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 > 0:00:13'But for thousands of people across the UK the reality can be
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'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 > 0:00:23We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:00:23 > 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 > 0:00:31If somebody had died here you'd be standing in a coroner's court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37'I'm Matt Allwright, and I'm back with The Housing Enforcers.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- 15 people in this house? - 15 people total, living in here.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43'I'll be with them as they tackle problem properties
0:00:43 > 0:00:45'and slum conditions...'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- It really does look shanty town. - Yeah, it is not up to standard.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'..as they deal with dodgy landlords, nightmare neighbours
0:00:52 > 0:00:54'and everything in between...'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Oh, my God, straight away there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:56 > 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.'
0:01:08 > 0:01:09'Today,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13'police and council officers join forces to investigate
0:01:13 > 0:01:15'a landlord's unlawful bedsits.'
0:01:15 > 0:01:17You don't get fridges like this in a busy communal kitchen.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25'Housing officers discover one problem after another
0:01:25 > 0:01:26'at an elderly couple's home.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:31- No where we can put anything in that one...- No.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34'And there's fire safety fears for tenants sharing a family home.'
0:01:34 > 0:01:37This is a great place for a fire to start.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40When they're all trying to rush down here in the middle of the night,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43and the stairs are on fire, we've got a big problem there.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Every year more of us rent the homes that we live in
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and every year rents go up.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55For those of us chasing cheaper housing, that can mean
0:01:55 > 0:02:00enduring living conditions so bad that they break the law.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I'm working alongside the men
0:02:02 > 0:02:04and women whose job it is to uphold those laws.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08They are The Housing Enforcers.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Here in Dudley, I'm joining housing officer Ian Bowen.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Today he's on a mission to investigate three houses
0:02:18 > 0:02:20all owned by the same landlord.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23They've been split up into unlawful bedsits, with tiny kitchens
0:02:23 > 0:02:26which pose a risk to tenants' safety,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29so he's been ordered to turn them back into shared properties.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32But there are fears he hasn't done the work properly
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and is still breaching planning permission.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38The council is taking this pretty seriously.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42It's a big operation, with the local police here too.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Talk me through exactly why we're here in the first place.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48We've had a call from the Planning Department.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51They're taking enforcement action with regards to the property.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54It's been subdivided into more flats than is allowed.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56And does he know we're coming, is he going to be there?
0:02:56 > 0:02:58He's arranged to meet the planners.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- So there could be a few of us in there today?- Yes.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04So they're coming back today to have a look to see whether
0:03:04 > 0:03:09the landlord has put it back to comply with the planning permission.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11The first house officers are inspecting should now have
0:03:11 > 0:03:15just one flat on each floor, instead of several bedsits.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19To comply with council safety rules, the landlord's been ordered
0:03:19 > 0:03:22to remove kitchen equipment from individual bedsits, leaving
0:03:22 > 0:03:27each tenant with their own bedroom, but sharing a communal kitchen.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Ian and Carl from the council's Planning Department
0:03:31 > 0:03:34are here to see if the landlord has done the work in a way that
0:03:34 > 0:03:36protects the safety of the tenants.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Although as we make our way to the upstairs flat,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41things don't look too promising.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46So, you've got no handrails on the stairs at all,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and it leads straight down to a very sudden end,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52hitting a big fire door, an external door at the end.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59And nice, hard, uncarpeted steps on the way down - you could really do yourself some damage.
0:03:59 > 0:04:05'And the facilities don't improve much once inside.'
0:04:05 > 0:04:07HE CHUCKLES
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Look at that. That's a new design that I haven't seen before.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16'If the landlord has done what he's been asked, none of the
0:04:16 > 0:04:20'bedrooms in this building should now have any cooking facilities.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23'Fortunately we're able to check, as one of the tenants lets us
0:04:23 > 0:04:24'look around.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Talk us through your flat.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30That's my bedroom, that's my wardrobe, that's my living room,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32that was my kitchen, and that's my bathroom.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35OK. You've got your own fridge here.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37- That's all mine.- Do you have a sink and everything?
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was in there. They took it out and
0:04:39 > 0:04:41we've got to use the communal kitchen next door.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44OK, so why was that? Do you know?
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Er... Not really, no.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- Thank you so much for letting us in. - It's all right, mate.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52'From what I can see, it looks like the landlord hasn't removed
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'kitchens from the bedsits, he's just taken out the sinks.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'But it's cooking that poses the biggest fire risk in these
0:04:58 > 0:05:00'tiny rooms.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'With a fully functioning shared kitchen, that danger should be reduced.'
0:05:04 > 0:05:07So here we have a kitchen which doesn't have
0:05:07 > 0:05:12the feel of a regularly used shared kitchen.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14For instance, I don't know about you
0:05:14 > 0:05:19but my kettle isn't held together with Blu-Tack.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26My fridge definitely doesn't look like that.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30'And you'll wait a long time for your soup
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'to heat up on this hob. It's not working.'
0:05:32 > 0:05:37It's on number six. That's not going to cook your tea.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42So it's not working as a kitchen, clearly no-one's using it,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and we've just got a dead space.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49'This is why inspections like this are so important.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53'Landlords need to obey the rules or else tenants can get a raw deal,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57'being forced to pay for facilities that are substandard or unsafe.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01'The flat downstairs is also supposed to have a new, shared kitchen.'
0:06:02 > 0:06:06You don't get fridges like this in a busy communal kitchen.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12'So the kitchens have been removed from the bedrooms,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15'but the housing team is not convinced they've been
0:06:15 > 0:06:17'properly replaced by the facilities that we've seen.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20'This visit has definitely opened my eyes,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23'but coming up, things get even worse.'
0:06:23 > 0:06:27These shouldn't be here at all, these shouldn't be separate units.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31The owner's known about this for a long time and done nothing about it.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Here in Swale, the council are looking not to just deal with
0:06:40 > 0:06:42housing problems of today's housing,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45they're looking to the future too.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48A local study suggests this region is set to see a significant
0:06:48 > 0:06:51increase in the number of older residents.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55An ageing population is clearly going to present very specific challenges.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Housing Officer Susan Hughes works with the council's
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Staying Put agency.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03The Staying Put service are there to actually help
0:07:03 > 0:07:06vulnerable and elderly and disabled clients to remain in their own home.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Everybody wants to stay in their own home, and it is quite important.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13But as they get older, repairs get harder and they quite often
0:07:13 > 0:07:16just ignore it - rather than just sort out the problem they will ignore it.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18They also need adaptations more -
0:07:18 > 0:07:21rails up the stairs, that sort of thing -
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and if it's left their house will get into disrepair,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25clients can fall, hurt themselves...
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Lots of things can happen.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Susan's on her way to what on the face of it
0:07:29 > 0:07:32looks like a routine appointment to help deal with some
0:07:32 > 0:07:34maintenance issues at a client's home.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38But something small can sometimes be a symptom of a much larger problem.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42We're going over to see a couple that live in Faversham.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44So this couple own their home,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47and they've lived in it all their married life.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50They've been with us before, they've had a few issues that we've had to
0:07:50 > 0:07:54help with them - mainly clutter and a few little minor repairs -
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and we've had our handyperson out do a lot of jobs,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01but they called us again because they have a hole in the floor.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Our handyperson went out and it's a bit too big for him
0:08:04 > 0:08:07to actually sort out, so I'm going out to have a look
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and I'm going to get a builder out there.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Rose, whose husband has been battling a brain infection,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16has called for some help after another visitor to her home
0:08:16 > 0:08:19put her foot through the floor.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Last time the nurse came to give my husband insulin
0:08:23 > 0:08:25and she went through it.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33I wasn't here but I would have liked to have seen the look on her face!
0:08:33 > 0:08:39I have been keeping out of its way, otherwise I'd be down it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Sadly for Rose, the hole around the fireplace was just
0:08:43 > 0:08:46one in a long line of recent mishaps.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Rose has just returned from hospital after suffering a nasty fall.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I got out of bed to go to the bathroom,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55went in the bathroom -
0:08:55 > 0:08:58the next minute I was tumbling down the stairs.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02I fractured it, fractured the humerus.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05It's clearly a delicate situation.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08With Rose's recent tumble and her husband's serious illness,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Susan needs to be assured the couple are safe in their own home.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12Fortunately,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15she's got Phil the builder in tow to look at the repairs.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- How are you?- All right, thank you. - I've brought a builder...
0:09:18 > 0:09:20- As right as expected.- Yeah.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23I've brought a builder to come and have a look, and if you can show me
0:09:23 > 0:09:26this hole in the floor to see what can be done, OK?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29You lead the way, all right? See what there is.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Oh, right.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Well, it's not in an AWKWARD place, that is one thing.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37I don't think it's TOO major. We'll see what Phil says anyway.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41What we'll have to do is move you out the way for a while and do some
0:09:41 > 0:09:45exploratory digging out here, take some boards up to see exactly what's happened.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48But it's nothing to worry about, your house isn't going to fall down.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50We'll come back with a bit of boarding over it for you,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53so you don't trip over it. Just be aware it's there.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55We don't want you having an accident...
0:09:55 > 0:09:57The repair seems very straightforward,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00but Susan's more concerned about whether the hole in the floor
0:10:00 > 0:10:04is part of a wider problem with the couple's living conditions.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Two years ago the council spent three days clearing out
0:10:07 > 0:10:10huge piles of clutter from the downstairs room.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15It's not as cluttered as it was, you're keeping it under control.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19What about the other rooms, are they all OK? Yeah?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Well, at the moment, I'm not going up the stairs.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23I'm a bit...
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Are you sleeping downstairs as well?
0:10:26 > 0:10:27I'm sleeping here.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Oh, dear. That's not very good, sleeping in a chair.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33How do you manage that? Can't you get another bed put in the front room?
0:10:33 > 0:10:35No.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Cos that's where your husband sleeps. You don't want another bed put in there?
0:10:38 > 0:10:40I don't think there's room.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Rose's recent fall has left her too shaken to go back upstairs,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47but her downstairs sleeping arrangements are clearly less than ideal.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50While Rose's husband is out having a medical check-up,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Susan wants to see if she can get an extra bed in his room.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Can I just have a look at your front room?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I am still worried about you sleeping in a chair.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Right. Oh, OK...
0:11:04 > 0:11:07There COULD be space if things were moved around, don't you think?
0:11:07 > 0:11:09We could move that over a little bit.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Why are all those things here?
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Is it really important that there's a table there?
0:11:13 > 0:11:16You'll have to ask my husband that because I don't know the reason.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Right. Cos if you moved that table,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23you would fit in a little bed, wouldn't you?
0:11:23 > 0:11:26You may have to get another bed, but at least you're sleeping in a bed,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28it's awful that you're not.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32I think we need again someone here just to help move a few bits...
0:11:32 > 0:11:34If we put the chairs upstairs somewhere?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- Yeah...- Is there room up there?
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Sure we can...
0:11:39 > 0:11:42We haven't been up there in a while, we'll go up and have a quick look.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45This is a worrying sign.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It looks as though the couple's past problems
0:11:47 > 0:11:49with hoarding of possessions is creeping back.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And when they get upstairs, there's a shock for Susan.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55The bedrooms are all overflowing with belongings.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It's unlikely anything from downstairs is going to find a home.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05No. No room at all.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08No. Nowhere we can put anything in that one...
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Obviously they want to keep lots of the stuff, which is why it's been brought up.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16It's dolls, and she's done lots of knitting. It's just not
0:12:16 > 0:12:20been put in an easy way that you can even get to anything, really.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22One of these rooms needs to be emptied.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24De-cluttered again.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Then we can put everything from downstairs up here.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29This is a blow for Susan.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31If the clutter keeps building up,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34it could become a serious health risk to Rose and her husband.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37And there's more bad news in the bathroom.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41The tub is in a terrible state, and the toilet is broken.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43The cistern's in the bath.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45I don't know how they flush it.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48In an emergency you can have a standpipe and a bucket, but...
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Well, there must be one downstairs, we'll go and ask.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53They obviously don't come up here, then.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57OK. The bath hasn't been used for gosh knows...
0:12:57 > 0:13:00We'll go have a word with her anyway, but... Yeah.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05We've just been upstairs, it is still quite cluttered.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07What do you do for your toilet now?
0:13:07 > 0:13:11I've got a commode for now but there is one out there.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17What worries me is how do you empty the toilet now?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Do you have to go outside and carry it?
0:13:19 > 0:13:21My husband does that.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- He goes to the outside toilet and goes down there?- Yeah.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26And how's HE doing that? Because HE was quite poorly,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29he was dragging his feet... Is he able to do that OK?
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- Not really. - No. So we do need to look at that.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36And do you feel safe to go outside at the moment?
0:13:36 > 0:13:37- No.- No.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41The problems here are even bigger than Susan was expecting.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45With no working indoor toilet and rooms filled with clutter,
0:13:45 > 0:13:46quick action is needed
0:13:46 > 0:13:51if this couple are going to be able to remain living in their own home.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55You've got to think about whether you ever ARE going to go back upstairs.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58If you do go upstairs, you could apply for a disabled grant
0:13:58 > 0:14:00to have a shower room put in.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- It's something to think about. - Yeah. I'll get Phil to quote for that as well.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08- Quite happy with him.- Yeah. She's happy with you, there you are.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- OK.- You'll do.- All right.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Today's visit demonstrates that even if you are an experienced
0:14:14 > 0:14:17housing officer like Susan, you just never know
0:14:17 > 0:14:22what challenges you're going to face when you walk through a front door.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Very often we go out to clients and they've asked for one thing,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and then when we go in there we find a lot more. Lots of people
0:14:27 > 0:14:30don't realise exactly what's wrong with their property.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32They've always lived like it so they don't realise it's a problem
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and it's not till we go in that we realise this.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37I don't like her sleeping in a chair - she seems used to it
0:14:37 > 0:14:40but that is going to cause problems long term, so we've got to think
0:14:40 > 0:14:43about whether we can clear the front room and get her bed in there.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46So the more confident she is in her home walking around, the better.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51I'm just glad that there's somebody that is willing to help.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56We'll have to wait and see. See what Susan comes up with.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Coming up: Susan tries to tackle the growing problem
0:14:58 > 0:15:01of Rose's clutter.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Have you managed to find anything TO throw away, or not?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06You're going to keep the pen. Right.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Back in Dudley, and I'm with a team from the local council, and
0:15:16 > 0:15:20police, investigating a number of houses owned by the same landlord.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23He's been served enforcement notices demanding
0:15:23 > 0:15:27he turn the individual flats he owns back to shared properties.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30That means he's supposed to remove any kitchen facilities from his
0:15:30 > 0:15:34tenants' bedrooms, and provide fully working communal kitchens instead.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Something the housing team suspect he hasn't done.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43If they find evidence today that the landlord hasn't done the work
0:15:43 > 0:15:46he's been ordered to do, he'll face prosecution.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52It's worth remembering that we're not just talking about rules
0:15:52 > 0:15:54and regulations here. These are not just
0:15:54 > 0:15:58jobsworth approaches to these properties,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02these are to make sure the people inside these properties have
0:16:02 > 0:16:05enough space and amenities to live a half decent sort of life.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'I wonder if the second property might prove to be any better.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'Again, the landlord IS supposed to have converted this place
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'back into a single flat, complete with a safe
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'and fully functioning communal kitchen.'
0:16:18 > 0:16:20So, here we are. We're in the loft space.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22What was a kitchen area.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25No fridge... No cooker there now.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27'The room is home to Leanne.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'And it seems the landlord's renovations up here
0:16:30 > 0:16:32'haven't improved things much.'
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Are you hoping to stay here long term or do you want to move somewhere else?
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- No. I want to move.- Yeah? - Definitely.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Why do you want to move out of here?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Because it's not big enough. I've got a ten-year-old, so...
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Have you? So does your ten-year-old stay with you here?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49No. No, no, at my mum's.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'Despite the landlord removing the kitchen sink,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54'this room still has the feel of a bedsit,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58'but now without the benefit of privacy or independence.'
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Do you wash up, do you prepare your food,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03do everything up here?
0:17:03 > 0:17:05No. I prepare my food up here,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07I have to go downstairs for the kitchen.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10This is somewhere that shouldn't be occupied at all, according to
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Planning, there shouldn't be anyone here.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17'At least the shared kitchen looks a little better than the first
0:17:17 > 0:17:21'property. But I'm not sure the changes go far enough.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:26This floor should be one unit. One flat.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I think we've got... two, maybe three, is it?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31The first two properties have followed a familiar,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33if depressing, pattern.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The landlord's supposed to have turned the third property back into a shared house too -
0:17:37 > 0:17:41the deadline for doing the work passed some time ago.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46'While we're waiting to get inside, I'm distracted by the unusual letterbox set-up.'
0:17:47 > 0:17:48So this is what I don't understand.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51These are the letterboxes for these flats.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53There are five flats. How do I know which one is which?
0:17:53 > 0:17:58Well, you don't. The tenants don't either when we asked them.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00It doesn't almost matter cos when you see inside,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02you can't get it anyway, so...
0:18:02 > 0:18:06So you have to reach in to get your post from this side anyway?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Yeah. So it just drops down.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So it drops down inside the wall?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- Yeah.- So you never receive your post anyway?- No.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16'It doesn't bode well for the rest of the house.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19'Unfortunately, once we DO make our way upstairs,
0:18:19 > 0:18:25'it's easy to see that the accommodation is less than luxurious.'
0:18:25 > 0:18:32Yeah. So in theory, anyway, this could be a sort of bedroom possibly?
0:18:32 > 0:18:33But this shouldn't be here at all,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36these shouldn't be separate units.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38The owner's known this for a long time.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43These are legal criteria, these are specifications,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46but they're there for a very simple reason
0:18:46 > 0:18:48and that's to protect the people who occupy these places.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Because you can tell
0:18:51 > 0:18:55this is not somewhere that's designed for individual occupation.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59That's your washing facility there.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02You can't even get in it at the moment. It's ludicrous.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08'It's been a long, wet and frankly depressing day for all of us.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'I'm hoping the council might have some solutions for the tenants
0:19:11 > 0:19:12'I've met today.'
0:19:15 > 0:19:20So three properties, one owner, all in sort of different stages.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24In fact what we found was a mishmash of a shared property,
0:19:24 > 0:19:29and individual bedsit units which you could lock the door.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33I mean, the conditions that resulted from that were pretty miserable,
0:19:33 > 0:19:34weren't they?
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Yeah.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40The kitchens are not operating, the rooms again are small,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43you've not got the facilities, really. Things have been taken away
0:19:43 > 0:19:45from the tenants,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49rather than a better facility being provided.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51So what is it that we're going to do?
0:19:51 > 0:19:54From a planning point of view those notices are in place
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and they've been in place for some time,
0:19:56 > 0:19:57plenty of time to comply with
0:19:57 > 0:20:01and therefore it's up to us now to determine whether we think it's appropriate
0:20:01 > 0:20:06to refer that to our legal team to prosecute the owner for failing to comply with the notices.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09'All of which sounds reasonable in the long term.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12'But it's the short term that has me more concerned.'
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Don't know what to make of these properties, honestly. They are...
0:20:17 > 0:20:21They shouldn't be divided up in the way that they are
0:20:21 > 0:20:23in the first place, and rather than put them back
0:20:23 > 0:20:26the way they should be the landlord seems to have opted to
0:20:26 > 0:20:29reconfigure them to look like shared houses.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33But they are so miserable...
0:20:33 > 0:20:35I can't tell you.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37And I'm trying to put my finger on why
0:20:37 > 0:20:41they ARE like that - maybe it's just because the weather's terrible,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I don't know. But honestly, the effect it has on you...
0:20:44 > 0:20:50They don't feel like places where there's a way out again, if I'm honest with you.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01The council is now pursuing action against the landlord.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05They say he breached enforcement notices which ordered him
0:21:05 > 0:21:08to comply with planning permission in all three properties.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11They are building a case, and hope to bring it to court soon.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Defending our right to a safe place to live
0:21:17 > 0:21:21is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26You think(?)
0:21:26 > 0:21:30'I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.'
0:21:30 > 0:21:32- Top marks.- Yes!
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I'm hitting the streets...
0:21:34 > 0:21:35Hello, can you open up?
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Definitely someone inside cos we've seen movement.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'..finding out what's happening on the front line...'
0:21:41 > 0:21:44That's ready to collapse. Let's get it sorted.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47And learning what it takes
0:21:47 > 0:21:50to make sure a house is a fit place to call a home.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.- They shouldn't have people living in here.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Oxford, with its worldwide reputation,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06attracts not only local house hunters but huge numbers
0:22:06 > 0:22:10of students and foreign workers, all looking for somewhere to live.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Sharing houses is a popular option,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16but if these homes aren't regulated, they can quickly become dirty,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19overcrowded, and sometimes dangerous to live in.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22'I'm with housing officer Clive Salisbury, who's investigating
0:22:22 > 0:22:24'a house in the city
0:22:24 > 0:22:26'that's been attracting complaints.'
0:22:27 > 0:22:30So, from the information we've got so far, is there any
0:22:30 > 0:22:33hints as to what might be going on there, what we might find?
0:22:33 > 0:22:37So, we've had a complaint from a resident in the area,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39they're concerned about this property.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And they're saying that there's a number of men living there,
0:22:42 > 0:22:48and there's noise and problems with mice, and it's something that
0:22:48 > 0:22:51justifies us having a look to see if it's an unlicensed shared house.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56In Oxford the council have introduced a landlords' licensing
0:22:56 > 0:22:59scheme, as a way of regulating housing conditions in shared homes.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It's that white one at the end on the left,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08with the lush front garden.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09Clive needs to check
0:23:09 > 0:23:12if there are three or more people in the house we're going to visit.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15If there are, and they're not family members,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17the council needs to know about it.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21High rentals, that prompts landlords to over-occupy,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24or tenants are subletting, there's two sides to it.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29But you can get a lot of people living in quite small places.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Family homes like these weren't designed to be carved up
0:23:32 > 0:23:34into separate units - but if they're adapted,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38the council says it has to be done properly.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Oh, the front garden's a bit messy...
0:23:42 > 0:23:45'As we approach the house I spot something in the front window,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'and wonder if THAT'S a clue to who's living here.'
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Look on the front window there.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53There you go. There's a taxi sign.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57I think that's the one right outside the council offices.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00There is a bell. They rarely work.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02You're absolutely right.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04I can hear someone...
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Hello there. Hi, my name's Clive Salisbury, I'm with the
0:24:07 > 0:24:10housing team at Oxford City Council.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12We're just checking on rented properties in Oxford
0:24:12 > 0:24:15to make sure they're safe for tenants.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16What's your name?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Mario, nice to meet you, I'm Matt, how do you do?
0:24:19 > 0:24:20How many of you live here?
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Five.- OK, and where are you guys from?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- All of you?- Yeah.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Are you all working as taxi drivers?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33May we go in the kitchen, we'll have a quick chat, Mario?
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Now we know there are five Albanians living in the house,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38all working as taxi drivers.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Unless they're all from the same family, then the landlord needs
0:24:41 > 0:24:44a special licence designed to make sure
0:24:44 > 0:24:46the people sharing this house are safe.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Time for some more investigation.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- How long have you lived here? - For two months.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Do you know the names of the other...?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56I don't know. With everybody working...
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Stay for one hour here, go sleep...
0:24:59 > 0:25:00Yeah, OK.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03'Mario doesn't know the names of his housemates
0:25:03 > 0:25:05'so clearly they're not a family.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06'And it's not difficult to spot
0:25:06 > 0:25:10'that the house is in a poor state of repair.'
0:25:10 > 0:25:12The first thing I can see is that we've got
0:25:12 > 0:25:15quite big ingress of water here
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and damp on that wall
0:25:18 > 0:25:20which is,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22I think... Yeah,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24it's a proper structural wall.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26And we've got the paper...
0:25:26 > 0:25:30- Ooh.- Wow.- Best not to press too much, you might go through. Is it solid or is it a partition?
0:25:30 > 0:25:35No, it's solid, but the plaster has actually come away as well.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37'Before the paper disintegrates entirely,
0:25:37 > 0:25:42'Clive takes some pictures that will be useful when he speaks to the landlord.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45'And I can see how many other things are wrong here.'
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- The lights on but there are no bulbs.- But only one's on.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49There's only one bulb.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51This is a room where the guys are smoking -
0:25:51 > 0:25:56there's no fire protection in here at all.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58You're right next to the kitchen as well...
0:25:58 > 0:26:01That's right, I think we'll find quite a few issues here.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05'So we've managed to discover a number of problems in just one room.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10'There's a fire risk, and a damp problem for starters.'
0:26:10 > 0:26:15We're into this sort of conservatory/laundry room...
0:26:15 > 0:26:17There's a bit of a smell of damp, isn't there?
0:26:17 > 0:26:22It's a mess, really. You've got clothing that's stacked up here...
0:26:22 > 0:26:25"Insecticide or surface and space spray."
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Thy may be treating themselves for a pest problem, do you think?
0:26:29 > 0:26:34One of the things the resident said was he was concerned that there might be mice in the area,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37and was concerned they were coming from the house.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38'Mice.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41'Now, my experience with rodents on this programme
0:26:41 > 0:26:43'has taught me a very valuable lesson.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45'Time for my big moment.'
0:26:45 > 0:26:48You know when you go into the garden, there might be things
0:26:48 > 0:26:50in the garden that don't expect anybody to be there. So it's
0:26:50 > 0:26:55very important to have the camera ready as soon as we open the door. Got it?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57OK, here we go. This is the moment.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59You only get to do this once.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01- You ready, Clive?- Yeah, cool.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05DOG YELPS
0:27:05 > 0:27:07'Well, I wasn't expecting THAT.'
0:27:07 > 0:27:10No mice, but loads of bikes.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13'OK, so we didn't surprise any rodents -
0:27:13 > 0:27:15'but that doesn't mean there aren't any there,
0:27:15 > 0:27:19'and the garden is still worth checking out.'
0:27:19 > 0:27:22OK, so what have we got? Wow, those brambles are impressive, aren't they?
0:27:22 > 0:27:26So yeah, this is obviously unsightly, it's bad for the area, isn't it?
0:27:26 > 0:27:30You know... Just in our first ten minutes there's a concern, isn't there?
0:27:30 > 0:27:33'Clive's very kindly allowing me to go first THROUGH the brambles(!)'
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Always best not to dress up in this job,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38you never know where you might be going.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40You can break a trail.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I've got stuck on the brambles...
0:27:47 > 0:27:49CLIVE LAUGHS
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Anything exciting? Like anybody LIVING in the garage?
0:27:55 > 0:27:59There's boxes and things from Bangladesh.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01You know when you see a row of houses, and you think,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03"They're nice family homes, one after the other,"
0:28:03 > 0:28:06then you come to a place like this and it tells such a different story.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Well, that's part of the reason we're here. It just stands out.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The eyesore house in the street is often the one with the extra problems.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16So - quick summary in the garden of what we've got here?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19We've got the bones of about four different bicycles,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23parts of two different beds, boxes and mattresses. We've got
0:28:23 > 0:28:26children's toys that have just been chucked down the side,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28we've got a skanky old garage...
0:28:28 > 0:28:30We can't get IN the garage, the divan's in the way.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Even if we could, I think it's locked.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Yeah, OK. That's fine, I just need to get the conservatory.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38We'll have a look at the kitchen and then we'll go and see Mario upstairs...
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- Looking forward to the kitchen. - ..say hello again.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42'Coming up: We find a tiny box room,
0:28:42 > 0:28:46'about half the size it should be for someone to use as a bedroom.'
0:28:46 > 0:28:49This is a very small room.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53It's more like life on board a ship - or a submarine, even,
0:28:53 > 0:28:54that's how tight it is there.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Back in Swale, housing enforcer Susan Hughes
0:29:02 > 0:29:06from the council's Staying Put team is returning to Faversham,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09where she went to help a couple with a maintenance problem,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11but soon found a lot more needed fixing.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Went in the bathroom. Next minute,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18I was tumbling down the stairs.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Susan discovered that even though she had a broken arm,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Rose was sleeping in a chair,
0:29:23 > 0:29:25and that the couple are both struggling to cope with
0:29:25 > 0:29:29disabilities, as their house fills up with clutter.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Today I'd like to talk a bit more to them about the clutter that
0:29:31 > 0:29:35they've got, how that is their main problem, and if we could sort that
0:29:35 > 0:29:38out then maybe some of the other issues could be addressed easier.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Susan needs to make sure that the jumble of possessions
0:29:41 > 0:29:44doesn't once again build to dangerous levels.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48It could cause falls or even block escape routes if there was a fire.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51But first on her list is checking that
0:29:51 > 0:29:53the hole in the floor has been taken care of.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Oh. That's looking good, isn't it?
0:29:55 > 0:29:56Yeah, we're getting there.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00The builders have actually covered it up and made it a lot safer,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03and although it's not fireproof, it's not a proper hearth -
0:30:03 > 0:30:05they'll have to pay for that if that's what they want -
0:30:05 > 0:30:07but as it is at the moment
0:30:07 > 0:30:10it's going to prevent her tripping on it or falling.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15So that actually satisfies me that the job's done and we've made it safer for her.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17That's one down at least.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Next is Rose's unconventional bedtime arrangements.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23I'm really not happy about you sleeping in that chair.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25That's not good for you at all.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27So we've got a couple of options there.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30We can either try and declutter a bit of the front room so we can
0:30:30 > 0:30:34move another bed in there, so you can sleep in where your husband is.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37The other option... That one would be quick, but the longer one
0:30:37 > 0:30:40would be a stairlift could be put in.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Now, you can either fund that yourself or
0:30:43 > 0:30:45you could apply for a disabled grant.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48I've put a phone number down here, which is where you ring and then you
0:30:48 > 0:30:52have to go through an assessment, they'll ask about your disabilities.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56If it's feasible, I would go back upstairs.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58You mustn't go up until we've sorted it out.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Till you've either got a stairlift and all the clutter gone...
0:31:01 > 0:31:03So you need the stairlift put in, and you need to declutter.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08But sleeping in a chair is not good for you, is it? You're going to get a stiff neck soon.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Well, that would join my arm!
0:31:12 > 0:31:14SUSAN LAUGHS
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Rose agrees to try to get back upstairs,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20but now Susan wants to help her mobility around the rest of the house.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22So you're going to have lots of rails everywhere
0:31:22 > 0:31:25but I think it's just going to be safer for you. OK?
0:31:25 > 0:31:27- Yeah.- So if we do them all along
0:31:27 > 0:31:30where there's a space on the corridor here. Yeah?
0:31:30 > 0:31:33And the rails continue outside -
0:31:33 > 0:31:36so the couple can get to the loo.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38All right? How does that feel there?
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:31:40 > 0:31:41I'll do it at that.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44A little mark on there.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47But Susan knows the main issue is the clutter.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49With Rose sleeping in a chair
0:31:49 > 0:31:51because there's no ROOM for a bed downstairs,
0:31:51 > 0:31:56Susan wants to help with the mammoth task of dealing with the hoarding.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58If the couple can't keep on top of the amount of stuff
0:31:58 > 0:32:02in the house, the problems are going to mount up.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Have you managed to find anything TO throw away, or not?
0:32:06 > 0:32:09I was just wondering if I could find your other shoe...
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- No, I think that was thrown away. - Oh, do you?
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Well, if that's the case you could throw that one away then, can't you?
0:32:15 > 0:32:17But that's in your knitting bag, so we need to have another bag...
0:32:17 > 0:32:21You need to keep it in that bag for throwing away, don't you?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23You're going to keep the pen. Right.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25That's your throw-away bag, is it?
0:32:25 > 0:32:27That's it, put the shoe in it.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30How about you have a little bag a day and go through things,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33and then you might get rid of some of the stuff as it goes?
0:32:33 > 0:32:34Yeah?
0:32:34 > 0:32:38Small steps, maybe - but at least it's a start.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43And Susan's wasting no time in trying to get the ball rolling with Rose's much-needed stairlift.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Hi, all right - I'm with a client of mine,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48I'm from Staying Put home improvement agency.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Erm... She's actually sleeping in a chair downstairs
0:32:51 > 0:32:53cos she can't get upstairs.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The bathroom's upstairs so she's having to use a commode and empty it outside.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00So I think we need to look at getting her a disabled grant -
0:33:00 > 0:33:04definitely for a stairlift, and maybe a shower room. OK?
0:33:04 > 0:33:08So we've still got quite a lot to do. So Paul's going to come back
0:33:08 > 0:33:10and he's going to put those rails along the corridor
0:33:10 > 0:33:13to make it easier for you to walk.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15And then I'll get two estimates for the toilet as well.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17You think about the clutter as well -
0:33:17 > 0:33:19think about whether you want a couple of hours,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22somebody to come and help you declutter a bit more as well.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Thank you very much.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27For Susan, this sort of case provides a lot of challenges.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31It's a balancing act between trying to keep people in their own homes,
0:33:31 > 0:33:33but also helping them to make important changes.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35Bye.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Yes, it feels...
0:33:38 > 0:33:41as though I've achieved something.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43And we know it's going to take time.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Can't do it in five minutes, can we?
0:33:46 > 0:33:50There's not so much as what there used to be,
0:33:50 > 0:33:55but...Susan seems to think that we can get rid of a bit more.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58We need to think about decluttering, that's the major thing.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02We even managed to get rid of ONE bag of rubbish today.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Erm... OK, it was very small, but it's a start.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And I am worried about Rose falling again,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11so we do need to sort of take it very carefully, certainly
0:34:11 > 0:34:15with her husband, and make sure that we can make it safer and secure for
0:34:15 > 0:34:20them, so they can carry on living in their own home independently.
0:34:20 > 0:34:21Since we visited,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Susan's been looking into getting a lift installed in the couple's home.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27They could then apply for a disabled grant
0:34:27 > 0:34:30to get a suitable bathroom installed upstairs.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32In the meantime,
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Susan's keeping a close eye on the couple's hoarding tendencies.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44'Here in Oxford, I'm with housing officer Clive Salisbury.'
0:34:44 > 0:34:45Hello...?
0:34:45 > 0:34:48'Residents have complained about the house on their street
0:34:48 > 0:34:51'where they say a number of people have been coming and going.'
0:34:52 > 0:34:53How many of you live here?
0:34:54 > 0:34:57OK, and where are you guys from?
0:34:58 > 0:34:59- All of you?- Yeah.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03'The city council says no more than three unrelated people
0:35:03 > 0:35:06'can share a family home without a licence.'
0:35:07 > 0:35:11Oh, that's nice, look at that. I didn't know you could get those.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15'So Clive wants to investigate exactly what's going on here.'
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Five blokes, one spoon.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Maybe they've all got their own in their room.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22'The men living here aren't related,
0:35:22 > 0:35:26'so the landlord definitely needs a licence. But in order to get one
0:35:26 > 0:35:29'he'll have to prove he can keep his tenants safe.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33'And there are plenty of issues that need addressing here.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36'Clive's so busy making notes, that I'm helping out.'
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Oh, no, look.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41If you look in here, Clive, the element,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45which should be snugly wrapped against the top, is hanging down.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49I've got a feeling that nobody here watches Bake Off.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52You would scorch the top of your scones with that.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55You could reach in and get a shock, possibly, worst case.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57I think it would need an inspection.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00'The men living here may not be particularly house-proud...'
0:36:00 > 0:36:03It would be very difficult to clean this kitchen,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05if anybody had the mind to do so.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08'..but the property does have to be in a reasonable state of repair.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11'And we're still checking for evidence of the mice
0:36:11 > 0:36:13'neighbours have complained about.'
0:36:13 > 0:36:16- No evidence of mice so far... - OK. Food cupboards are the place
0:36:16 > 0:36:18but we haven't found much food yet, have we?
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Nice bag of oats, that'd be good.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Even the mice are thinking, "What do you eat in here?
0:36:23 > 0:36:25"What do you actually eat?"
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Maybe that's why they've had to go to the neighbour's houses, there not getting much to eat here.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33'There's much more to concern Clive in this room, though.'
0:36:33 > 0:36:36The ceiling looks like it's got moisture coming
0:36:36 > 0:36:38through from above somehow.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41I'm going to hazard a guess and say there's a bathroom upstairs,
0:36:41 > 0:36:45which could be causing the moisture on that wall as well.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48And what about the erm... fire detection system?
0:36:48 > 0:36:51- There IS no fire detection in this room.- Yeah.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54This is not a fire door - it's got glass panels in it.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55You want all of those things...
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Deficient in every respect.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01'Fire safety is crucial in any home, but where there are a NUMBER of
0:37:01 > 0:37:05'people sharing there are legal requirements to protect the occupants.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09'And even I can see that these stairs could be deadly.'
0:37:10 > 0:37:12This is a great place for a fire to start -
0:37:12 > 0:37:15if it's not going to start here it would start in the kitchen -
0:37:15 > 0:37:18and what you want underneath the stairs is protection
0:37:18 > 0:37:20with plasterboard or something
0:37:20 > 0:37:23that just gives them a bit longer before they go up in flames.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26What I can see under there is just bare exposed wood.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28You get a fire, and the last thing we want is when they're all
0:37:28 > 0:37:31trying to rush down the stairs in the middle of the night
0:37:31 > 0:37:33and the stairs are on fire, cos we've got a big problem there.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35So, yeah, that needs to be fire protected.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38'The guys living here wouldn't stand a chance.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40'And upstairs it gets even worse.'
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Just want to check your fire alarm here on the top.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- Let's get a tall person to help. - Nothing.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50OK, so we can get an need electrical safety certificate in seven days.
0:37:50 > 0:37:51In seven days?
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Yeah. Legal requirements, gas and electrical safety certificates
0:37:55 > 0:37:58to us, otherwise that's another offence.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02So we've got perfectly reasonable grounds for requiring that.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05'I've also spotted another couple of issues in the bathroom.'
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Is that the extractor fan? It's just, like, a hole.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Can you just put your finger in there?
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I'm not going to put my finger in there, Clive! Do you think I'm mad?
0:38:14 > 0:38:17It's going straight through to the loft.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Bit of trunking here...
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Is that kind of exposed wiring?
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Electric showers draw a lot of current, don't they?
0:38:24 > 0:38:27And people handling them with wet hands,
0:38:27 > 0:38:30so it's really got to be bomb-proof in terms of electrical earthing.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33'Although, you know, I can't fault the bathroom for cleanliness.'
0:38:33 > 0:38:36- I'd like to know what that means. - We'll find out.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40We'll have a little gamble - I think it says...
0:38:40 > 0:38:42"Please flush." What do you think it says?
0:38:42 > 0:38:44Erm, "Keep the toilet clean."
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Mario, what does that mean?
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Clean. When you're finished, clean it.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52- Clean the toilet.- Yes.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- I thought it was flush. No, no - clean.- Yes.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Clive, you win. Clive won the bet.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00'So far, Clive's established
0:39:00 > 0:39:02'a number of safety problems with the house,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06'but if he needed any more evidence that things aren't right here,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08'we're just about to find it.'
0:39:11 > 0:39:13This is a very small room.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Yeah, we do have standards on the minimum room size
0:39:17 > 0:39:18for anyone to live in.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20I mean, that's got to be...
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Can you bring to mind what they are?
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Oh... I knew you were going to ask me that.
0:39:25 > 0:39:26It is...
0:39:26 > 0:39:286.5 square metres.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32No - 6.5 square metres
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- unless there's a... If there's a front room.- Very good.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38It's 8.5 square metres if there ISN'T a front room.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40So, how big do you reckon THAT is?
0:39:40 > 0:39:42Let's be generous and call this two metres that way,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and then let's say this way it's the same
0:39:45 > 0:39:47but there's a big chunk taken out of it for this.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48Want to take a measurement?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It's fine, I was just fishing it out while you were guessing.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53See how accurate your estimates are.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55This is four metres, maximum.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58That's 1.70...
0:39:58 > 0:40:00It's 3.5 metres squared, this room.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Even with a lounge, which they've got,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05we want 6.5 square metres, and that's 3.5.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08You don't really need to measure it, do you?
0:40:08 > 0:40:09Because for me to...
0:40:09 > 0:40:12I don't think I could lay in that head to toe.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15It's like life on board a ship -
0:40:15 > 0:40:18or a submarine, even, that's how tight it is there.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Clearly it's a real squeeze, isn't it?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22- Ridiculous.- Top marks.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23Yes!
0:40:23 > 0:40:25'It might be top marks for me,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28'but for the tenants here there's not much to celebrate.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31'It's obvious there's plenty of work that needs doing in this house,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34'and the council will now follow up on these issues
0:40:34 > 0:40:36'with a legal notice to the landlord.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39'He or she will also need to apply for a licence,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42'because let's not forget - those rules are in place to keep people safe.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44'People like Mario and his mates.'
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- Thanks for letting us in. - It's all right, don't worry.
0:40:49 > 0:40:55- So, the key is that your landlord needs to fix this house.- Yes.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- Needs to make it better. Yeah? - Yeah.- For you.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- So you can stay here...- Yes. - ..and not worry about fire.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06And then the garden, the kitchen, all these things.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- Clean the house.- Yeah.
0:41:08 > 0:41:09OK. Nice to meet you, Mario.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18So Clive, a distinctly unloved house...
0:41:18 > 0:41:21but, I mean, not the worst we've ever seen.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24First impressions weren't very encouraging with the front garden
0:41:24 > 0:41:26being a bomb site and the weeds eight foot high,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29but once we got inside, yeah, I've seen worse ones for shared houses.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31The main issue to me is the disrepair
0:41:31 > 0:41:35that the landlord's responsible for.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37They don't know each other, they don't seem to communicate
0:41:37 > 0:41:41with each another - apart from the sign over the toilet,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44which says keep clean, and it IS very clean...
0:41:44 > 0:41:49So, you know, considering they're all leading separate lives in there,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52it's operating to a certain degree.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55But the landlord needs to keep his half of the bargain.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58'Well, I'm pleased to say Clive did finally manage
0:41:58 > 0:42:00'to track down the landlord.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04'He said he had no idea there were five guys living in his house.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07'He said he originally rented out the property to a family,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10'and was unaware of the issues we found.'
0:42:10 > 0:42:14The main thing I wanted to check is that he'd put in some smoke alarms -
0:42:14 > 0:42:17two of them, as I'd asked - and he hasn't.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19So he's got to have them in by the end of today,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22otherwise we're going to take some emergency action which will
0:42:22 > 0:42:27cost him about £580. So he's just gone now to buy two smoke alarms.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29But, regardless, he's now begun work
0:42:29 > 0:42:32on putting right the safety wrongs in this property.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Which can only be good news for everyone concerned.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02ALARM BEEPS
0:43:07 > 0:43:10That's it for today. Join me next time
0:43:10 > 0:43:13back on the road with The Housing Enforcers.