0:00:02 > 0:00:03- We'll have to force access. - DOG BARKS
0:00:03 > 0:00:06The law says everyone has the right to a safe place to live.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I wouldn't keep my dog there is the honest truth.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11But for thousands of people across the UK,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14the reality can be more hovel than home.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18The house is falling to bits. There's nothing I can do.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20In the battle for decent housing...
0:00:20 > 0:00:24- It really does look a shanty town. - Yeah, it's not up to standard.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27..it's local housing officers who are on the front line.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29If someone had died here,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32you would've been standing in a coroner's court.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35'I'm Matt Allwright
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'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 > 0:00:41'I'll be with them
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'as they tackle problem properties and slum conditions...'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46MATT LAUGHS
0:00:46 > 0:00:49That's a new design that I haven't seen before.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'..as they deal with dodgy landlords, nightmare neighbours
0:00:52 > 0:00:53'and everything in between...'
0:00:53 > 0:00:57My God, straightaway, there's the smell of dog muck.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58You never know what you're going to find.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02..doing their best to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Today, we discover a house so overcrowded
0:01:11 > 0:01:14that even the housing officer is shocked.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I wouldn't want to stay in here more than a couple of hours.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite honest.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23One man calls in the council
0:01:23 > 0:01:25after his neighbours take a unique approach
0:01:25 > 0:01:27to landscaping in the back garden.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31I couldn't believe it. That's it, I'll just pile through the house
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and into the back garden without any disregard to nobody else.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40'And we visit what I think might be the smallest home in the country.'
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I don't know if you can see, but that there,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that is the width of the whole house.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47That's all you get.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57When was the last time you heard anyone use the phrase
0:01:57 > 0:01:59"slum landlord"?
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Not that recently, right?
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Well, that's because we live in a country with laws
0:02:04 > 0:02:08that make sure housing meets basic standards.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10And it's not just landlords.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14There are laws that mean that tenants need to behave too.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17I'm working alongside the men and women from councils
0:02:17 > 0:02:21across the UK who enforce those laws.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28We're in Newham, East London,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31a borough which attracts a high number of immigrants
0:02:31 > 0:02:34who all need somewhere to live.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38But that also leaves them open to exploitation by greedy landlords.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42'I'm with housing officers Christine Lyons and Holly Ripp.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45'They're checking up on a privately rented property
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'they suspect to be seriously overcrowded.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50'By making an unannounced visit,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'the officers hope to see the real conditions inside.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'But first, they have to get in.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Hello, can you just let me in?
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Hi?
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Excuse me?
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Mm, definitely somebody inside, cos we've seen movement,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07but they don't appear to be answering the door.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08KNOCK ON DOOR
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- Must be in. - Don't knock that one, it's broken.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Christine's wisely gone straight past the doorbell.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Just from a quick visual inspection,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I would say is non-functioning.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Please, just let me in. Open the door.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Excuse me.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'The landlord of this property only has planning permission
0:03:29 > 0:03:32'to rent it out as a single family home.'
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Hello, can you open up?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37But Holly and Christine think it's actually being used to house
0:03:37 > 0:03:40a number of people who don't know each other.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42The landlord's already been served with an enforcement notice,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45ordering him to comply with planning permission.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48If it isn't being rented to just one family,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52'he'll be breaching the notice and committing a criminal offence.'
0:03:52 > 0:03:54If they're not regulated by the council,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'large shared homes like these are often rundown,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01'overcrowded and sometimes dangerous.'
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Hi? Excuse me?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Can you just open the door for a minute?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11We just want to talk to you about the property, that's all.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It's not a problem, it'll be five minutes of your time.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15Definitely people inside,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19definitely not really interested in talking to us.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25We think, in fact we're fairly sure,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29that there's somebody in the here but they're not answering the door,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32possibly, who knows, because the landlord has told them
0:04:32 > 0:04:33not to open the door to...
0:04:33 > 0:04:36er, people like Christine from the council.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Having said that, there are clues here.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Overflowing wheelie bins, always a good sign.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Also if you look through the letterbox up,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48you can see a sort of photocopied sign
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Sellotaped to the bathroom door.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Not the sort of thing that families leave for each other.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It's a sign that there are
0:04:56 > 0:04:59too many people living in the space available
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and it needs regulating by leaving messages for each other.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Oh, well.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07- Yep.- Nope.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10'Because we haven't got a warrant, we can't demand entry,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'so for now, it looks like it's a no-go.'
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Realistically, we're not getting in there,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19but there are lots of clues, aren't there?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21With this kind of property,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25in some cases the landlord has told them not to answer the door.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29With any case of overcrowding, it's also a question of safety.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33There are issues, you know, fire safety,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35poor quality, overcrowding.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37You know, our real aims are to ensure they're safe
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and we don't know, do we?
0:05:39 > 0:05:41We don't know what's going on, and if we're not allowed in,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44and we're only allowed in with the landlord,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46what you'll see with the landlord is different
0:05:46 > 0:05:48than what we see when we knock on the doors.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50You can only imagine what it is that's preventing them
0:05:50 > 0:05:53from letting people in who could help them.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It must be, one would imagine, a fear of eviction,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58a fear of what happens to them if, you know,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02they bring some kind of trouble to bear on the landlord.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05It must be, whatever it is, it must be quite effective and strong.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Yeah, they would probably be evicted, wouldn't they?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10That's what they see as being the worst, worst thing to happen,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13to look again for somewhere to live and maybe find another deposit.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16There's lots of questions that go through their minds when
0:06:16 > 0:06:18they've been told not to do something.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Coming up, our worst fears are realised
0:06:21 > 0:06:24as the Newham team finally get into the house.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27I don't know what I'm going to find in the rest of the house,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29but it's not looking good so far.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36The high demand for housing in London
0:06:36 > 0:06:40means people will sometimes settle for a smaller living space
0:06:40 > 0:06:43just to be in the capital. But there are limits.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Back in Newham,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'I'm joining James Burton and Ellen Nicholson
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'from the council's planning department.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56'They've had a complaint about cramped conditions
0:06:56 > 0:06:57'in a privately rented home,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01'and this time, it's come from the tenants themselves.'
0:07:01 > 0:07:02OK, so what's on the list?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05A garage that's been converted into a studio flat.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Right, and what information have we got?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Is there any kind of permission on it at all?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Yeah, there was planning permission in 1991
0:07:13 > 0:07:16for an erection of a two-storey extension.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It should be part of the family house, though,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23and not necessarily being used as separate accommodation.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26So, have we got any idea of who might be living there right now?
0:07:26 > 0:07:27Yeah, we do, actually.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The complainant in this case was the actual tenant
0:07:29 > 0:07:32of this particular new flat,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and he's living there with his wife and small baby.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37So, a couple and a small baby
0:07:37 > 0:07:39in what should have possibly been an extension
0:07:39 > 0:07:41to an existing building.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- Yeah, by the sounds of it. - Let's go and have a look.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46The tenants have been here for a while,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49but they say they're now struggling to manage.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And even at first glance, it's not hard to see why.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56I don't know if you can see, but that there,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59that is the width of the whole house.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So, from drainpipe to wall, that's all you get.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05'Unbelievably, this house, if you can call it a house,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07'is home to a family of three.'
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Is that it?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- Tiny.- There's a tiny, tiny kitchen.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13It's so narrow.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17And then you've got a single room above that.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19This is a very small place, isn't it?
0:08:19 > 0:08:22The landlord is the next-door neighbour.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26And it looks like this house was once part of an extension.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27You can see the little door,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31uPVC door that's been chucked on the side of the property,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32but then where does it go?
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Yeah. Absolutely, that's what we have to find out.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40OK, the owner here doesn't want to show his face
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and doesn't want to be on television,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45but he has allowed us to do a tour of...
0:08:46 > 0:08:50..just the most incredibly tiny property I've seen so far
0:08:50 > 0:08:52on this programme.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55And it's... You just have to come see it.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57You just have to come.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03The problems of living somewhere like this are obvious,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05even before you step inside.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08So, you go through this lean-to, kind of alleyway thing
0:09:08 > 0:09:11with its own front door here...
0:09:11 > 0:09:13which, by the way, has got no way of opening it
0:09:13 > 0:09:16in the case of an emergency, cos it's got a key shut.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19And then you have this wall, which is quite visibly falling down,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23so this is where you go every day with your child,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26past a...
0:09:26 > 0:09:28dangerously bowing wall.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Anyway, come on through.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33'And the reality of the living conditions indoors
0:09:33 > 0:09:36'for a family with a small child is even worse.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:40OK, so this is the living area, as such,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and in here we've got two chairs,
0:09:42 > 0:09:47and a table, microwave. We've got two arm chairs as well.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50And then straightaway, we move into the kitchen,
0:09:50 > 0:09:55and in here you've got an electric hob and a sink.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59That's the downstairs. That's your whole downstairs, right here.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04OK, a tiny staircase...
0:10:04 > 0:10:07leads you up to this, which is
0:10:07 > 0:10:12a bedroom for Mum, Dad and Baby.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16(That's it. That's it for the bedroom.)
0:10:16 > 0:10:19There's a wardrobe wedged into the corner.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21MATT SIGHS
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And then we've got...its en-suite.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I can't open the door fully, even.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30You've got a sink, toilet and a shower room.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32There's no central heating in here,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35so the guys are relying on a... you can't see it -
0:10:35 > 0:10:37I'm going to have to go out so you can see it -
0:10:37 > 0:10:40an oil-fired little radiator down there.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Have a look.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46OK?
0:10:48 > 0:10:50That's the only way you can get to see everything
0:10:50 > 0:10:52is if I step out of the way,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55so there's clothes hanging off everything trying to get them dry.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57How you get them dry, I don't know.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01You just can't live like this.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02You can't do it.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It's obviously quite an undersized flat.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08It's just over two metres width across
0:11:08 > 0:11:12and looks slightly longer than that long.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15For three people, it's drastically undersized.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19A one-bedroom flat like this to meet minimum requirements
0:11:19 > 0:11:23would have to be pretty well over 50 square metres
0:11:23 > 0:11:25and there's no way this gets even close.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29It's obvious this place is not fit for one person to live,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31never mind a family.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It would never have got planning permission to let out
0:11:34 > 0:11:37'as a separate unit.' Newham never ceases to amaze me.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39The housing market never ceases to amaze me,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41the way it is at the moment.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The things that people are being forced to accept.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Erm, I'd say this is almost the smallest family house
0:11:48 > 0:11:49in the country right now.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53If you've got one that's smaller with three people in it,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56let me know cos I can't imagine how you'd do it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Fortunately, James has managed to get hold of the landlord.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11As the owner of the property next door, he may be able to shed
0:12:11 > 0:12:14some light on how his tenants came to be living like this.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Hi there, we're from the council, from the planning department.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21And after a quick chat, it seems we have some answers.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25So let me get this clear, James, cos it's quite a complex situation.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28It was already, the extension was there when he bought the place.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- Yeah.- But he recently put in that kitchen
0:12:32 > 0:12:35which effectively makes it a separate unit, a separate dwelling.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Yeah, exactly.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Until the time that he put that kitchen in,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41it was just part of the main dwelling.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The kitchen went in and he let it out separately a year ago.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48From planning terms, even though the main structure has been there for a
0:12:48 > 0:12:52long time, it's still a new use and something we can enforce against.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56So when you change the use and then let it out, in this case,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58that's the crucial bit when you need to get on the phone
0:12:58 > 0:13:00and say, "Can I do this?"
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Always check with Planning and make sure, can I do this?
0:13:03 > 0:13:06He will probably get a notice to return the use
0:13:06 > 0:13:09of that side extension for the main property.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- So we just keep an eye on that, make sure he does follow through. - Exactly.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16So it looks like the house will soon return to being what it
0:13:16 > 0:13:18was supposed to be - an extension,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and not a home for a family of three.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I've been to Britain's smallest house, I think it's in North Wales,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26but it's a tourist attraction, no-one lives there.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30That place is not much bigger, if at all,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34and yet there are three people there, a couple and their child,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37a family, and it's hard to imagine how on earth they cope.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41The landlord's attempt to turn this extension into a profit also
0:13:41 > 0:13:44highlights a very real problem faced by housing officers
0:13:44 > 0:13:47and tenants in this part of the world.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The result of all of this, sadly,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55is that he'll probably make it what it should have been all along,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59which is one family home, and that means that our couple with
0:13:59 > 0:14:04their baby next door could well be looking for somewhere new to live.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07That's the pressure of Newham and on London generally.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Earlier, I accompanied Newham Council housing officers
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Holly and Christine to check up on a private rented property which
0:14:21 > 0:14:23only has planning permission for one family
0:14:23 > 0:14:26and is thought to be seriously overcrowded.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28But, despite our best efforts...
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Hello, can you just let me in?
0:14:31 > 0:14:33..we couldn't get access.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Holly's back, armed with a warrant and colleague Stephen Pavett
0:14:37 > 0:14:41to find out what's really happening inside.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44- Is there someone in there? - Hello.- Hello, sir,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47we're from the planning department from Newham Council.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49We're here to do an inspection of the property.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Are we all right to come in?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54The landlord has already been served with an enforcement notice to
0:14:54 > 0:14:57make sure the property only houses one family.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Anything other than that and he's breaking the law.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- So how many people are living in your room here?- My daughter.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05- Your daughter?- Yes.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- And your wife.- Yes. - In this room here?- Yes.- OK.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12How long have you been living in this room?
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- Three years.- Three years? It's a long time to be in one room.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17And how much rent do you pay for this room?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- 400.- £400 per month?- Yeah.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25So that's two adults and a teenage child, crammed into one room,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29complete with all their worldly possessions, for three years!
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Does this pull out, and you sleep on...?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38It's hard, it must be.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Yeah, OK.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45It's hard to believe that this man thinks there's no better alternative
0:15:45 > 0:15:48to living in conditions like this than to be on the streets.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53- Thank you very much.- Sorry to disturb you.- OK, no problem.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56They've got a pull-out sofa that's the main bed
0:15:56 > 0:16:00and then a mattress or a duvet that's on the floor.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05It's quite appalling to be in those sort of conditions for that long.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07I don't know what I'm going to find in the rest of the house,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09but it's not looking good so far.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13The next even-smaller room has two beds and a lock on the door,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17another classic sign of a house being shared by strangers.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20And things don't get any better in the kitchen.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23It's not in a very good condition, we can see the ceiling is
0:16:23 > 0:16:26in a terrible mess here.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28I don't know what's happening, it must have been a leak, probably
0:16:28 > 0:16:31from the upstairs bathroom that's all caved in.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33We've got a number of fridges,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37another good indication that this is a shared home.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41So I think we're going down the back here.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45We've got this extension here, this is someone's room.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I wouldn't be particularly happy to have it as my room,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50it doesn't look in particularly good shape.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Do you know how many people live in here?
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- Two.- Two people in this bed here?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58It's...
0:17:01 > 0:17:02Yes.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05Yeah, I noticed in the kitchen
0:17:05 > 0:17:08the ceiling has come down recently from the bathroom,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11a leak or something, and the landlord does nothing, really,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13- to maintain?- He don't care.- No.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18- He's just after getting his rent from you?- Yes.- Yeah.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21The landlord is pocketing almost three grand a month
0:17:21 > 0:17:24for this property, including £320 quid
0:17:24 > 0:17:26for what is not much more than a lean-to.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30It's quite a small room.
0:17:32 > 0:17:33- And this is your heating?- Yes.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Does it get quite cold in here?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- Sometimes.- It feels quite damp.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Cramped, cold and damp, not what any of us are looking for
0:17:42 > 0:17:44in a home.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Planning and housing restrictions are there to ensure safe,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50acceptable conditions, but judging by the state of the bathroom
0:17:50 > 0:17:53it's an epic fail on both counts.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The whole floor is wet and I can't actually tell
0:17:57 > 0:17:59where that's coming from.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01There seems to be a bit of movement to the floor.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I would say that the floorboards underneath are sodden
0:18:04 > 0:18:06and this probably may collapse.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10We've got signs on the door saying what you should and shouldn't do.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13So good on them for trying to do something about it,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16but with the amount of people that we think have been told to us
0:18:16 > 0:18:18are living in this property, which is 14,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20that's going to be a very hard thing to do.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24And you can see from the bathroom's condition, it's just,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26it's just a no-win situation.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30It's not hard to see just how the landlord has managed
0:18:30 > 0:18:32to cram 14 people into this place.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- This is a tiny room.- Yeah.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I can nearly touch the walls either side,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41so you're probably looking at about six by eight foot.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44We've just got conditions that are just appalling.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45I wouldn't want to be in here.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I wouldn't want to stay in here more than a couple of hours
0:18:48 > 0:18:50and breathe the air in because it feels damp.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52There's mould everywhere.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55I don't know how the people are coping, to be quite honest.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It's one of the worst overcrowded properties I've seen.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00The conditions are not great,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03so it would have to rate as one of them, yeah.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Depressingly, there's yet another family of three living in this room.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11And how much do you pay for renting the room?
0:19:11 > 0:19:13500.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17£500 altogether for the room. OK.
0:19:17 > 0:19:23When you pay the money, have you got a contract or tenancy agreement
0:19:23 > 0:19:25saying that you stay here?
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Nothing, you don't have any tenancy agreement?
0:19:28 > 0:19:30So with three people in a number of the rooms,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34no tenancy agreements and unsafe conditions, it's enough to
0:19:34 > 0:19:36make any housing officer's toes curl.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39But although the landlord could face prosecution,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42it's the tenants who have to deal with the fallout.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Does that mean, then, that we will have to look for new places to live?
0:19:47 > 0:19:50There's a good chance that that will have to happen.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53He would have to give you what's called a Section 21 notice
0:19:53 > 0:19:54under the Housing Act.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59A Section 21 notice is part of the Housing Act of 1988
0:19:59 > 0:20:02and it gives the tenant a minimum of two months' notice
0:20:02 > 0:20:04before they have to vacate a property.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Although that's probably small comfort to the tenants.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11I'm seeing...
0:20:11 > 0:20:15People there genuinely are nice and you've got families in there.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17They're just trying to make a life for themselves,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21paying a lot of money and for not a lot of return.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25It's not being kept up at all by the owner of the property,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27you've got damage and leaks and issues everywhere.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Yeah, we'll look to take further action on this one
0:20:30 > 0:20:32by probably going for a prosecution.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41In three months during 2015, local housing authorities received
0:20:41 > 0:20:46over 27,000 applications for housing assistance from homeless people,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49but with high demand or council properties throughout
0:20:49 > 0:20:53the country, this can be a challenging, time-consuming process,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56that can often include long stays in temporary accommodation.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02In the Gloucestershire town of Stroud,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05housing officer Vicky Stephenson is helping one young woman
0:21:05 > 0:21:07leave her past behind,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09to start a new life in her own home.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15We've picked her up as a priority because of medical problems.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18And, erm...
0:21:18 > 0:21:20She's been bidding regularly on Home Seekers,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23which is the council waiting list
0:21:23 > 0:21:27and, fortunately, we've been able to secure a private rental
0:21:27 > 0:21:30through our Homeless Prevention Fund.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Vicky's client is Sally-Anne.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39After losing close family members, Sally-Anne was homeless
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and became addicted to drugs.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46The drastic change was, in my life,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49was my brother getting killed, yeah.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53My nan and grandad passed away in 2009
0:21:53 > 0:21:58and that just sent me off the hook, yeah.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59That broke me.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Over the past few months Sally-Anne has been battling her addictions,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07living in temporary accommodation, whilst she and Vicky
0:22:07 > 0:22:09try to find her a place of her own,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11but it hasn't been an easy time.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I'm in a bed and breakfast in Gloucester,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18where I don't want to be.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19Erm...
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Choices I've made, I've fought for this, I've fought so hard
0:22:25 > 0:22:28to get, erm, where I'm at now,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30but I've let myself down.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35Obviously with my addiction, it's so powerful and cunning.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38And I feel lonely, I feel weak...
0:22:39 > 0:22:41..depressed,
0:22:41 > 0:22:46and I have contemplated suicide, put it that way.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49In England, at the end of June 2015,
0:22:49 > 0:22:54more than 66,000 households were in temporary accommodation.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Sally-Anne believes that leaving this world behind is her best
0:22:57 > 0:23:01chance for a fresh start at life away from her addictions.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06I'm hoping for a secure accommodation, to be settled, happy.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13What I would like to achieve is comfort, security,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17knowing that I've got somewhere that I can lock the door,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20have my own serenity and peace and quiet.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22It's been a tough journey for Sally-Anne,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25but thanks to Vicky and her team, the prospect of a life
0:23:25 > 0:23:27out of the B&B and in her own flat
0:23:27 > 0:23:29is now just a few weeks away.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I don't want to ruin this chance
0:23:32 > 0:23:36because the council aren't going to keep helping me.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39They can't keep doing it for me.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42I'm getting a flat, I am getting a flat,
0:23:42 > 0:23:46and it's just worked out so perfectly.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48I'm excited, it's a new chapter.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53Getting her own place to live might not seem like a big change,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56but for Sally-Anne it's allowing her to let go of the past
0:23:56 > 0:23:58and look towards a positive future.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03And on a wet morning in Stroud, Sally-Anne is on her way to
0:24:03 > 0:24:06a meeting that's another milestone in her recovery.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Vicky's team have found a private landlord
0:24:08 > 0:24:10who's willing to take her on as a tenant.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13So after all of the waiting and planning, the time has come
0:24:13 > 0:24:16for her to collect the keys to her very own flat.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Signing my papers,
0:24:18 > 0:24:20getting out of the B&B.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Yes! Erm, getting my own space,
0:24:23 > 0:24:24my sanctuary,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29and a lot, a lot of, erm, excitement.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Between April and June 2015, over 13,000 households were
0:24:34 > 0:24:37registered as homeless by the government,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40but for Sally-Anne there is a positive future ahead.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- Hi, Sally, morning.- Thank you.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- See what you think of the flat. - Thank you.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- Hi, Mark.- How are you?- I'm Vicky.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51This is Sally-Anne.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55- What do you think, Sally?- What I like about the flat - it's mine.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56I'm not sharing.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Erm, yeah, it's my own, it'll be my own security.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03It's a step, like, huge stepping stone
0:25:03 > 0:25:06and I need my own space now.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08This is the supplemental agreement
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and this is between your landlord,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15yourself and Stroud District Council.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18So if you're happy with all that, if we could get you to sign there.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Perfect. Yeah.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23For Sally-Anne, it comes down to this moment,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27all she has to do now is sign and then sign again.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And then...another signature.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33It's not just the signature, this is like, erm, a new life.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- That's that done.- Excited. I've got butterflies.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I can't wait to get in, give it a good clean.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Erm, yeah, and then it's mine.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I got my own key, then. Not a B&B key.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Yeah.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50I want to come back in six months to see what you've done.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52- I'd give it a couple of weeks. - I'd like to do that.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56- Yeah, give it a couple of weeks. - To see the difference.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58It's out with the old and in with the new.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I have to, it's a fresh start for me.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02This is the beginning of the end, if that makes sense.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Well, I hope you'll be very happy. - Does that make sense?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- The beginning of the end? - Yeah, it does. A new start.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Thanks to Vicky, Sally-Anne has signed
0:26:11 > 0:26:13a 12-month tenancy agreement on the flat,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16allowing her to really make the place her own.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19I wouldn't get this property if it wasn't for Vicky
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and the Homeless Prevention Team.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24She's getting things done that I probably wouldn't have got done.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29I'm over the moon, absolutely dead proud.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Two weeks later, and Sally-Anne's house
0:26:34 > 0:26:36is starting to look like a home.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40As a future home, I could see it as a homely home
0:26:40 > 0:26:44and a place of sanctuary and security.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46It's not just Sally-Anne that's delighted.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49It's also a job well done for housing officer, Vicky.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54It was really nice to see how happy Sally-Anne was,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57getting herself settled into her new property,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59having gone through such a tough time.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I feel very proud of myself.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03No, I do. I do feel very proud of myself,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06but, yeah, no, I'm more than content.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08That's the reasons for doing this job,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10when you get a good result.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Defending our right to a safe place to live is
0:27:16 > 0:27:19the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23This is not really an acceptable way of leaving the property behind.
0:27:23 > 0:27:24Do you think?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I'm working alongside the men and women
0:27:27 > 0:27:29that do exactly that.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30- Top marks.- Yes!
0:27:30 > 0:27:33I'm hitting the streets...
0:27:33 > 0:27:35That's ready to collapse.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Finding out what's happening on the front line
0:27:37 > 0:27:39The cistern's in the bath.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I don't know how they flush it.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44..and learning what it takes to make sure a house
0:27:44 > 0:27:47is fit to be called a home.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49I'm very shocked. This is ridiculous.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51You shouldn't have people living in here.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58North Wales has some of the most stunning scenery
0:27:58 > 0:28:00in the British Isles...
0:28:01 > 0:28:03..with the Snowdonia National Park
0:28:03 > 0:28:07attracting people who want a small piece of this relaxed lifestyle
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and everything that comes with it.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Gwynedd Council housing officer Carwyn Roberts is on his way
0:28:13 > 0:28:17to a house that's been causing problems for neighbours after
0:28:17 > 0:28:20a new owner bought it and started work on the property.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So we're going to a property in a small village
0:28:26 > 0:28:28called Llan Ffestiniog.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33The property in question is a small, little miner's cottage
0:28:33 > 0:28:37which has been empty for a number of years.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40The current owner started work on landscaping the garden.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43He couldn't get the digger in through the garden,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47so he drove the digger right through the middle of the house.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52That's right. Unable to gain access to the rear of his property,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55the owner thought it would be a good idea to smash through the house
0:28:55 > 0:28:57from front to back.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02He didn't just wreck his own property,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06his neighbours are worried it's damaged the structural integrity
0:29:06 > 0:29:10of their homes too. Noel Rhys Owen owns the house next door,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13but conditions have got so bad, he's had to move out.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16I couldn't believe it that he could get away
0:29:16 > 0:29:20without any thought actually of just...
0:29:20 > 0:29:22"Oh, that's it, I'll just pile through the house
0:29:22 > 0:29:25"and into the back garden without any disregard to nobody else."
0:29:25 > 0:29:30It's a shock to see such a beautiful old cottage being demolished
0:29:30 > 0:29:34and being left as it is for such a long time.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37There's a massive gaping hole on the front and the rear,
0:29:37 > 0:29:41and the gable end is on the verge of coming down.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45So today's visit is basically to have a look at
0:29:45 > 0:29:47the state of the property now.
0:29:47 > 0:29:48What condition it's in.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53The new owner was given planning permission for the work
0:29:53 > 0:29:55on the cottage by Snowdonia National Park Authority,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58not Gwynedd Council.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01So Carwyn can't compel the owner to make good on the works needed
0:30:01 > 0:30:06to put the house right, but he can intervene in the neighbour dispute.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08Although looking at the property,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10it's difficult to see what he can do.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13There's not a lot of structure of the property left to hold
0:30:13 > 0:30:16the whole thing up, and that's my main concern.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21The owner of the property started the work over three years ago.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24It's caused a great deal of stress for Noel,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28who's now moved out and put his house on the market.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32But it gets worse because it's estimated that empty properties
0:30:32 > 0:30:35can devalue neighbouring homes by up to 18%.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39He's had it on the market,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42people come for viewings, they're not interested.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47Erm...and why would they with this next door?
0:30:47 > 0:30:50You can't hide what's actually behind the boarding
0:30:50 > 0:30:53and the scaffolding. So, yeah, that's basically it.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58Later Carwyn discovers things are even worse than he thought.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04He's dug down so deep now, the foundations have started to cave in.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13I'm in Oxford, a property hot spot where rising house prices
0:31:13 > 0:31:17have led to an increased demand for rental properties.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20So to help protect the growing number of sometimes desperate
0:31:20 > 0:31:24tenants looking for a roof over their heads, larger properties
0:31:24 > 0:31:29that offer shared accommodation need to have a licence from the council.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32This allows housing officers like Adrian Chowns to keep
0:31:32 > 0:31:35an eye on them to make sure that a reasonable number of people
0:31:35 > 0:31:38live in the property and that the landlord is providing a safe
0:31:38 > 0:31:41and sanitary environment.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43So the property that we're looking at, what are the issues there?
0:31:43 > 0:31:46This is one that's been licensed before,
0:31:46 > 0:31:48but the owner's failed to renew the licence.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52So either it's gone back to an acceptable amount of people,
0:31:52 > 0:31:56so it doesn't require a licence, or they've just not bothered.
0:31:56 > 0:31:57Anything else I should know about?
0:31:57 > 0:32:01We've had a report there's some rats been seen,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03so, obviously, there's an issue with conditions.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05OK, let's check it out.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07The council needs to find out
0:32:07 > 0:32:10if there are still a number of people sharing this house.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12There are a lot of bins here,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14and that's often a sign of an overcrowded property.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19- Hello there.- Hi there, how are you doing?- I'm from the council.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21How long have you been here?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23'The tenant didn't want to speak on camera,'
0:32:23 > 0:32:26but has confirmed Adrian's suspicions.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30There are four people renting separate rooms inside.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33In Oxford, any more than three unrelated people sharing
0:32:33 > 0:32:36a house means the landlord must have a licence,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40allowing the council to regulate health and safety.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43The good news is, this landlord's proudly got one on display.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46The bad news is, it's out of date.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49That expired on 2nd April 2015.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52And that means he's now breaking the law.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56The licence has lapsed but then also we don't know how good
0:32:56 > 0:32:58the management's been since that time.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00I mean, you know, we need to have a look round.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03So, no licence and it looks like the landlord hasn't
0:33:03 > 0:33:07kept on top of the conditions in the property either.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11You've got evidence of a lot of condensation
0:33:11 > 0:33:14going on in that corner there, it's gone black and spotty.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17So maybe the ventilation's either not working
0:33:17 > 0:33:19or not working very well.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21And it might be easy to understand why there have been
0:33:21 > 0:33:23reports of vermin around this house.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26If I was a rat I'd love that big bag of flour there.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Or even a nice cockroach.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32I'm not sure we can blame the landlord entirely
0:33:32 > 0:33:33for this one, though.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Typically in a shared rental house,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39the tenants are expected to keep the communal areas clean.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43But it's the responsibility of the landlord to make this practical.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45That means kitchen surfaces
0:33:45 > 0:33:48and floors should all be in a good state of repair.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Waste storage should be provided inside and out.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And key areas, such as bathroom walls and sanitaryware,
0:33:55 > 0:33:56should be kept up to scratch
0:33:56 > 0:33:58to give tenants a fighting chance
0:33:58 > 0:34:00of keeping them clean,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02unlike what we find next.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06In the bathroom here we've got a really grubby floor.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09- The state of the whole place... - Just generally grotty.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Generally grotty.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13We're looking at the management regulations here.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16It's the efforts that the landlord is making to
0:34:16 > 0:34:20regulate their behaviour in each other's interest.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Yeah, and to manage the house and to keep it in a reasonable condition.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28But Adrian doesn't seem to have found any significant issues yet,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and at least the fire precautions seem to be up to scratch.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35So it's odd that the landlord did have a licence
0:34:35 > 0:34:37but then didn't renew it.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40As we head outside, though, it seems the answer
0:34:40 > 0:34:43might be staring us in the face.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47See, what's THIS? Hold on, hold on, what's this?
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Later, we discover that despite not having a licence for his tenants
0:34:51 > 0:34:55inside, this landlord seems to be growing his empire outdoors too.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59In here it even looks like someone's about ready to move in.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06We're back in Llan Ffestiniog in North Wales,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08where housing officer Carwyn Roberts
0:35:08 > 0:35:11has been investigating a half-demolished house
0:35:11 > 0:35:14which has been making the neighbours' lives a nightmare.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18There's a massive gaping hole on the front and the rear,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22and the gable end is on the verge of coming down.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26Carwyn's been here before, but Noel's told him that the
0:35:26 > 0:35:30state of the building next door has deteriorated.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32The best view is from Noel's back garden.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37I can see that part of the roof has been taken off now.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Last time I was here it was half-demolished.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43This used to be my border wall.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47He's knocked this down without any permission or agreement by myself.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Three-and-a-half years like this.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53I call it my own battlefield, to be honest.
0:35:53 > 0:35:58He's dug down so deep now the foundations on the end of the house
0:35:58 > 0:36:02apparently have started to cave in and it's just a pity to see one
0:36:02 > 0:36:06of the oldest houses in the village literally being torn to pieces.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08I'm trying to sell the house
0:36:08 > 0:36:11and this is the biggest drawback.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14- This demolition job next door. - Yeah, it's not helping.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18The owner's tried to board up the front of the property to try
0:36:18 > 0:36:21and hide, really, the massive hole at the front.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22It's quite shocking to see it.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24It's certainly one of our worst ones we've got.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28My concern is obviously that this is going to eventually
0:36:28 > 0:36:31drag down the roof of this house.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34If it was done up properly, this could be a lovely house.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37You know, it's got stunning location, stunning views
0:36:37 > 0:36:40but to have it, seeing it getting worse
0:36:40 > 0:36:44and worse like this every time I come here is very disheartening.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Erm, and frustrating, really, that the owner's, you know,
0:36:47 > 0:36:51not doing any substantial amount of works with the property.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56The issue at the heart of this dispute is that planning permission
0:36:56 > 0:37:01was given by the Snowdonia National Park authority, not Gwynedd Council.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04And that means Carwyn can't compel the owner to complete
0:37:04 > 0:37:07the work required and restore the house.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Carwyn's tried to get the best solution for Noel
0:37:12 > 0:37:15but his hands are tied. All he can do is maintain a dialogue with
0:37:15 > 0:37:17the owner of the crumbling property.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Well, we've contacted the owner to try and see, you know,
0:37:22 > 0:37:23what's going on.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26He says it's works in progress
0:37:26 > 0:37:29and although it's works in progress, to have it go on for so long
0:37:29 > 0:37:31is not reasonable.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34There is a recent planning permission gone in to erect
0:37:34 > 0:37:36an extension on the back.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41Erm, so whether that will spur him on to do the works, who knows?
0:37:41 > 0:37:42But I certainly think it needs...
0:37:42 > 0:37:47it needs to be a lot quicker than what it's going at the moment.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Despite battling on with the sale of his house,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Noel thinks he's going to have to cut his losses, and soon.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59I've been here for 13, 14 years and, er,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03when we moved in it was a beautiful little cottage with a lovely garden.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07I might have to reduce the price drastically, put it on auction.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10I'd just love to sell the house but I seem to be getting
0:38:10 > 0:38:14a lot of difficulty selling it because of next door's problem.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17This is quite a frustrating case that we've got
0:38:17 > 0:38:20because we're really not able to do much.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23It's just a waiting game, crank up a little
0:38:23 > 0:38:27bit of pressure and see, you know, if we can get him to move quicker.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33The Snowdonia National Park Authority tells us that
0:38:33 > 0:38:36while it understands the neighbour's frustrations,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39they don't have the power to compel the owner to work faster.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42They say a notice can only be served on the owner
0:38:42 > 0:38:44if no work had been carried out at the property,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47or if the work was in breach of planning,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49which at the moment, it isn't.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59Back in Oxford, and I'm with housing officer Adrian Chowns.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01We're at a property that we've learnt
0:39:01 > 0:39:03is unlawfully home to four tenants.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07That expired on 2nd April 2015.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09But as well as an expired licence
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and grotty conditions inside the house,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16we discovered there's a much bigger mystery at the bottom of the garden.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18What's this?
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Oh, look at this.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26I think we might, here, have stumbled on
0:39:26 > 0:39:29an interesting bit of development that's going on.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30Yeah, definitely.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34I mean, we're walking in here and straightaway it
0:39:34 > 0:39:37appears like we have everything we need in here for a bathroom.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40That suggests to me that there's going to be some toilet
0:39:40 > 0:39:43or, yeah, there's drains.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Really, you don't put a bathroom into a storage area
0:39:46 > 0:39:48in your back garden, do you?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It seems the presence of this building
0:39:51 > 0:39:54is as much of a shock to Adrian as it is to me.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58We had no notice of this place here at all, did we?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00There's nothing on the books?
0:40:00 > 0:40:02No, I mean this is the thing, isn't it?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05I mean, we come to these places and you find something like this
0:40:05 > 0:40:07being constructed in the back garden.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11And with two centrally heated, double-glazed rooms...
0:40:11 > 0:40:14This is feeling quite residential, I'd say.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17It seems our landlord is definitely looking to expand his accommodation.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22In here it even looks like someone's about ready to move in.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27- Yeah.- We've got bedding, and we've got suitcases and chairs.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29We've got clothes there, as well.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33I'd say this is maybe three or four weeks off actually being inhabited.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36- So this was a good time to call round.- Yeah, definitely.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39With this, it goes straight to Planning, I'd say,
0:40:39 > 0:40:41and say we found this.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Is there any record at all of this being given planning permission?
0:40:45 > 0:40:49And Adrian's got another concern about this glorified garden shed.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52One that could make life for the tenants inside the house
0:40:52 > 0:40:54even more uncomfortable.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58The thing for me is that we haven't got a kitchen.
0:40:58 > 0:41:04So my assumption would be that whoever's staying in this building
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- would use the kitchen in the main house.- Yeah.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10That would push it beyond acceptability.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14Adrian's concern is that extra tenants put pressure on all
0:41:14 > 0:41:18the facilities in a house and make the property officially overcrowded.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21So even if planning permission exists for this outbuilding,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Adrian would still look to take action.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29We can serve a prohibition order on here
0:41:29 > 0:41:32and we can put a condition on the licence
0:41:32 > 0:41:36so that this building can't be used for sleeping accommodation.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39And that's the important thing to remember about visits like this.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43There's a reason the council want to licence rented accommodation.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46They need to ensure everyone has a safe place to live.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50We saw the licence and you know he's clearly not renewed that, so...
0:41:50 > 0:41:54And the reason for that could be because he didn't want anyone
0:41:54 > 0:41:57coming round seeing the fact that he's building a palace
0:41:57 > 0:42:00in the back garden for even more residents.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05I think we need to start a formal investigation into the landlord
0:42:05 > 0:42:08and into the way he's been operating this property.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11And true to his word, a couple of weeks later,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Adrian has completed his investigation.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17It seems that paperwork really isn't this landlord's strong suit.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21Not only has he not got the right licence to house his four tenants,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24there's nothing in the files for his mystery garden building either.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27In terms of the actual outbuilding that we went into,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31there doesn't appear to be planning permission.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34And that's more bad news for the landlord.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37We'll let our Planning colleagues know.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40They will potentially be looking at taking enforcement action
0:42:40 > 0:42:43against him for an unlawful development.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47We've now heard that the council is taking action
0:42:47 > 0:42:50against the landlord for failing to renew his licence.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53Meanwhile, the planning department have invited him to put his
0:42:53 > 0:42:56side of the story about the building at the bottom of the garden
0:42:56 > 0:42:58in a formal interview.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02That's it for today.
0:43:02 > 0:43:07Join me next time, on the front line with Britain's housing officers.