0:00:02 > 0:00:04As soon as we opened the door, there were flies everywhere.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06'Everyone deserves a safe place to live.'
0:00:06 > 0:00:09You've got a choice of the tomahawk or the bayonet.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11'But with rents rising and demand increasing,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'it's getting harder and harder to find a secure place to call home.'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17A little bit concerned about what's happening here.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21'I'm Matt Allwright, and I'm back with the housing enforcers.'
0:00:21 > 0:00:23That worries me a bit there, look.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26- You got the biggest stinging nettles in the world.- Yep.
0:00:26 > 0:00:27'I'm on the front line with those
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'fighting for the right to decent housing.'
0:00:30 > 0:00:34The amount of money they owe, it's in excess of £100,000.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35Whoa, whoa, calm down! Sir, sir, sir.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'As local councils and housing associations
0:00:37 > 0:00:41'battle problem properties and slum conditions...
0:00:41 > 0:00:42Hyde Housing, is there anyone in there?
0:00:42 > 0:00:45'..as they deal with dodgy landlords...'
0:00:45 > 0:00:47- He just said he was selling the house.- When did he tell you that?
0:00:47 > 0:00:49A couple of weeks ago.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50'..nightmare neighbours...'
0:00:50 > 0:00:52- She doesn't like you.- She hates me.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- Would you want either side evicted? - No.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55'..and everything in between...'
0:00:55 > 0:00:58There was a shed here, look, there's the base for it.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01'..to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:04It doesn't leave you with a good feeling, though. That's a tough job.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10'Today...
0:01:10 > 0:01:11KNOCKS AT THE DOOR
0:01:13 > 0:01:16'..I'm in Havering, on the beat with the fraud squad.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Have you got any other forms of ID? I need to see some correspondence
0:01:20 > 0:01:22that's got your name and this address on it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'A housing inspection in Tendring reveals a potential hazard.'
0:01:29 > 0:01:31So, if someone was to go, they'd fall on to the hard
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and unforgiving surface below, which is concrete.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36The last thing we want is that.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40'In London, the stress of noisy neighbours is taking its toll.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:43They just get... You hear?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And I can't sleep.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51And the doctors have me on the heavy medication.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55And in Newcastle, an empty house provides a sticky situation.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59You can't expect someone to move in and lose their shoes to that floor.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03HER SHOES SQUEAK AND SQUELCH
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Making sure everyone's got the chance to find
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and keep a roof over their heads
0:02:14 > 0:02:17is the job of housing officers across the UK.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20I'm working alongside these men and women
0:02:20 > 0:02:23who use the law to make sure we don't live in slums
0:02:23 > 0:02:27but in homes fit to raise a family or enjoy our retirement.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30They can make sure you have the facilities you need
0:02:30 > 0:02:31as you get older.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34They also have the power to enforce a landlord
0:02:34 > 0:02:38to sort out a dangerous property, or help evict a bad tenant.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It's definitely a challenging role.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Welcome to the world of the housing enforcers.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Throughout my time working with housing officers all across the UK,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53the one message that keeps returning is
0:02:53 > 0:02:56that a person's home is not just bricks and mortar,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59it's the place where you live and the community that you share.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And that part of being a good tenant
0:03:02 > 0:03:05is also being an understanding neighbour.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Of course, that might be all well and good in theory
0:03:07 > 0:03:10but, as we know, in real life things aren't always that straightforward.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Neighbours can end up falling out with each other
0:03:12 > 0:03:14over many different issues
0:03:14 > 0:03:17but it's noise that tops the table of complaints.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Today I'm in Brent, north-west London,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23joining housing officer Grace Briody, who's been called
0:03:23 > 0:03:24to a neighbour dispute that illustrates
0:03:24 > 0:03:27there are always two sides to every story.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32So it's not one, but two properties we're interested in right now?
0:03:32 > 0:03:33What's the situation?
0:03:33 > 0:03:36The property on the first floor has been making complaints
0:03:36 > 0:03:39about noise from the above property for about 18 months.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42But they've intensified in the last six to seven months.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Basically the situation is upstairs we've got a lady
0:03:46 > 0:03:48who's got two children, a young boy and a young girl.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52So, the lady below and ourselves are aware
0:03:52 > 0:03:54that it is...although completely unintentional noise
0:03:54 > 0:03:58coming from the property, it is still noise.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00The young boy's unable to sleep at night,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02he's running round the property and dropping things.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05There's obviously constant noise throughout the day and the night,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07all times, all through the week.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09And the lady below is quite elderly, she's quite vulnerable,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12and it's having a massive negative impact on her mental health.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15It's a difficult one because we have had to class this
0:04:15 > 0:04:19as antisocial behaviour although we are aware that it's not intentional.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Shall we go and have a look? - Yeah, let's see it.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23London is one of the busiest cities in the world,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26so I'm guessing residents here
0:04:26 > 0:04:28might have a higher than average noise threshold.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31But sleepless nights are clearly something else entirely.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33our first stop is to the first floor
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and a tenant who's made the complaints.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- Hello.- How are you doing?
0:04:41 > 0:04:42THE LADY REPLIES QUIETLY
0:04:42 > 0:04:46- Oh, bless you.- Are we all right to come in?- Yeah, come.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48This tenant's complaint isn't about occasional noise
0:04:48 > 0:04:50from the neighbouring children,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54she says it's a constant issue and is now affecting her health.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58What we're interested in is the way that the flat upstairs affects you.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Can you explain to me what it's like?
0:05:02 > 0:05:05They can start four o'clock in the morning.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08They will start if the parents put them to bed at nine, ten o'clock.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10They've got no way to control them.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12They just get... Do you hear that?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14And I can't sleep.
0:05:14 > 0:05:20And the doctors have me on heavy medication, for blood pressure.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25And you know when blood pressure reach its height, it's hospital,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27and I don't like hospital.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'The stress of the situation is very clear,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'and the impact on her life even more so.'
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Do you often stay out of the property to get away from the noise?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Yeah, that's right, especially at night.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44And when it come...um...time for her to get the kids ready,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46this one don't want to go in the bath,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50that one want to stay in the bath.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53It's too much. It's too much for one person...
0:05:54 > 0:05:56..to cope with.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01'It's hard not to feel sympathy
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'but here in London, home to more than 8.5 million people,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07'there still has to be some give and take.'
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- Do you like where you live here? - I love where I live.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15I love where I live.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16If this family goes,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19there may well be somebody else after them who makes some noise.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22So why can't you put somebody quiet here?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Because there's all sorts of people that need houses,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27some of them are noisy and some of them are less noisy.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30If they've got kids, they're going to be noisy.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32You get an old one like myself.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34They won't be able to climb the stairs.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37I can help them up the stairs, don't worry about that,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39That's fine, that's covered. The difference with this
0:06:39 > 0:06:43is not that there's a problem that there's children living there,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45but because he's up all through the night and all morning,
0:06:45 > 0:06:46that's the problem.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Enough is enough with the noise.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Thank you so much for your time, we appreciate it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Grace is going to do the best she can for you.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- And you help her. - I will do whatever I can.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59'This is a difficult one for Grace,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01'the ongoing noise problem is clearly having
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'a genuinely negative impact on this tenant's life
0:07:04 > 0:07:08'and it's equally clear there are no easy answers either.'
0:07:08 > 0:07:10It's incredibly difficult.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14You can't evict somebody because their son makes a load of noise
0:07:14 > 0:07:18but, at the same time, if the lady below is suffering
0:07:18 > 0:07:20to the extent that we're talking about,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22something has to be done to help her.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- I mean, what would you do?- Ha!
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- This is the difficulty, what would you do?- What would I do?
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I don't know, you see. I honestly don't know what I'd do.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33'Later on, we hear the other side of the story.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:36That's about the last thing you imagine there.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40There's a mum, beautifully turned-out kids, gorgeous kids,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44and just obviously desperately trying to keep that family together.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53With demand for social housing far outstripping supply,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56local councils and housing associations have to work hard
0:07:56 > 0:07:59to ensure that when a property becomes vacant,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01it doesn't stay empty for too long.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Here in the north-east,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Isos Housing currently provide around 17,000 homes.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08And when one of their tenants moves out,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11the race is on to get the property turned around
0:08:11 > 0:08:13for the next resident on the waiting list.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15That job often lands on the desk
0:08:15 > 0:08:17of housing officers like Laura Barnett.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Today we're going to two empty properties.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23The keys have just come in.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26We'll be checking them out, seeing that they're clean and tidy.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28What repairs need to be done,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31get them back to letting to a new person.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33With a long waiting list for social housing,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Laura's hoping she can get these properties turned around quickly
0:08:36 > 0:08:38but it looks like this first house
0:08:38 > 0:08:40might present something of a challenge.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44When they handed the keys in, they promised they would tidy that away.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Obviously hasn't been done.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Not the best start.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52And with a garden in this state,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55you wonder what could be waiting on the inside.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04It's not as clean as what I would like.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05I can already spot repairs.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07As soon as you walk in, you can see holes in the doors
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and stuff they've tried to hide.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11You can see them.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13It looks like there are plenty of other issues
0:09:13 > 0:09:16the previous tenant hasn't attempted to disguise.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18You can see here, the hinge needs replacing,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20it's been completely bent off.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26This could be either vandalism or wear and tear,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28probably more a little bit of misuse,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30slamming the door, swinging off them.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Either way, clearly more than just a couple of things
0:09:33 > 0:09:34to add to the to-do list.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And upstairs in the bathroom, it's a similar story.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40So what's happened here, they've had laminate floor covering on
0:09:40 > 0:09:42that they've glued to the floor.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43SQUEAKING
0:09:43 > 0:09:47And they've obviously not cleaned the glue off or anything.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50So our lads will have to come in and scrub the floor.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52They'll probably end up having to put plywood on the top of it
0:09:52 > 0:09:55because you can't expect somebody to move in
0:09:55 > 0:09:57and lose their shoes to that floor!
0:09:57 > 0:09:59SQUEAKING
0:10:01 > 0:10:07As Laura makes her way slowly...and carefully out of the bathroom,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10her list of repairs is becoming longer.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11And she's hoping the next tenant
0:10:11 > 0:10:13might take a little more care of the house.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16We'll try to put someone in the property where we know that
0:10:16 > 0:10:18they can spend the rest of their life here.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20We don't want them to keep moving around,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22we don't want a high turnover as a company.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25So the longer they stay here, the better.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Despite the condition of the garden, and that bathroom floor,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Laura's confident this property isn't going to defeat her.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35We'll turn this property around in two weeks,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38because we know there's somebody for it, we'll prioritise them,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41as opposed to the ones we haven't got somebody waiting for.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Two weeks would be the standard for this.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48That's one property down, and it's on to the next.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Let's hope this one is in better condition than the last.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56We've got everything we need.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59The good news is the garden is at least in better shape
0:10:59 > 0:11:02but Laura's not counting any chickens just yet.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06It can go from being spotless, nothing there,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09to you not being able to open the door, really, you never know.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13So this isn't a horror story, it looks all right.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15First appearances seem positive.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Sometimes you think there's a carpet on the floor
0:11:18 > 0:11:20but it's actually just dog hair!
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Bottles of wee, anything.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Sometimes it's some really grim stories.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28So I'm happy to see a clean carpet for a change.
0:11:30 > 0:11:31When it comes to a thorough inspection,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Laura's not forgotten some of the golden rules.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Test the door to see if it shuts. Shut it in here.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46You don't want to test the door while you're in it, shut it on you,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48otherwise you can get stuck.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Just a tip that you're always told when you first start training.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Things seem to be going well so far.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03No broken doors, no sticky bathroom floors.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06People here obviously kept the place quite tidy,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10everything's pretty clean, they must have been pretty house-proud.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14As well, they've obviously been reporting their repairs
0:12:14 > 0:12:15because there's not much to do.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Sometimes you come in, none of the doors shut,
0:12:18 > 0:12:19none of the windows open.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22But it's generally quite in a good condition.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29With this one, everything seems to be in full working order.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Of course, there is just one place left to inspect.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Checking the loft's clean and tidy,
0:12:35 > 0:12:37because a lot of people throw things in the loft
0:12:37 > 0:12:39and think that we'll not check
0:12:39 > 0:12:42so there's always loads of rubbish up there.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44We'll also check on the insulation levels.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Checking that there's no holes in the roof, no birds living up there,
0:12:47 > 0:12:48nothing that you wouldn't expect.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Sometimes you go in and you open it
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and the birds come across and swipe you in the head.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01It's mainly a hole in the wall.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03But I'm not expecting to find anything in this one
0:13:03 > 0:13:05because it's obviously been painted shut
0:13:05 > 0:13:08which means that they've probably not used it.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Shouldn't have spoken too soon, Laura.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18So this loft's absolutely full of stuff.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Old Christmas decorations. Bits of wood.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26So we'll contact them and say that they're going to charged for it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29And they'll just say, "It's not my stuff,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33"I never put it up there, I shouldn't be charged for this."
0:13:33 > 0:13:35But we have pictures of it previously being void
0:13:35 > 0:13:38so we can prove that it's been cleared since then.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39And it's things like that.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43So, not quite the clean bill of health Laura had hoped for,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46although her time as a housing officer has taught her,
0:13:46 > 0:13:47it could have been much worse.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Only found one dead body, and it's not the best idea.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56In Newcastle city centre in a block of flats,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I had reports that they hadn't seen the tenant for a while.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02So we broke the locks with the police.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Walked in, and he was lying there, dead.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09It's a smell that you'll never forget.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Oh, that was a bit dark!
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Anyway, nothing like that today. Thank goodness.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23That was all right, one of the better properties I've been to.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25And it won't be long before both properties are back
0:14:25 > 0:14:27amongst the 17,000 social homes
0:14:27 > 0:14:30available to Isos tenants in the north-east.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Earlier in north London, I joined housing officer Grace Briody,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42at a block of flats where the patter of tiny feet
0:14:42 > 0:14:45was anything but welcome for the tenant below.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47The parents put them to bed at nine, ten o'clock,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51and they wake up 12 o'clock. They just get... Do you hear that?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53And I can't sleep.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57But, as I'm being made aware, when it comes to housing problems,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00there are rarely any easy solutions.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02You don't get to pick and choose,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04you can't have a whole block of people with children,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06it just doesn't work that way.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08So I honestly don't know what I'd do.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I did promise to help Grace find an answer,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16so we take a trip up a floor, to speak to the tenants above
0:15:16 > 0:15:18in the flat that's the source of the noise.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Hi!
0:15:23 > 0:15:25- I've got Matt here with me. - Pleased to meet you. I'm Matt.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30The residents are happy to let us in and tell us their side of the story,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32although they've asked not to be identified.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Although, after meeting the family,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and seeing and hearing the situation for ourselves...
0:15:38 > 0:15:40CHILDREN SHOUT
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Thank you very much. See you later.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45..I'm not sure I'm any closer to spotting a resolution
0:15:45 > 0:15:48that can work for both sides.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52There's a mum, beautifully turned out kids, gorgeous kids,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and just obviously desperately trying to keep the family together
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and trying to make it work somehow.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Meanwhile, you know, she's got a neighbour downstairs
0:16:01 > 0:16:06who, understandably, and it's a very active child, making a lot of noise,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09screaming, jumping up and down. We saw that.
0:16:09 > 0:16:15Understandably, feels they can't lead the life they want to either.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16That's really tough.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20It's a bit of a lose-lose situation really for the both of them.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23It really has kind of made me realise just how much of a struggle
0:16:23 > 0:16:25this has been for such a long time.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Because, obviously, as I've pointed out to her,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30she's had people making noise complaints about her.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33It was pretty desperate, wasn't it? You could sense her desperation.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36She knows she's got somebody downstairs
0:16:36 > 0:16:38having a problem with it as well.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42I just felt that she was on the brink really.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44When I was asked earlier what I'd do to help,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I was fresh out of ideas.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Fortunately, for both these tenants though, there's Grace.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I think it's important to look at trying to
0:16:51 > 0:16:54work with the local authority, or within our own housing stock,
0:16:54 > 0:16:55to get this lady moved.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Because both situations are horribly desperate and
0:16:58 > 0:17:01they're unintentional, that's the key word that I would use in this.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03It is antisocial behaviour.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06A person, a household, is making noise at late hours of the night,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09through the night, consistent for long periods of the day.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12But it's not being done intentionally.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16So, how do we move forward and resolve this?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Obviously your heart goes out to both families,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20- both are suffering.- Yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Moving a tenant, especially in London,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28where social housing is at a premium, is clearly a last resort,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32but I wonder if, in a situation like this, that's the only option left.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Six weeks later, I managed to catch up with Grace again.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45She's just been to visit the tenants and looks to have some news.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47So that felt like a very difficult situation to resolve there.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Have we got an update? Has anything happened?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52We have opted to try and find a property within London.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55We've worked with the family closely to identify areas.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56We want to make sure we're not going
0:17:56 > 0:17:59to put another family in the same situation.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Because, you know, for the family involved, actually
0:18:01 > 0:18:03it's been quite traumatising for them,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05that relationship breakdown with the neighbours
0:18:05 > 0:18:06and all of the negative energy
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and negative comments they've had as a result of that.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11'So, with Grace's help, the hunt is now on
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'to find the family a ground-floor flat that will hopefully
0:18:14 > 0:18:18'minimise the impact of the children's noise on the neighbours.'
0:18:18 > 0:18:22It seems that however sophisticated and complex the guidelines,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25laws and procedures that there are surrounding housing,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28there's always a new situation that can't be accommodated
0:18:28 > 0:18:30within what we've got.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It's an almost infinite number of stories, aren't there?
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Yeah, because if you think, guidelines, policies,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38numbers, statistics, they're great,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39but it still humans that we're dealing with
0:18:39 > 0:18:43and humans will react in a million different ways in the same situation
0:18:43 > 0:18:46so, yeah, there are times when you have to think outside the box.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48So, put the human beings first,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50and then occasionally improvise a little bit.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53It just takes a bit of different thinking.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Yeah, definitely, it does. It takes a bit of different thinking.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00It's just a case of presenting that in a way that can be understood.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01Good stuff.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Defending our rights to a safe place to live
0:19:04 > 0:19:07is the job of housing officers right across the UK.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09'Fire Service turned up, didn't they.'
0:19:09 > 0:19:11There was no need for them.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- There was a fire.- There was not!
0:19:15 > 0:19:18I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19This one's the worst that I've seen.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23The amount of mould was quite shocking actually.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24- Hitting the streets... - Hello.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27..finding out what's happening on the front line...
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Warrants have been issued and they can be enforced.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33..as we make sure a house is a fit place to call a home.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Is that one there? Oh! Look at that.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- There's another one.- Yeah.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Now I've got somewhere that I can call home and it's permanent.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42That's got to be a good thing.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54The UK's housing crisis shows no signs of slowing up,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57with more than 1.2 million people on a waiting list for social housing
0:19:57 > 0:19:59just in England alone.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01With a number that high,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03it's more important than ever that councils and housing associations
0:20:03 > 0:20:08are able to offer homes to those in need as soon they become available
0:20:08 > 0:20:11but that task can be made that much harder
0:20:11 > 0:20:14by some people trying to cheat the system.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Whether that's illegally sub-letting homes for profit,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19or tenants trying to buy a home they're not entitled to,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22housing fraud is a huge problem for councils,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25costing them close to an estimated £2 billion a year.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33'Here in the London Borough of Havering,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35'there are more than 2,000 families waiting for a home.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38'I'm with Rob Kleinberg and his team
0:20:38 > 0:20:42'who are in charge of fighting fraud to make sure council homes
0:20:42 > 0:20:44'are going to those who actually need them.'
0:20:44 > 0:20:46So, what are we doing today, then, Rob?
0:20:46 > 0:20:48This property we're going to now
0:20:48 > 0:20:51is a referral that came from neighbours of the property
0:20:51 > 0:20:53because their tenant is not there.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55He's been reported to them and to us as not being there
0:20:55 > 0:20:58but his friends or people that neighbours imply
0:20:58 > 0:21:01that are his friends, use the property.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04We were informed that he lives with his mother.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07So we've got his mother's address.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10But what we need to do now is verify who is at the property
0:21:10 > 0:21:15whether it's him or whether it's friends or potentially sub-tenants,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17et cetera. So...
0:21:19 > 0:21:21'It seems there are suspicions this tenant is
0:21:21 > 0:21:23'no longer living at his property.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26'If there are other people using it, it could be that
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'he's renting it out without permission from the council.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'That's illegal, and such a serious offence
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'it can land you with a prison sentence.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:36It's a very difficult thing to prove, isn't it?
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Because proving someone is not somewhere,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42it's like I'm currently not at my home,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I'm out here, because I'm working.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- So proving someone is not somewhere is difficult.- Yep.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'Yeah, I'm fairly sure that makes sense!
0:21:51 > 0:21:54'Today, Rob and his team will do their best to get answers
0:21:54 > 0:21:55'from whoever opens that door
0:21:55 > 0:21:58'but their investigative powers stretch further than that.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01'They're also allowed to dig around a tenant's financial background
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'including bank statements and credit agreements.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09'If there are any sums that don't add up,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12'it can provide evidence for any further legal action.'
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Here we go.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19KNOCKS ON THE DOOR
0:22:21 > 0:22:24'I do love a good strong door knock.'
0:22:25 > 0:22:27- Hello.- Hello. Mr Hunt?- Yeah.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30My name is Rob Kleinberg, London Borough of Havering, fraud team.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32This is my colleague, Zed.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34We're just coming in with regards to an audit on the property.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- OK.- Is that OK? Have you got a couple of minutes of your time?
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Yeah, why not?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- Thank you very much.- Go in the living room, I'll be in in a sec.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- Hang on, I'll get my ID for you. - Lovely, thanks very much.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46- Nice to meet you.- Hello, mate, are you all right?- All right?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49'So, we're in luck and someone is at home.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53'The question is, is it the right person for this address?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56That's lovely. That's great. Thanks very much.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- Have you got any other forms of ID at all?- Such as?
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- A driving licence. Passport. - I've got a birth certificate.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Can I see that as well? Is that OK?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06The other thing as well, Mr Hunt, while you're looking,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09for proof of residency, I need to see some correspondence
0:23:09 > 0:23:10that's got your name and this address on it.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- Can I see that as well? Is that OK?- Right.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- Birth certificate. - Lovely, thanks, Mr Hunt.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Here it is, as old as I am, the state of it.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24I know it's August 15th but it's from the social.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25What we're doing with each of the visits,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28because we need to verify it is the tenant we're speaking to,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30then of course we need to verify the residency
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- which is why we need the proof of... - No problem.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39The ID suggests Trevor here is the correct tenant for this property.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42But there are still many questions that need to be answered.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45The reason we're here from the fraud team
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- as opposed to being an audit officer is...- I thought it was audit?
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Yeah, well, it's because the audit officers have had several visits
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- to the address.- That's right. And I was at my mum's.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58That's right. Yeah. So what it did, alarm bells rang
0:23:58 > 0:24:01so they refer it to us, and that's the reason we're here to verify it.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04My mum's in her 70s, and my dad's just gone into a care home.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08- That's why I was there a lot, helping her out.- Ah, right, I see. OK.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'Trevor says family commitments have left him no option
0:24:11 > 0:24:12'but to be away from the flat.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'But what about those other people seen coming and going?'
0:24:15 > 0:24:20- Is it just yourself living here? - Yeah. My mate stays here on and off.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'Trevor says his friend is the only other person spending time here.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'But Rob and the team need to be thorough in their investigation.'
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- You just need to show me the property.- Yeah. All right.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32You got the kitchen.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36- Lovely. Great stuff.- Yeah.- Yep.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39'While Rob and Zed check out the rest of the property,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41'I want to do a little digging of my own.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Trevor, tell me about you and this flat. How long have you been here?
0:24:45 > 0:24:46I've been here 17 years now.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49And what does it mean for you? What has it provided for you?
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Oh, blimey, lots of stability.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Neighbours, the friendship with the neighbours.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Somewhere of my own.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01I couldn't really explain to you how much it means, you know?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04I don't know. It's nice to have your own flat, obviously.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08It sounds like recently things have been difficult with your mum?
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Stepfather's just gone into the care home.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13My mum's had to sell the house to pay for his half of the care.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16So she's only left with half of the money from the house
0:25:16 > 0:25:17so she can't buy a house.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20But she needed help, though, because I'm the only one that's local.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It's only me and my mum that live locally.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24It's been hard out there. There's been a lot going on.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I had different tenants next door. There was a lot of drugs going on.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30A lot of police visits and raids and stuff.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33We had a lot of burglaries up here before, which is why he asked me
0:25:33 > 0:25:35to come and sit here while he was staying at his mum's,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37basically just to look after the place.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Make sure no-one comes in while he's not here.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Obviously you thought I was letting the flat out, you know?
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- Do you understand then why they've come in today?- Oh, totally. Yeah.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Does it worry you when you get a knock on the door from the council?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Do you know what? It does worry me. And it don't.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Because I've been through it before with them.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59I've got disability issues, because I had a car accident
0:25:59 > 0:26:00and some mental issues,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02because I've got post-traumatic stress disorder
0:26:02 > 0:26:04and I can't deal with stress. So, like,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08I've got a kind of a buffer that protects me to a degree, you know?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11But also, there's a certain amount
0:26:11 > 0:26:13of vulnerability in that as well, you know?
0:26:13 > 0:26:15I mean I might come across all right,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17but I still am a vulnerable person.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- Do you worry about losing this place?- I do worry about it, yeah.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22But I try not to dwell on it.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24I'm not the type of person that dwells on worry.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27But, yeah, it is a worry.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Thanks for letting us into your home. I appreciate that.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- And nice to meet you as well, Danny. - Yeah, nice, one. And you. Yeah.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Nice to meet you. You take care.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39'It's always interesting to meet tenants like Trevor
0:26:39 > 0:26:43'and his story seems legit to me. But then I'm not the fraud expert.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46'It will be interesting to hear Rob's view.'
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I mean that felt like home to me.
0:26:49 > 0:26:56I mean, that was... It's clearly his abode.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Interesting enough in the bathroom, one toothbrush,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01which is always a clear sign.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Bearing in mind the reports we had, ie, he was living with his mum.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06He just explained that away as well. We've got the mum's address.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09On paper, you think, hm, it's a bit suspicious.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12But once you're in front of someone and you're speaking to them
0:27:12 > 0:27:14and they've given you all of their details,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16it can be explained away.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17This was an unannounced visit.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19The tenant was there.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23And he's confirmed and explained the other side of the situation.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- He understood the job that you were there to do.- Yeah.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28He understood it was necessary.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30He understood it was a part of keeping his tenancy.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33He totally got the fact that without you being able to do your job,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- that place could be under threat for him.- Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Yeah, so, again, all we'll do now is send copies of our findings
0:27:40 > 0:27:42through to the tenancy team, and just let them know
0:27:42 > 0:27:45it was unannounced, and he was there. So...
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'I can only wish Trevor the best for the future.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50'Again this visit has illustrated
0:27:50 > 0:27:53'how important social housing can be.'
0:27:53 > 0:27:56What came across there was just how valuable that flat is to him
0:27:56 > 0:28:01and even the slightest idea that it could be under threat, you know,
0:28:01 > 0:28:06was something that made him really quite nervous, quite anxious.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11But that's fine. Because it seems like his story rings true.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14It makes sense. And that means he can still have that platform,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18that place to go back to every night.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21So, that's good. Job well done.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33The population of the UK now stands at just under 65 million people.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36There are indications it could be set to rise by almost ten million
0:28:36 > 0:28:37in 25 years' time.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42A large chunk of that number is expected to come from migration.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46No matter which shores the new tenants have left from,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48those looking to settle here are entitled to
0:28:48 > 0:28:51the same standards of housing as everyone else.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56In Tendring, housing officers Rob Goswell and Ian Cavanagh
0:28:56 > 0:29:01are on the way to a property for a potential new tenant from overseas.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06So we're going to an immigration inspection.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10So what happens with one of these inspections is that
0:29:10 > 0:29:13the Home Office will ask the person that's moved into the country
0:29:13 > 0:29:16to find an accommodation.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19They want to know if the accommodation is correct
0:29:19 > 0:29:21and suitable for that person.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23So then they ask them to come to us.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26So, when we are asked to do these inspections,
0:29:26 > 0:29:31we look at the facilities the person has, if they are adequate,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33the rooms are a good enough size.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36So, it's standard stuff that we would do.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39'Visits like these are a vital part of the housing officer's role
0:29:39 > 0:29:42'as people newly arriving in the UK can find themselves
0:29:42 > 0:29:45'living in houses of multiple occupancy.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47'And sometimes these properties can fall short
0:29:47 > 0:29:50'of decent standards of accommodation.'
0:29:50 > 0:29:53The idea is meant to stop people being exploited
0:29:53 > 0:29:55when they come over to this country
0:29:55 > 0:29:58and to stop the situation further down the line
0:29:58 > 0:30:01of overcrowding situations that may accompany people
0:30:01 > 0:30:04that are coming from other countries.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07We're on their side, you know.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10It can be a very daunting thing to move from one country to another.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13And you may accept something that you may feel that that's what
0:30:13 > 0:30:16we do here and actually find out it's actually illegal
0:30:16 > 0:30:18but you would have no way of being able to challenge it.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22So that's the idea why we're here, is to help people know
0:30:22 > 0:30:23what they are entitled to with housing
0:30:23 > 0:30:26and what conditions they should be living in.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29I'm hoping today that it's all going to be straightforward.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32But, with all these kind of jobs, you never truly know
0:30:32 > 0:30:35if it's going to be a straightforward job.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I think this one is going to be anything other than ordinary.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Rob and Ian are not going to a house of multiple occupation
0:30:41 > 0:30:45but to an interesting looking curry house in Clacton
0:30:45 > 0:30:48run by Sandra and her husband Russell.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51It's an Indian restaurant, and a little bit strange
0:30:51 > 0:30:55because my husband, obviously, he's from Bangladesh, I'm English,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59which people find quite unusual but it's worked very well.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03We live here ourselves and we're very, very happy to make it a home
0:31:03 > 0:31:07and share our home and obviously we want to have a nice home.
0:31:07 > 0:31:13So... Hopefully it works out, you know, well with the inspection.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Sandra has good reason to hope things go well today
0:31:16 > 0:31:20as there's a lot riding on the result of Rob and Ian's assessment.
0:31:20 > 0:31:25Our assistant chef has got married, and his wife is in Bangladesh
0:31:25 > 0:31:28and he wishes to bring his wife to this country.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32So, of course, they've got to have somewhere to live,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35and we feel quite happy to share our home with them.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38'Before the Home Office agrees to provide a visa
0:31:38 > 0:31:40'for the chef's new wife, they need to be satisfied
0:31:40 > 0:31:44'she has safe and secure accommodation to move into
0:31:44 > 0:31:46'when she arrives from Bangladesh.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49'That means the house has to conform to the same health and safety
0:31:49 > 0:31:52'standards as any other rented property.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55'If the accommodation isn't in a fit state for them both to live,
0:31:55 > 0:31:56'the chef, Mr Ahmed, will be told
0:31:56 > 0:31:59'his wife will be refused entry into the UK.'
0:31:59 > 0:32:01This is a big thing.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05She won't come until, you know, this is passed.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08'That means he might have to return home himself.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12'Bad news for him, the restaurant and their customers.'
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Hello, sir. Tendring District Council.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16'Sandra's husband Russell
0:32:16 > 0:32:18'will accompany the team on their inspection.'
0:32:18 > 0:32:20It might be boring. It usually is!
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Smoke detection is one of the most important things here.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28We're also looking at general facilities, kitchens,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31bathrooms and access to everything that they need to do.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Just have a quick look at the windows.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36It's high enough not to be an issue for anyone falling out there
0:32:36 > 0:32:40and you've got a lock-open feature.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42THEY DISCUSS
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Can you just check the lights, please?
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- Which light? These ones?- Yeah, let's have a look. That's working fine.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51'So, the honeymoon suite checks out. What about the bathroom?'
0:32:51 > 0:32:55Internal bathroom. Got an extract fan. It's working fine.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58There's no issue with damp in here, so I'm assuming it's sufficient.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Okey dokey. Check the toilet.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02Voila.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04What we're trying to see is if it's got enough facilities
0:33:04 > 0:33:07for him and his family, as well as the owner's family,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09because there will be shared use.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- Is there any children moving in at all?- No.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- We haven't got any children. Two dogs only.- Oh, that's fine.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17- They're like kids, aren't they! - THEY LAUGH
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Things are looking good for chef Mr Ahmed so far.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22We're going to share that kitchen.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25We've got somewhere to eat, that's important.
0:33:25 > 0:33:26Is it generally like a shared...
0:33:26 > 0:33:29When you eat, do you all eat together, or is it separately?
0:33:29 > 0:33:32- Yeah, they'll eat with us. - Lovely. Thank you.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35'It looks like the cooking arrangements will work well too.
0:33:35 > 0:33:36'So, just one place to check.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Can we just double check that balcony, if that's all right?
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Oops. Mind my head.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46'And here there is a problem. The terrace wall is too low.'
0:33:46 > 0:33:49The idea is that, if you come out here,
0:33:49 > 0:33:51you don't want to slip and fall, you know.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54As a rule, we look at roughly about a metre from the ground.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57So, something about that high and that just stops it, perfect.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00- What about if we put them? - That would be fine.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02It's just to stop someone if they did trip.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04As you can imagine, if you did fall...
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- Yeah, we'll fix that. - ..they'd fall in a bin there. Yeah.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12We're just advising that the wall is a little on the low side.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14So if someone was to go, they'd fall on to the hard,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16and unforgiving surface below, which is concrete.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19The last thing we want is that. Also, the gentleman's got a dog
0:34:19 > 0:34:22so we don't want the dog jumping over there, either, do we?
0:34:22 > 0:34:24We don't, indeed.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26The low wall is a point of danger
0:34:26 > 0:34:28and could count against the property.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33So, we've seen his accommodation, we've seen his bathroom,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36we've seen his kitchen, the communal kitchen.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37We've seen the means of escape.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42We've got a sufficient fire detection,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45because it's only a single domestic, really, he's just a lodger.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48So that's fine. The only slight issue we have is the height...
0:34:48 > 0:34:50The height of this wall, yeah.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52I mean we've not got a high-risk group living here.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- There's no children.- Yep.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56I mean, you could argue that down there,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58if you was to trip and everyone else was working,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01you may not be discovered in the winter for some time.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04So that's why we definitely need to have that.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06But the big question for Mr Ahmed,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10will this issue cause problems for his wife's visa?
0:35:10 > 0:35:12I don't think it's going to stop us approving someone living here.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15- Lovely.- All good for a change.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18So, Rob and Ian will ask that the wall be raised to a metre height.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Other than that, their feedback to the Home Office
0:35:20 > 0:35:22is going to be positive,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25meaning Mr Ahmed's wife will be free to join him in Clacton.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27It does feel more like a shared house
0:35:27 > 0:35:30than maybe what we're used to sometimes,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34where it is a clear separation between the owners and the staff
0:35:34 > 0:35:37but it's like they've been invited into their home which is quite nice.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39You can feel that when you were there.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40There was no hazards.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42It looks like they had no restriction
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- on any of the facilities they could use.- They were sharing the lounge.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48You could see that, and see the standard was very high.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50So I haven't got a problem writing that letter,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52- and I don't think you have either? - No.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54You do wish they were all this easy, I really do.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57But, hey, we wouldn't be in a job if they all were.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59You have to take the rough with the smooth.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01- We don't want to talk ourselves out of a job!- No!
0:36:01 > 0:36:03'It's great news for Mr Ahmed.'
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- We'll get it out soon.- Yeah, we'll get it out soon as possible.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08You don't want to be away from your wife for too long, do you?
0:36:08 > 0:36:12We'll send the letter saying we found no real issues.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- That's great.- Excellent. Thank you very much for your time.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17- Thank you.- Take care. - Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Yeah, I'm really excited, yeah.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26I like her, she come in here and live with me.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28It's nice, isn't it?
0:36:31 > 0:36:35Even though Rob and Ian have given the all-clear at the property,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Mr Ahmed is having to wait a little bit longer
0:36:38 > 0:36:41before his wife can join him at the restaurant.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43The Home Office is still in the process
0:36:43 > 0:36:47of considering the application but, hopefully, it won't be too long
0:36:47 > 0:36:49before all the paperwork is cleared.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57'Earlier in the north London, I joined housing officer Grace Briody
0:36:57 > 0:37:00'as she was faced with the task of trying to deal with
0:37:00 > 0:37:03'a very challenging case of antisocial behaviour.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05'It proved that neighbourly disputes,
0:37:05 > 0:37:08'like most human interaction, are rarely clear-cut.'
0:37:08 > 0:37:09- I mean what would you do?- Ha!
0:37:09 > 0:37:12- This is the difficulty, what would you do?- What would I do?
0:37:12 > 0:37:15I don't know, you see, I honestly don't know what I'd do.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19'Here in Newcastle, I've travelled up the M1
0:37:19 > 0:37:21'to join housing officers Chris and Gary
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'on a very similar and demanding case.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27'Between them, these guys have seen more than their fair share
0:37:27 > 0:37:28'of antisocial behaviour.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31'But today's case is one that's proved tough to crack
0:37:31 > 0:37:33'even for these seasoned professionals.'
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Tell us about the place we're going to go to today, Chris?
0:37:37 > 0:37:40A property where we have a number of victims
0:37:40 > 0:37:45of a tenant who was moved in, who was previously with us.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48He caused problems in the previous address.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52The behaviour, I will explain, was excessively loud shouting.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57Like very, very violent threats being made.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59When speaking about it, he's saying that the threats
0:37:59 > 0:38:00aren't directed at anybody,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02it's him shouting at voices in his head that he's hearing.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Mental health issues are a growing concern in the UK
0:38:05 > 0:38:07with one in four of us each year
0:38:07 > 0:38:09expected to experience a mental health problem
0:38:09 > 0:38:12and it sounds like this tenant's issues
0:38:12 > 0:38:16are not only affecting his quality of life but also those around him.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18We've got him help through a support worker
0:38:18 > 0:38:22who was employed by Isos, because we have a support network as well.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24So he was moved to a new address where it was felt
0:38:24 > 0:38:26it might be a bit better for him
0:38:26 > 0:38:28because he was literally city centre of Newcastle.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31So he's moved further out of the city centre.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34But recently his behaviour's started up again.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38It's hard to know, isn't it, if somebody's going through that,
0:38:38 > 0:38:43where can they live that's not going to affect people, scare people,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45and change their lives.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47How very tricky that is.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50'This tenant sounds like he's really struggling
0:38:50 > 0:38:52'but then so too are his neighbours.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55'We're starting our trip at the adjoining flat.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57'The tenant here, who doesn't want to be identified,
0:38:57 > 0:38:59'has complained to the housing association
0:38:59 > 0:39:01'about the disturbances next door.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05'Our chat again illustrates how complex these cases can be.'
0:39:09 > 0:39:11So that was really interesting.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15We're talking to a guy there who himself has some issues,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17mental health issues,
0:39:17 > 0:39:22and the behaviour of his neighbour is affecting him.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- But he was really quite tolerant. - He was.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27And understanding of what the guy was going through,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29even though it has deprived him of sleep.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Is that typical, do people get it that much?
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- It's not typical.- No, no.- We have a wide range of different tolerances
0:39:37 > 0:39:40between victims of antisocial behaviour.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42I mean, he was genuinely very appreciative
0:39:42 > 0:39:45of what you guys were doing, and the level of care and attention
0:39:45 > 0:39:48that you're giving to this situation.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51What I'd love to be able to do is talk to the gentleman
0:39:51 > 0:39:55on the other side of this equation, or at least try to.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Is that something we should attempt? You should go and have a chat?
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Yeah, we'll speak to him. We've spoken before,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03so we'll definitely go and speak to him.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06'Given the challenges already facing this resident,
0:40:06 > 0:40:08'our cameras wait outside.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11'The tenant, though, is more than happy to chat about
0:40:11 > 0:40:15'what he's facing. And, once again, the experience is eye-opening.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:18So, there we have a guy who, there have been plenty of reports
0:40:18 > 0:40:21of him causing problems for his neighbours.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24And we walk in, the most civil, polite, intelligent...
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Yep, very well-spoken. Very polite.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30He certainly said he felt like he was much more in control
0:40:30 > 0:40:34of the things that were causing that than he has been for a long time.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37The way he was expressing it, he seemed like he was happy here
0:40:37 > 0:40:40and in this environment. That's got to be a good thing?
0:40:40 > 0:40:43It is. It is. And I think it's because he's not as
0:40:43 > 0:40:46city-centre based as he was, so it's a bit quieter.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48There's not as much going on, not as much people about,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50he can get away and just sort of get into his books
0:40:50 > 0:40:52or get into his DVDs, his films, whatever he wants to do,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56just lose himself to the world and just forget what's going on.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Having his own space where he could be
0:40:59 > 0:41:00without coming into contact with people
0:41:00 > 0:41:03- seemed very important to him. - Yes.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06And maybe, I mean, do you guys think that is the key
0:41:06 > 0:41:10- to his continued recovery and improvement?- I would hope so.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Where he is now with his continued support from his support workers,
0:41:13 > 0:41:17that he should hopefully maintain his behaviour and his mental health
0:41:17 > 0:41:20to a standard where it's not causing problems for anybody.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22His behaviour affects himself, due to his mental health problems,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24and his outbursts.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26But of course, we've got people living next door
0:41:26 > 0:41:28or people living in the surrounding areas who would be affected
0:41:28 > 0:41:31by the outcome if he didn't have the support in place
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and if he didn't have this work going on.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36So if it can be managed, that's great for everybody.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39'We've said it many times on this programme,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42'everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46'It is easy to say but, as cases like this demonstrate,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49'it's much harder to put into practice.'
0:41:49 > 0:41:52I do wish you could have joined me in those two households there
0:41:52 > 0:41:55because they were really interesting.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58The first one, the chap that we're calling for the sake of argument,
0:41:58 > 0:42:03the victim, it was very dark, the shutters were down.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08It was a very enclosed space and he was very nervous.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09Very nervous indeed.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13The second chap, we went in,
0:42:13 > 0:42:18he was intelligent, confident I'd say to a certain extent.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20They're sorting out their problems
0:42:20 > 0:42:23but that is not going to happen without people like Gary and Chris
0:42:23 > 0:42:26and without the support network that they've got,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28trying to improve their lives for themselves
0:42:28 > 0:42:30and everybody else around them.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33That's what I think is happening there. It seems to be working.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Well, as we've just seen,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44being a housing officer means a daily dose of tough choices
0:42:44 > 0:42:46and difficult decisions
0:42:46 > 0:42:49but it's all in a day's work for the men and women
0:42:49 > 0:42:52fighting to ensure we can enjoy a safe place to call home.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56That's it for today but join me again next time
0:42:56 > 0:42:59when I'll be back on the front line with the housing enforcers.