince him to pack up his whole life and start again somewhere new.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37They were always saying that I should move down there and I was agreeing,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40but I could never see a way of doing it, for some reason.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43It seemed such a daunting thing to do, to have to move
0:30:43 > 0:30:45after all these years in the same place.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Despite the fact that your sons from a distance are saying, "It'll be all right, Dad,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51"we'll do everything for you."
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Pete's worries were made worse by health problems
0:30:53 > 0:30:58caused by a medical condition which severely affects his nervous system.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01It causes quite severe muscle spasms
0:31:01 > 0:31:04in the upper back and the legs and feet mostly,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07which can be incredibly painful.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11So doing something like moving, trying to arrange everything,
0:31:11 > 0:31:13think of what needs to be done and when
0:31:13 > 0:31:15is incredibly difficult, it really is.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18I still had this thought in my mind, "It's just too much.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22"I won't be able to do it, I'm better off just staying where I am."
0:31:22 > 0:31:28Which is silly because, behind that, I know I'll be better off with them.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31But finally, Pete found the courage to take the plunge.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Just six weeks after applying for a place on Stroud District Council's housing list,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37they offered him a new home.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Now Pete can't wait to have his family just round the corner.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44I haven't seen a great deal of them over the years.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49I mean, my children have been up here with my grandchildren,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53but it's not the same as having lived near them for any length of time.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57So I'm really looking forward to going down there and spending time with them.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59It'll be absolutely brilliant.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01With the big day here,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04it's housing officer Rachel's job to oversee the handover
0:32:04 > 0:32:08and help get the council's newest tenant settled into his new home.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12It was almost ready when he saw it last time.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14And he seemed really pleased.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17So I hope he's going to be thrilled with the final result.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21And I shall be signing a few bits of paper with him, make it all official.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24Pete's all packed up and on the road.
0:32:24 > 0:32:29But the move's happening so quickly, reality hasn't quite sunk in.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32I think once I'm there and I've got the keys and my boys turn up...
0:32:34 > 0:32:36..I will start believing it's actually happening.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40I never had any high hopes
0:32:40 > 0:32:43that I would be able to find anywhere to live down here.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47I certainly didn't expect it to be so easy.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52I'm just overjoyed that I'm going to be three miles away from my granddaughters.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54And my little dog Saffy is absolutely fine
0:32:54 > 0:32:57and I think she's going to love it when we get there.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01I'd say, on a scale of one to ten of being happy at the moment,
0:33:01 > 0:33:02I'm 11.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05I'm beyond happy at this moment.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Come on, then.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11Good girl.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13This is our new home, Saffy.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15- Hi, Rachel.- Hello.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17- Hello.- Nice to see you again.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19- Are you ready?- I am indeed, yes.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21OK. Let's go.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23I've got butterflies.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26And I'm feeling a little bit nervous at this moment, but...
0:33:26 > 0:33:28- That's all right. - ..but happy and good.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Pete's only seen his new home once.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34This is the first time since it's been redecorated.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It looks just as nice as when I came before.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- Come on in. - Saffy, you're going the wrong way.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41It's got a new floor everywhere now.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Oh, my goodness! I wasn't expecting that.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- So we've gone over all the tiles. - Oh, yeah. Yep.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Right, bedroom in here.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- Yeah. Oh, it's so light.- Yeah.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55It's so light.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57It's the big windows, makes such a difference.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Ah! I love it when the light... It's brilliant.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03It's absolutely wonderful.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It really is.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08It's so light. It's spacious. It's brilliant.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I love it. I love it.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14- Yeah, it's all just ready to go, isn't it?- Yep. That's brilliant.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17- So we just need to do the official bit and bobs now.- OK.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19Get all my paperwork done and then I can hand the keys to you.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- Yep, wonderful.- And it's all yours.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23- Shall we go in the kitchen and do that?- Yep, fine.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28It's not only Pete who's got to get used to some new rules and regulations.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31So with pets, with Saffy,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- we have a pet policy that we ask you to fill in.- OK.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38It's just going to ask you for any information you have about her,
0:34:38 > 0:34:43in terms of is she insured, is she chipped, has she been spayed?
0:34:43 > 0:34:46And we keep a file of tenants' pets,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50so that we have all that information to hand, if we ever need it.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Other than that, we just ask that she doesn't damage the property as far as possible.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56She's not going to do that.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58And she's kept under control at all times.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02As long as you're confident that she's not going to fight with anyone or...
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- Her, have a fight? Oh, my goodness! - ..be a nuisance to anybody or run off.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08- All I need to do first is to check out the local cats and where they are.- OK.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Apart from that, she is absolutely fine.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13It might be an idea, perhaps, to keep her on a lead,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15until you've sussed out the cat situation.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19I'll just ask you to sign it now and then it's a done deal.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21If you...
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- Just under your name there.- OK.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28That's it! It's all official, Mr Weston.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- So here are your keys. - Thanks very much, Rachel.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32- And congratulations.- Thank you.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36I hope you settle in well and, as I say, please ring us if you need anything at all.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- I will do. That's brilliant. - OK. I'll leave you to it.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40- Thanks for your help.- Pleasure. - That's lovely, thank you.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42- Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Formalities over, Pete can get stuck into the job of moving in.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48And with all three of his sons on hand to do the hard work,
0:35:48 > 0:35:53it seems he and Saffy are planning, well, a more supervisory role.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55I'm looking forward to it immensely.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57I'm looking forward to getting my armchair in.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59I'm looking forward to getting my bed made.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01I'm looking forward to getting my garden chair
0:36:01 > 0:36:03and just sit out here for an hour or two, I think.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Let my boys do all the work.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10With their dad just minutes down the road now, rather than hours away in Suffolk,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13the whole family think Pete's exactly where he belongs.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18He's going to be back in the bosom of the family. He'll be well-supported here.
0:36:18 > 0:36:19Yeah, a good move. Definitely.
0:36:19 > 0:36:25He's only three miles away from Nicki and Dale's two eldest.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27So, yes. It's perfect for him.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Perfect for them, as well, I hope.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34I think Grandpa moving by is going to be amazing.
0:36:34 > 0:36:35We'll come to see him every weekend.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38Saff, come here.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Only a few weeks ago, giving up his home and moving 200 miles
0:36:42 > 0:36:44seemed like an impossible challenge for Pete.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47But thanks to Rachel and Stroud District Council's housing team,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50he can now look forward to a much brighter future.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53That all went very well.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I've got a happy man and a happy dog in there.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57He's...very emotional.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59He's been on a long journey.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02So I think he's come to a really nice conclusion now
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and he's settled near his family.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08And he said earlier today it was the first time in about seven years
0:37:08 > 0:37:11he's seen all his three sons together in the same place.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15And now they're all together in the same area
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and it'll be really nice for him.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Yeah, and he seems really pleased. So I'm chuffed.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Now he's installed,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Pete's already looking forward to making a new home for himself,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27surrounded by the people he loves most.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Every day is going to be a happy day here, I think.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Every day will be, definitely.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36Just to know that I can just pop down the road and see my grandchildren and my children,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39it's going to marvellous, absolutely marvellous.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41I'm relieved. I'm happy. Speechless.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I... I'm just overcome by it all.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46It is absolutely wonderful.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Back in Oxford,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59the number of people in this house jumped from five to six
0:37:59 > 0:38:01when an extra bedroom was added.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05The change means the landlord can maximise returns on his investment
0:38:05 > 0:38:07in Oxford's booming property market.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11But he also needs to upgrade facilities.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12Housing officer Katherine Coney
0:38:12 > 0:38:15is explaining the rules to the landlord's agent.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19The kitchen is fairly small and compact.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23And so, if you had more people, they would struggle to do the cooking.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26The landlord's agent, Jacqui Edwards,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30claims the expense of installing extra facilities is unnecessary,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33as the people who live here have been getting along just fine.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37We have had six people using this for, I don't know,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39six, seven months now
0:38:39 > 0:38:43and they've happily been cooking together without any major issues.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46But no matter how well the tenants get along,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48the rules are there for safety and wellbeing.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50And Katherine is there to enforce them.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53It's about having that extra space in here
0:38:53 > 0:38:56to enable them to all cook safely.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Jacqui concedes the kitchen is too small,
0:38:59 > 0:39:04but is still hoping a separate utility room will make up for the lack of space.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So most kitchens have kind of the washing machine and all that stuff in there,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09but we've got that out there,
0:39:09 > 0:39:14so that gives them just more general usable space in the kitchen.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16So that just doesn't even... We can't count any of that space?
0:39:16 > 0:39:18No, you can't count any of that space.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- That's just the utility space.- Yeah.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26I mean, you could turn this into one big kitchen-diner.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- Yeah.- The only thing is, if you did that,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31we would then start asking for further fire precautions
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- throughout the whole of the house... - Yeah.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36..with fire doors on all of the rooms.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Because they've got escape windows, so they can get out of the window, if there was a fire.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Are there any other facilities we could put out here
0:39:44 > 0:39:47that would make it work better?
0:39:47 > 0:39:48So even though we don't...
0:39:48 > 0:39:51They are still two kind of separate rooms.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Is there any way we could make it work
0:39:53 > 0:39:56without opening up a whole bunch of fire issues?
0:39:56 > 0:40:00As the agent, Jacqui's trying hard to save the landlord money.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03And Katherine is doing her best to find a solution.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09I suppose the only other way round it would be maybe to turn that room over there,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12which has already got a little bit of a worktop,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- into its own little kitchenette. - Yeah.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18And then that person would have its own little kitchen facilities
0:40:18 > 0:40:20and the rest of the five would have this.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23So what would there need to be to have a kitchen facility?
0:40:23 > 0:40:26- They would need a sort of dishwasher or a sink.- Yeah.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- And the sink in the bathroom... - Wouldn't count.- OK.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Or possibly just widen the work surface a bit more
0:40:33 > 0:40:37and then, I don't know if you know the sort of Baby Belling-type combination ovens
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- that look a bit like a microwave and have the hobs on top.- Yeah.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42- So just something like that.- OK.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46And then we would also ask for a heat detector in that room.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51So it would be a bit more than what you needed to do,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- but that would be the only...- OK.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56That would be the other way around it, I would say,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00to make one of those rooms into a smaller bed-sitting type unit.
0:41:00 > 0:41:01OK.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05There's nothing we could do out here facility-wise that you can just...
0:41:05 > 0:41:06- No?- No.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Yeah. It just seems such a shame, because they do have so much space.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12They do have quite a large space here, yeah.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14And all the bedrooms are big.
0:41:14 > 0:41:19And all the bedrooms are probably large enough.
0:41:19 > 0:41:20There's no avoiding the issue.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24If he wants to keep six tenants, the landlord will have to pay for some alterations.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28But the council is keen to make things as easy as possible.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32What we will do is, if it does have to go to the five,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36we will say, when this current tenancy comes to an end, it's got the double,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38you reduce it to five,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41so you don't have to do anything until that time.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43OK, so, yeah, we're finished here.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Perfect. So we should hear back from you in a couple of weeks?
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- Hopefully, you should get a notice next week or the week after. - OK. All right. Perfect.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- Thank you for coming. - Thank you, bye.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Well, as the landlord's just spent money adding the extra bedroom,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03he may not be best pleased with the news.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06We'll have a think about it and have a chat with the owner,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09have a chat with the tenants, as well, to see what they want to do.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11And they'll have to make a decision.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Katherine has been as flexible as she can,
0:42:13 > 0:42:18but it won't be long before she's back to make sure the landlord is complying with the rules.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23I can understand her frustrations around the fact that there is a very large living room.
0:42:23 > 0:42:29But, unfortunately, we do have a rule that the kitchen has to be a minimum size.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31I've proposed a few solutions that they can think about,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33if they do want to have the six people.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37So, hopefully, we'll be able to resolve that
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and they'll do the work.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Back at the office,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46the housing team decides to put a time limit in force.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49They issue the landlord with a new licence,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51giving him nine months to comply with the regulations
0:42:51 > 0:42:55and provide extra kitchen facilities for his tenants.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01That's it for today. Join me next time,
0:43:01 > 0:43:03when I'll be learning more about what it takes
0:43:03 > 0:43:06to be a front-line housing officer.