0:00:02 > 0:00:03Hello, can you just let me in?
0:00:03 > 0:00:06'The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.'
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I wouldn't keep my dog there is the honest truth.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11'But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'the reality can be more hovel than home.'
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The house is falling to bits, there's nothing I can do.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20'In the battle for decent housing...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite honest.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28'..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:29If somebody had died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32you would've been standing in the Coroner's Court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37'I'm Matt Allright and I'm back with the housing enforcers.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- 15 people in this house? - 15 people total living in here.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'I'll be with them as they tackle problem properties
0:00:43 > 0:00:45'and slum conditions...'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- It really does look a shanty town. - Yeah, it's not up to standard.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51'..as they deal with dodgy landlords, nightmare neighbours
0:00:51 > 0:00:53'and everything in-between...'
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Oh, my God. Straight away, there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59You never know what you're going to find.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01'..doing their best to help those in need
0:01:01 > 0:01:02'of a happy and healthy home.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:13'Today, leaving kids home alone has devastating consequences...'
0:01:13 > 0:01:15CHILDREN SOBBING
0:01:15 > 0:01:18We've opened the door and behind the door is a young girl.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20She's very, very upset.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24'..a leaky pipe puts the lives of tenants at risk...'
0:01:24 > 0:01:26There's water leaking into the electrics from upstairs.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29This is totally unacceptable, isn't it?
0:01:29 > 0:01:32'..a repossessed council garage hides a dangerous secret...'
0:01:32 > 0:01:34It'll give you a respiratory disease.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38It's not a best way to die, really, I wouldn't have thought.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40'..and a new bathroom reduces Margaret to tears.'
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- SOBBING:- Ain't it fabulous? - Oh, Margaret.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51We might not always know it,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55but there are people from every local council whose job it is
0:01:55 > 0:01:59to make sure we have a safe roof over our heads.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I'm working alongside the men and the women
0:02:02 > 0:02:07who use the law to make sure we don't live in slums,
0:02:07 > 0:02:12but in homes fit to raise a family, or enjoy our retirement.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17They can make sure that you have the facilities you need as you get older.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21They also have the power to start the process that can send
0:02:21 > 0:02:26a bad landlord to prison, or help evict a bad tenant.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32In Wolverhampton,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36I'm out on the beat with housing officer Ravi Phull.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39We're taking part in a combined operation with local police
0:02:39 > 0:02:41and other council agencies.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44And in our sights - antisocial behaviour.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47There have been reports that large families have been causing
0:02:47 > 0:02:49problems in a local neighbourhood
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and together we're looking to help stamp it out.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54What do we think the problem is?
0:02:54 > 0:02:56What's going on that needs dealing with by all these people?
0:02:56 > 0:02:58It starts off with children,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02so they've got children who should be in school, but they're not,
0:03:02 > 0:03:03they're hanging around the streets,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06they're not being taken care of by their parents or whatever,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09they're open to road traffic accidents, that kind of thing.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12So, obviously, that's the police side...
0:03:12 > 0:03:14So, these are kids we're talking about, of school age?
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Right, so there's lots of complaints going on.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21That side of it is a concern for the police and for the child
0:03:21 > 0:03:24protection type people and then,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27it's like a dominos effect, isn't it?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Because when you pick on that issue, you then go
0:03:30 > 0:03:35back into their homes and what the police have found is that,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37once they've gone into their homes,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39there's a load of overcrowding issues,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42there's poor housing conditions that they're living in.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- Which is where we come in. - Which is where we come in.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49It's really interesting to see how partnerships between other local agencies can
0:03:49 > 0:03:53target problems that blight whole neighbourhoods.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55After all, a home isn't just four walls and a roof,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57it's also the street where you live.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00We're quite a mob, there's quite a lot of us.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Although this is a police-led operation targeting houses
0:04:04 > 0:04:08that have been attracting complaints of antisocial behaviour,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11the housing team are also taking part to check for overcrowding.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14The first address is one Ravi knows well.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17What was your issue here?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20This was the one where I was saying that, previously when I came out,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22it was massively overcrowded.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- Is it registered as one property or...?- I believe so.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32But when the front door is opened at the next property on the list,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35none of us are prepared for what we find inside.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- CHILDREN SOBBING - It's OK, it's OK. No, no, no...
0:04:38 > 0:04:39We might not be able to film.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43What's happened is that we've opened the door and behind the door,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47opening the door, is a young girl. She's very, very upset...
0:04:47 > 0:04:52but it's clear that her mum isn't home, er...
0:04:52 > 0:04:56and she's, as you can tell, she's very, very upset by this.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00One of the things we anticipated coming out today was the idea that
0:05:00 > 0:05:02we might come across children,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06very young children, by themselves without their parents,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09who really are of school age, should be at school and aren't.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And aren't. Erm...
0:05:12 > 0:05:14That's a difficult job right there.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21The child inside is clearly too young to be on her own.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26She's understandably scared, but the officers still need to do their job -
0:05:26 > 0:05:29to make sure she's safe today and in the future.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Because these were the children who people have been reporting
0:05:34 > 0:05:36that are roaming the streets.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38They are now at home alone.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42As they opened the door, the guys, and said, "We need to come in,"
0:05:42 > 0:05:44her face, it was really upsetting.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Because the child who opened the door is clearly very distressed,
0:05:48 > 0:05:53I wait while Ravi goes inside to find out more about what's going on here.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54What's the score, Ravi?
0:05:54 > 0:05:57In terms of the children, there's two young children in there.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59How old are the children?
0:05:59 > 0:06:00I think one was about five or six
0:06:00 > 0:06:03and I think the other one was about, probably, two or three.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Up to five or six, and a two-year-old left by themselves?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10They're completely on their own. They don't speak a word of English,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12so there's no way of them communicating,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14which is why they're continuously crying.
0:06:16 > 0:06:17We haven't even got into the house
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and already I've got a very bad feeling about we've found.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- The mother's on her way back, is she?- I believe so.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27- From work or something?- Possibly... Is this the mum?
0:06:35 > 0:06:36Do you live here?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42OK, but do you live here?
0:06:42 > 0:06:45It's difficult to understand, isn't it?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Fortunately, the police are here.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52They try to bring back the woman to identify exactly who she is.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59- Sorry about this.- It's all right.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04So, I think maybe the mum, possibly the grandma, I don't know,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08saw people waiting outside and decided to leave and go.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Now the police have picked up the same woman that did that
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and brought her back and, clearly...
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Well, the assumption is she's a family member of some sort
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and she's now there with the kids.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26What I've already seen has really shocked me
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and later, the situation doesn't get much better.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32The public protection and social services are on their way now.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42For many of the 11 million people living with disability
0:07:42 > 0:07:44or long-term illness in the UK,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48losing the ability to earn a living can also make it hard to find
0:07:48 > 0:07:50a decent, safe place to live.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54In Dudley, housing officers David Bates and Lindon Morgan
0:07:54 > 0:07:56have had a complaint from a tenant
0:07:56 > 0:07:59about the dangerous state of his privately rented home.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00His mum should be here.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Hello. Mr and Mrs Bird?
0:08:04 > 0:08:05Hiya.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Left unable to work by cancer and a disability,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Michael Bird is forced to spend most of his time in his ground floor flat,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17but a leak has left him scared to go into his own bathroom.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Have you reported it to your landlord?
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- Yeah.- And what's his response been?
0:08:33 > 0:08:36He's going to get it done, but nothing's been done.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42Electrical accidents in the home kill 70 people a year,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44so if Michael's right about water coming through
0:08:44 > 0:08:45into the bathroom fittings,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49the housing officers have an urgent problem to deal with.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53- That's not good.- That's not good.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Clearly, Michael wasn't exaggerating.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59The bathroom's in a terrible state and it could be lethal.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05So, you've got water leaking down the electrics thing.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06OK, need to make some notes.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10So, what we're looking at here, we can see the water penetration,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14the staining. We can see that that's been for some period of time.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18You can see all the black spores of mould growth that have spread
0:09:18 > 0:09:23all along, not to mention this. I mean, as David has just told you,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25the pull cord with electric current going through that,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and then the light fitting as well.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32- Urgh!- Well, the electrics are going to need to be checked.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Whether any of this works, I don't know,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38and I'm probably not inclined to try it with the water.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It's been going a long time.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43That radiator's rusting away as well.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- We need to find out what's going on upstairs.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Damp and mould is extremely bad and will cause trouble.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52An electric shock could finish you off.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Tenant Michael has been living with the bathroom
0:09:55 > 0:09:57in this condition for more than a year,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00but hopefully that's about to change.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03The usual practice is to serve,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06in this case, what will be an improvement notice,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10which will list the works that need to be done to get
0:10:10 > 0:10:15rid of what I would consider to be quite a pretty serious hazard.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19This can't be good for the gentlemen's or anybody's health
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and it is the landlord's responsibility to put it right.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26But serving an improvement notice to clearly lay out exactly which
0:10:26 > 0:10:30repairs the landlord must do could just be the first step.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35The beauty of the notice is that, if he doesn't comply with it,
0:10:35 > 0:10:40we have options to either prosecute and/or do the works ourselves.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Do the work and send him the bill.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Coming up - Lindon finally gets to the source of all the trouble.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53I've got two fingers, three, four five, right through the boards,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55absolutely soaking wet.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Just down the road in Wolverhampton, a crackdown on antisocial behaviour
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and overcrowding has taken a dramatic turn with
0:11:08 > 0:11:12the disturbing discovery of children left alone at home.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17Opening the door is a young girl. She's very, very upset.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20CHILD CRIES It's clear that her mum isn't home.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Now housing officer Ravi Phull wants to check the property
0:11:24 > 0:11:27for any other safety issues.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- This is a relatively clean, you know, spacious house.- Yes.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34We don't know about numbers of people living here yet, because we haven't
0:11:34 > 0:11:37seen the whole place, but there are beds in the front downstairs room,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40which makes you think that it's a fair number of people here.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44- There's no way out the back door, is there?- No, and this handle's broken off as well.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Everything about a place that makes it dangerous for adults to be here,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52or for a family living together, makes it so much more so for kids
0:11:52 > 0:11:54by themselves, because you look at that back door,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56OK, let's say there's a fire somewhere else in the house,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- there's no way out here at all. - They're not getting out there.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01You're not getting out of that one at all.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03I'd be nervous as an adult living with a fire hazard
0:12:03 > 0:12:06like that, let alone leaving children on their own here.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09The dangers in this property keep coming.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11I mean, you've got a staircase
0:12:11 > 0:12:14which has a single hand rail on one side, but the carpet on it
0:12:14 > 0:12:17has been laid on top of other carpet and the whole thing
0:12:17 > 0:12:19looks like a badly fitting jumper.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I mean, it's asking for someone to trip.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Imagine a six-year-old and two-year-old tripping on that.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29And the news doesn't get much better upstairs.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32I'm going to take from that that we don't have any restrictors.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33- That's right, we don't.- Wide open.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36So that's going to very comfortably fit a child through.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40It's a very low window sill on this, so easy for a child to lean out
0:12:40 > 0:12:44too far, go straight down onto the pavement outside.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Clearly, there are kids in this room.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Window opens completely
0:12:52 > 0:12:57and then gives out onto the hard standing of the side return there,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00which means you go straight out and you don't get up again.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02For some reason, in this property,
0:13:02 > 0:13:03there's smoke detectors in every room.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Every single room, the smoke detectors have been pulled down.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I can only think it's because people are smoking and,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14therefore, they're being set off and so they're causing them a nuisance,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16and so they're pulling them down.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19While we're uncovering the glaring safety issues in the house,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22the residents of the property have come back
0:13:22 > 0:13:25and the seriousness of the situation is clearly beginning to set in.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27ARGUING DOWNSTAIRS
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Unideal situation we find ourselves in sometimes is that,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33at the end of the day, all right, we're involved in the house,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37but we're directly involved in people's lives and how they live.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Obviously, they're putting themselves at danger, leaving children.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43We're looking around this house and we can see the hazards
0:13:43 > 0:13:47and the things that could happen to the children while they're in here.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48There's no ignoring the fact that
0:13:48 > 0:13:53knocking on the door as we did today, as we can hear downstairs,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57has at least given these people the fear that their children
0:13:57 > 0:14:01are going to be taken away from them, because, as soon as we opened
0:14:01 > 0:14:06the door, there was a very young girl and her even younger sister
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- in the house, unattended.- No, it's not a fear, they are taking them.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- They're taking them? - They're taking the children.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15They are, they're taking them. The public protection
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and social services are on their way now.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Removing children from their family
0:14:21 > 0:14:23only happens in the most extreme cases.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Although the police have told Ravi that is what's going to happen,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29first, social services need to carry out a full assessment
0:14:29 > 0:14:31of what's been discovered.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37I can tell Ravi has been in this situation before. I never have.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39I've never been present
0:14:39 > 0:14:41while someone's had their kids taken away from them.
0:14:41 > 0:14:47And, whatever's been done wrong here, you know, leaving kids in the house
0:14:47 > 0:14:51at that age is not right. It can't be done, in any house.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54But, still, being present while the kids, I've never...
0:14:54 > 0:14:56I've never shared that
0:14:56 > 0:14:58and I don't think I want to.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It's a horrible situation, but before
0:15:03 > 0:15:07the final decision to remove the children is taken, we need to let
0:15:07 > 0:15:11the right people fully investigate exactly what's happened here today.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14I think we're good to go.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I think social services have just arrived.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Whatever the outcome, it's been a sobering reminder
0:15:19 > 0:15:22that housing officers never know what they're going to find
0:15:22 > 0:15:24when they walk through a door.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28The only thing, really, I can look to do now is to let the police,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31social services and everyone to do what they need to do
0:15:31 > 0:15:35and then look to come back really in the next day or so.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39The housing officer job, the HO, is... There are times
0:15:39 > 0:15:42when you have to make difficult decisions, but that...
0:15:53 > 0:15:57After we left, the council's social work team and the police
0:15:57 > 0:16:01carried out an assessment of the family and the situation.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Although it had clearly been distressing for the children,
0:16:04 > 0:16:09the decision was made not to take them away from the family.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12The family have received advice
0:16:12 > 0:16:16and guidance on childcare from social care professionals,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and they're continuing to receive support from the council's
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Early Help Team to ensure that the children aren't put at risk again.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27The landlord told us he's now installed hard-wired smoke detectors
0:16:27 > 0:16:30and window restrictors have been fitted.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33He told us the back door handle is in working order
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and he also told us he wasn't aware of any problems with the carpet.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Back in Dudley, tenant Michael Bird's complaint about the condition
0:16:47 > 0:16:51of his bathroom has revealed a potentially lethal situation.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Damp and mould is extremely bad and will cause trouble.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57An electric shock could finish you off.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00The next day, the housing team are back to meet the landlord
0:17:00 > 0:17:02and get the problem fixed.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07Hello. Lindon Morgan and David Bates from Dudley Council.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11But the water-logged electrics and damp aren't the only health hazard
0:17:11 > 0:17:15worrying Michael, who's already battling cancer and a disability.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18What we'll be doing is having a look to see what needs to be done
0:17:18 > 0:17:21upstairs and then we'll be serving a notice on the landlord.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27And he isn't the only occupant of the property
0:17:27 > 0:17:29who's concerned that the ceiling could collapse.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33It will eventually. I think that's the concern from the lady upstairs
0:17:33 > 0:17:36is that she might run a bath and get in it, or put one of her kids in it,
0:17:36 > 0:17:37and they're going to end up coming through.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43If the floor upstairs has become unsafe, the consequences
0:17:43 > 0:17:46of a child falling through the rotten floor are unthinkable.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- Do you know what, in my opinion... - Yeah, OK.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Mandhar Singh Bhugal looks after both flats for his daughter,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57who owns the property.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59When I came yesterday, this was actually wet.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01It still is, feel that.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05So there's water leaking into the electrics from upstairs.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08If you get this done, which I accept you will do,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12and get electrics checked, get a qualified electrician in,
0:18:12 > 0:18:18cos a damp wall's one thing, being electrocuted is, you know,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21very, very serious, potentially.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Part of the problem is that the leak which is causing this mess
0:18:24 > 0:18:26has been left for more than a year.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31That means that every little drip is adding to the danger.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36Leaving things, that's what happens. Look at that,
0:18:36 > 0:18:37and as a result of that...
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Don't get upset, don't get upset, it's all right. I'm just
0:18:40 > 0:18:44talking through what the facts are, and the facts are nothing's been
0:18:44 > 0:18:48done about it, or not enough has been done about it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:49This is where we're at a crossroads,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52where we now need to do something about it,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56cos look at this, this is totally unacceptable, isn't it?
0:18:56 > 0:19:00It's clearly a frustration for Lindon that, by not getting this leak fixed,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03the landlord has forced tenant Michael to cope with
0:19:03 > 0:19:06a bathroom that's not just disgusting, but dangerous, too.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It's time to see the cause of all the damage.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17You can see underneath here. You'll see where it's been
0:19:17 > 0:19:20tied off with just a J-cloth of some sort,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22but essentially the floor,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25which is a wooden floor, because these ceramic tiles
0:19:25 > 0:19:30stop just after this base and the floor is actually soaking wet.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35I can put my finger right through the board there. My fingers...
0:19:35 > 0:19:39I've got two fingers, three, four, five, right through the boards.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Absolutely soaking wet.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Look at that. That's what you're getting in the floor.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Soaking wet. You can see water all over my hand
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and that's the floor boards above that plasterboard ceiling
0:19:53 > 0:19:56that you've got there that's covered in damp and mould.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59This isn't a problem that's happened overnight.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03The water's been dripping away under this bath for more than 12 months.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So a simple leak, which could've been fixed by changing the fittings,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09will now mean replacing floorboards, electrics
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and redecorating two bathrooms.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15If the landlord had acted as quickly as the housing officers,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19he'd have saved himself thousands.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23There's a problem that needs sorting out here before somebody gets hurt.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28- They don't open the door, they don't let me come in. What I do?- OK.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- If for some reason you can't get in to do the repairs...- Yeah.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- ..then, you have to let us know.- OK.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Because we want the works done and you will have
0:20:39 > 0:20:43what's called a reasonable excuse for not doing the repairs.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49Nothing I want to say. I want to say only, they don't let me come in.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50We'll sort that out.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53If that's the case, let us know and we'll help you.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Even if the landlord has had trouble accessing the upstairs flat
0:20:56 > 0:21:00to make repairs in the past, David just wants the problem fixed now.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05Unfortunately as a landlord, if there's an issue of disrepair
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- in a property, it's your responsibility...- My duty, yes.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15- ..in nearly every case, I'm afraid. - They are not dealing with me nicely.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Help me get them out.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19If you're not happy with them,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22then you have a right as a landlord to evict your tenants
0:21:22 > 0:21:23and you know that.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26If you want to take the chap downstairs...
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- I mean, he looks as good as gold as a tenant.- Yeah, yeah, he's good.
0:21:30 > 0:21:36But his bathroom is awful and it's been awful for a long time.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39You need to sort that out and if that means coming up here
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and fixing a leak, whoever's caused it, you need to do it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45You're in now, there's no problem with that. Let's get working on it,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48let's get things in motion, let's get it sorted.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49OK, we will do that.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52If you want help with access or anything, let us know.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53I'll let you know all the time.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Two weeks later, the rotten joists and sodden floor boards have been
0:21:58 > 0:22:02replaced and a qualified plumber is on site reinstalling the bath.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07And, as soon as upstairs is finished,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10work immediately begins on Michael's flat...
0:22:10 > 0:22:12much to his relief.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14I'm glad they're doing it now.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18It should all be sorted soon, with a bit of luck.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Michael had lived for months with a dangerous bathroom.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24But, in the end, it only took weeks to fix
0:22:24 > 0:22:27after the intervention from the housing enforcers.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Defending our right to a safe and decent place to live is
0:22:34 > 0:22:38the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40This is not really an acceptable way of leaving
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- the property behind.- Do you think?
0:22:42 > 0:22:46'I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.'
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- Top marks.- Yes!
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'I'm hitting the streets...'
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Hello, can you open up?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55There's definitely someone inside cos we've seen movement.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57'..finding out what's happening on the front line...'
0:22:57 > 0:23:01The cistern's in the bath. I don't know how they flush it.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03..and learning what it takes to make sure that a house
0:23:03 > 0:23:06is a fit place to call a home.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21One of the toughest things for any of us as we grow older
0:23:21 > 0:23:23is facing the heart-breaking realisation that we can't
0:23:23 > 0:23:27look after ourselves in the homes we've come to love.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32But in Kent, Swale Borough Council's "Staying Put" Manager Susan Hughes
0:23:32 > 0:23:34is on hand to give practical support
0:23:34 > 0:23:37to help people repair or adapt their homes,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39rather than move, as their needs change.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Well, the benefit of keeping people in their home is obviously
0:23:45 > 0:23:47the cost it would have to the care system.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50So if they went into residential care, that costs a lot,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52but also to keep them safe in their home,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54it actually saves a lot of money for health.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56The scheme is a vital lifeline
0:23:56 > 0:23:59for people like 85-year-old Margaret Crabbe.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Sue and her people...
0:24:01 > 0:24:06Well, there's not words to describe because they've done so much.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Everybody...
0:24:08 > 0:24:10they are marvellous.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14You just don't know these people exist until you need help.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Last year, I met Margaret
0:24:16 > 0:24:20when she applied for a disability grant for a new bathroom.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23She'd just lost her husband, and she had no-one to help
0:24:23 > 0:24:26with the kind of daily tasks many of us take for granted.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- You see, I can't get my legs over into the bath now.- Yeah.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37Roy used to have to lift one leg over,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40then have to lift the other leg over.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And to me, Matt, that is so desperate.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I had the difficult job of breaking the news
0:24:46 > 0:24:49that she'd have to wait a year for the work to be done.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- The problem is, it's not going to happen immediately.- No.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55And that she'd have to contribute to the cost.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59It's £483.72.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00For what?
0:25:00 > 0:25:04That's the amount that you'll have to pay towards the work.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Really? That's terrific!
0:25:06 > 0:25:07God, I was worried then!
0:25:07 > 0:25:09But I needn't have been.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12For Margaret, just knowing she wouldn't have to struggle on
0:25:12 > 0:25:15on her own was overwhelming.
0:25:15 > 0:25:22You know, I think this is the first time I've had a smile on my face.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Oh, Margaret! Oh, Margaret!
0:25:26 > 0:25:27Six months later,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31she's come to the top of the waiting list much earlier than expected.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34So Susan's heading back to get the ball rolling.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37If she signs the application form, I can put it in for approval,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41and hopefully in about a month we can get the work underway for her.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43She has had to wait for quite some time,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and bless her, she's been very patient.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48She's just happy to have some help in the end.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Fortunately for Margaret, the wait's nearly over.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53- Hello.- Hello, sweetheart, come in.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- Are you all right?- Not too bad.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I've got some good news that we're moving on.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02First, Susan needs to dot the Is and cross the Ts.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- All right. I've come to get the form signed...- Yes.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09..for the grant, because you've got to the top.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11I know, it's wonderful.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13- So you're going to get it all done.- Good.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15The sooner the formalities are out of the way,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19the sooner the council can crack on with fitting that much needed shower.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21If I get all the forms filled in,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23it should get approved within two or three weeks,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and then actually we can start the work a couple of weeks after that.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- Really, you're looking at a month's time.- Ah, brilliant.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Whilst it's being done, it will be a lot of work, ripping everything out,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and then they will replace the bath and put a shower in there.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39And Susan has a little surprise
0:26:39 > 0:26:41to show her exactly what she can expect.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45There's a little sketch now that you can show anybody that's interested.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- Keep this, can I? - You can, yes. You can have that.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Would you mind if I put...
0:26:52 > 0:26:54..these on because...
0:26:54 > 0:26:56- No, that's fine! - ..I've had a cataract done.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Yes, that's OK.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00This is your door, which is a sliding door.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02So you've got your toilet.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Next to it is your shower. That's where your seat is.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07So your seat will drop down on the side,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10and then you'll have all your shower controls on this side
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- to shower yourself down. - Oh, golly.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Your hand washbasin is here.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19A sliding door gives me more room, as well as being a safety measure.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23As you're going to be sitting there showering,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25it's going to make it so much easier for you.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28It can't come a minute too soon for Margaret.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Have you been managing to bath at the moment or not?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34- I haven't been in that bath.- No.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37It takes me about an hour.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40I can do the face, I have to sit down.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I can do my body.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45I sit down.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Sometimes I can't do my legs, because one leg I can't get up,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53but I manage, I keep clean.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55So having the shower is going to make quite a difference.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- Oh, you don't know, Sue.- Yeah.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Finding solutions that help people to carry on living independently
0:28:02 > 0:28:05in their own homes is all part of Susan's job.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08The more grab rails you can fit in a bathroom the better,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11to get people around the bathroom and not falling.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13So near the toilet, near the showers.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17For Margaret, the grant isn't just giving her a bathroom
0:28:17 > 0:28:21that's easier to use, it's giving her back a bit of dignity.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28I think anybody will know, to get in and out of the shower every day
0:28:28 > 0:28:34instead of standing at the sink having to wash yourself in stages,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36because you can't do it...
0:28:36 > 0:28:39It'll be wonderful.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Be like Christmas every day.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43It will.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45It'll be like that.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Getting the work done in half the time
0:28:48 > 0:28:51is an absolutely fantastic result for Susan.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55It must have been hard for her to wait all this time
0:28:55 > 0:28:56and only be able to strip wash,
0:28:56 > 0:29:01and some of the time she couldn't be bothered to do that, it was hard.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04And there's absolutely no doubt how Margaret feels about it.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Elated.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Elated, because since Roy died,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11who used to help me in and out of the bath,
0:29:11 > 0:29:13it would've been nearly two years.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16So I'm absolutely over the moon
0:29:16 > 0:29:19that it'll be done before Christmas now.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22So that's a nice present.
0:29:24 > 0:29:25Later, I'll be back in Kent
0:29:25 > 0:29:28to see what Margaret makes of her new shower.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Ain't it fabulous?
0:29:31 > 0:29:32Oh, Margaret.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43In Stroud, Gloucestershire housing officer Joe Phillips
0:29:43 > 0:29:47is on his way to repossess a council property.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50The council doesn't just provide houses and flats.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52It also own garages, and it's been some time
0:29:52 > 0:29:55since the rent was paid on one of them.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58The garage has been let to a tenant of ours
0:29:58 > 0:30:02who lives in one of our flats, so I believe the person
0:30:02 > 0:30:06who has been using the garage deals with a lot of scrap -
0:30:06 > 0:30:10fridges and that sort of thing, and makes his money that way,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14so potentially we'll be finding a few bits and pieces in there.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18However, the chap has been warned that we're taking the garage back,
0:30:18 > 0:30:20so it may well be empty.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23But rule one in the housing officer training handbook
0:30:23 > 0:30:25is to expect the unexpected.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29Yeah, there's always a possibility of finding dangerous items
0:30:29 > 0:30:33in a garage - we just have to treat it as an unknown when we get there.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Repossessions, even of garages, aren't solo missions.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40So Joe's meeting up with a repairs officer
0:30:40 > 0:30:44and a locksmith, to make sure they can gain entry.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- Hi, Colin. All right?- Yeah, all right?- Yeah, not too bad.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Repairs officer Colin Scott is here
0:30:50 > 0:30:53to see if the building needs any immediate improvements,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56and to make sure it's safe and secure.
0:30:56 > 0:30:57Oh, dear.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Well...
0:30:59 > 0:31:01Yeah, great.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04So, we've just opened up the garage, various bits and pieces in here.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07There's a bit of corrugated...
0:31:07 > 0:31:09It looks like roofing there.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12A few tyres, a gas canister,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14a lawnmower,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16shelving, chair...
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Quick quiz here.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22One of those items is going to mean that Joe is in for a very long day,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24but is it the roofing tiles,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26the tyres,
0:31:26 > 0:31:28or the gas canister?
0:31:28 > 0:31:32So, initial worry, I've seen this gas canister down here,
0:31:32 > 0:31:36although it looks like it's sealed and doesn't look like it's damaged.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38So that should be fine for the time being.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41So, it's not the gas canister.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44And, while Joe is busy photographing the contents,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48ready for an inventory, the trained eye of Colin spots the danger.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52He has some news so serious that he's a bit coy about revealing it.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Is that asbestos, is it?
0:31:56 > 0:31:59So, this is why we bring a repairs officer with me.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03He's just pointed out that roof tiling is likely to be asbestos,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05or asbestos containing material,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08so we're going to need to get that removed as soon as possible.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11It could be contaminating everything that's in this garage.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Asbestos removal isn't something either Colin or Joe can deal with.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24It's a job for the specialists.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27So, a new lock goes on and the garage is sealed.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31I'm putting a sign on, just to let the occupant,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33sorry, the user of the garage,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36know that the garage has been recovered
0:32:36 > 0:32:37by Stroud District Council today,
0:32:37 > 0:32:41with a contact number in case they need to get any items out of there.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Joe and Colin need to act fast.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Asbestos is classified as hazardous waste,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49and they need to get this garage made safe.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51With Colin left organising the contractors,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Joe has the delicate task of telling the people
0:32:54 > 0:32:57that rented the garage it's now been repossessed,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59and also what they found.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02But why the urgency? What exactly are they dealing with?
0:33:05 > 0:33:10Well, 90 people a week die as a result of past exposure to asbestos.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14The fibres can cause a number of incurable lung diseases.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Commonly used in insulation and fire proofing,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21the use of asbestos was only banned as recently as 1999.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24The number of annual asbestos related deaths
0:33:24 > 0:33:29is likely to peak in 2016, more than a decade after the ban,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32because symptoms don't appear until years after initial exposure
0:33:32 > 0:33:34to the fibres.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Tragically, by the time the disease is diagnosed,
0:33:38 > 0:33:43it's usually in the late stages, when little can be done to treat it.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45This is really nasty stuff.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47And it's down to Joe to make sure
0:33:47 > 0:33:49the owner of the contents of the garage
0:33:49 > 0:33:52knows just how dangerous it is.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55We don't like the idea of asbestos containing materials
0:33:55 > 0:33:56to be in our garages,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59so we've arranged for an emergency removal of that material
0:33:59 > 0:34:03so there won't be much chance of you getting those back, I'm afraid.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Incredibly, despite Joe explaining the obvious danger,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09it seems the owner is still reluctant
0:34:09 > 0:34:12to part with the potentially lethal roof tiles.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15The gentleman did ask about keeping the asbestos materials.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19I don't think he really understood the proper risks of asbestos,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22just the way he was storing it, just propped up in there,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26and there was a bit shattered on the ground, where it had been dropped,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30which could release the fibres that cause the problems with asbestos.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Joe's not taking any risks,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36just in case those fibres have been released.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38And specialist contractor Martin McClean,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41who's been drafted in to remove the offending roof tiles,
0:34:41 > 0:34:45isn't pulling any punches about the potential hazards of asbestos either.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Yeah, it will give you a respiratory disease.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51It's not the best way to die, I wouldn't have thought.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53I'm pretty sure there isn't a cure.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56No, it's incurable once you've got it.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Managing risks is big part of a housing officer's job...
0:34:59 > 0:35:01and so is delivering bad news.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05After further investigation, it looks like everything in the garage
0:35:05 > 0:35:07needs to be disposed of.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12I have to let the person know about the contamination of their items.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Not too many hours ago, I told them that, once we've removed
0:35:16 > 0:35:20any asbestos containing materials, they could get whatever they want.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23After a dramatic turn, what should have been a straight-forward garage
0:35:23 > 0:35:28repossession has turned into a much longer than expected job for Joe.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30It's been a very successful day,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34in that we have removed an item of hazardous material
0:35:34 > 0:35:36which could have kept itself in the public domain,
0:35:36 > 0:35:40certainly without the owner knowing it was potentially hazardous.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44Thanks to some swift action by Joe and repairs officer Colin,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46the roof tiles have been safely removed
0:35:46 > 0:35:49on the same day they were discovered.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50The garage has now been sealed
0:35:50 > 0:35:54until the rest of the contents can also be safely disposed of.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56Not a bad day's work.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05In Kent, pensioner Margaret Crabbe's come to the top of the waiting list
0:36:05 > 0:36:10for a new shower, after years of struggling to use her bath.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14Standing at the sink, having to wash yourself in stages
0:36:14 > 0:36:15because you can't do it...
0:36:21 > 0:36:25The huge job of transforming the bathroom is well underway,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29but living in a building site hasn't been easy for Margaret.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Rather stressful, I must admit.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34No access to your bathroom,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37you don't realise what a bathroom means to you.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41But the disruption is not stopping her from getting excited.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45I was forewarned that this would happen,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49so it's taking shape now so I'm quite happy.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54I'm looking forward now to a walk-in shower, I really am.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56It brings a smile to my face.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00In fact, she can't wait for the work to be finished.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04I think the workmen won't even be out the door
0:37:04 > 0:37:05and I shall be in that shower!
0:37:05 > 0:37:11A sit-in shower. That's going to be...heaven.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16And I've got a special reason for wanting to come back with Susan
0:37:16 > 0:37:19to see how Margaret's getting on now it's all finished.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23I've had a letter.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27It's a really nice letter, which doesn't happen very often,
0:37:27 > 0:37:32just to say how much she enjoyed the whole experience of meeting us,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36me and Susan Hughes, and getting things sorted out.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40So, we ought to go and say another hello, I think.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45'When we arrive, it's all a bit overwhelming for her.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- Hello.- Oh, look!
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Oh, no! Margaret, don't hide!
0:37:50 > 0:37:53I've brought him back to see what we've done.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Come on, then.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57'And she's not the only one.'
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Hello, darling. How are you?
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Come here. Come here. How are you?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Come here. It's lovely to see you again.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09I couldn't not come because you sent me a letter!
0:38:09 > 0:38:12- Oh, you got it!- Yeah, I did, I did.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15- I've got...- Come on in, come on in.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16Have a sit down.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20'Last time I was here, I was really nervous about telling Margaret
0:38:20 > 0:38:23'she'd have to wait over a year for her bathroom.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27'It's absolutely brilliant to be back after just six months.'
0:38:27 > 0:38:30We thought this was going to take over a year.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Here we are, we're in August now.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34It's not even the end of August.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36That's worked out all right then?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- Yeah.- It's really good, isn't it?
0:38:38 > 0:38:41'Susan and the "Staying Put" team are there to help people like Margaret
0:38:41 > 0:38:45'adapt their homes, rather than move as their needs change.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48'There's something I really want to know.'
0:38:48 > 0:38:50This is the key question, Margaret.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Is it going to let you stay here for longer, do you think?
0:38:54 > 0:38:57- I don't want to go anywhere else, Matt.- No.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58- I don't want to.- Yeah.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00That's the key, isn't it?
0:39:00 > 0:39:04If this helps you stay here for as long as possible,
0:39:04 > 0:39:06then it's money well spent, and it was worth the wait.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Exactly. I have no intentions of going anywhere else.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13I don't want to go in a home, or anything.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18What do you think of Susan and her team for making this happen for you?
0:39:18 > 0:39:20She knows. Don't you, Sue?
0:39:20 > 0:39:21She knows.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25'It's incredibly moving to see the impact a new bathroom
0:39:25 > 0:39:27'will have on Margaret's life.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30'I think it's time to see the transformation for myself.'
0:39:30 > 0:39:34- I think we need to go up and see the bathroom.- Yes, I think you need to.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37It seems Margaret can't wait to get me upstairs.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- There we are.- I tell you what, this is another good thing.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42Yeah, very good.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45I couldn't go up and down the stairs, not at all.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47'But there is a slight delay.'
0:39:47 > 0:39:50It will only take a little weight, else you could've sat on my lap
0:39:50 > 0:39:52and come up with me, couldn't you?!
0:39:52 > 0:39:55I think there are rules against that sort of thing.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Yeah. It'll only take a certain weight.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00I'm so pleased you could make it.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05'Seeing Margaret so happy, I wouldn't have missed this for the world.'
0:40:05 > 0:40:07I'm dying for you to see it.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Oh, look at that!
0:40:11 > 0:40:12It's palatial.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16- That is so different, Margaret.- Yep.
0:40:17 > 0:40:18Look at that.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20That's hot and cold.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22That's the flow... You can turn that.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- This is magical.- Ain't it fabulous?
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Oh, Margaret, oh, Margaret, oh, Margaret.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32- And you've got the seat here. - Yeah.- So, do you use that?
0:40:32 > 0:40:35I use that most of the time, Matt.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Right, right. So you're sitting on that and there's your shower there.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Yeah. And I can bring that down lower,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and when I stand and get up, I use that.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48'It's almost impossible to imagine what this place was like before,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51'and it seems Susan's team has thought of everything.'
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- Yeah.- Look at that!
0:40:53 > 0:40:55And guess what that is?
0:40:55 > 0:40:57- What?- That there.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58Oh, that's the loo roll!
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Yeah, and look, look, look at the blind.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03They put that there.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07That's easy, isn't it? Look at that. Privacy.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09We like that.
0:41:09 > 0:41:10It's good. Are you happy?
0:41:10 > 0:41:12That's good.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15'Finally, having a bathroom that's safe and easy to use
0:41:15 > 0:41:19'means Margaret can carry on living independently in her own home
0:41:19 > 0:41:21'for the foreseeable future.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24'Now it's finished, there's something she can't wait to do.'
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Can I, for the first time, flush my toilet?
0:41:27 > 0:41:28Is this the first flush?
0:41:28 > 0:41:30This is the first flush of spring.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33- We are honoured to be here to witness it.- Ready?
0:41:33 > 0:41:34- Ready?- Yes.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42Oh, I've not heard that for nearly a week. That's a lovely sound!
0:41:42 > 0:41:44That really is a lovely sound.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48It is! There's nothing better than a good toilet.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Is this the nicest bathroom you've ever had?
0:41:51 > 0:41:56This, to me, is just Buckingham Palace. It really is.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59I bet the Queen's isn't as nice as this, you know.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03'The council has given Margaret a throne room fit for royalty.'
0:42:03 > 0:42:06This is, and I'm not lying, Margaret,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10this is substantially nicer than my bathroom.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11It really is.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Well, you're welcome to come and have a shower!
0:42:14 > 0:42:16THEY LAUGH
0:42:16 > 0:42:19'I think that might be overstepping the mark!
0:42:19 > 0:42:22'It's clearly, though, money well spent.'
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Well, I think it's safe to say she really likes it.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Yeah, it's lovely. Lovely to see her.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31You sort of take for granted the difference
0:42:31 > 0:42:35that a little thing like a bathroom, I know it's taken a lot of effort,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39but a bathroom to Margaret means the whole world, doesn't it?
0:42:39 > 0:42:41In terms of dignity, in terms of being able to stay
0:42:41 > 0:42:44- where she is, all of those things. - Yeah.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49I've never seen anybody so happy about the sound of a toilet flush!
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Hey, listen, we all like a good toilet flush. Great job.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55- Well done, Susan.- Thank you.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02That's it for today.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Join me next time when I'll be learning more
0:43:05 > 0:43:08about what it takes to be a front line housing officer.