0:00:02 > 0:00:04You could be down there for a while without anybody knowing.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06'Everyone deserves a safe place to live.'
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Someone nicked your wheelchair? It absolutely pen and inks.
0:00:08 > 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 > 0:00:18I'm a little bit concerned about what's happening here.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with the housing enforcers.'
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- Prrr! It stinks. - If I'm honest with you,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28I'm not sure whether I would want Grace going into that house.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30'I'm on the front line with those
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'fighting for the right to decent housing...'
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Oh, this place is a bit of a mess.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36And he usually urinates in that corner.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'..as local councils and housing associations
0:00:38 > 0:00:41'battle problem properties and slum conditions...'
0:00:41 > 0:00:43It was smelling there. Everything just reeks.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46'..as they deal with dodgy landlords...'
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And probably here is about as far as it's safe to go.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52'..nightmare neighbours...' She was then kicking you, or...?
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- Yeah.- Would you want either side evicted?- No.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56'..and everything in between...'
0:00:56 > 0:00:57OK.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01'..to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:02Behind every door...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05..is a little bit of a detective story.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Today, we come face-to-face with tenants demanding action.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16If your home looks nice, you feel nice.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21If your home is falling apart, you're going to fall apart.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25We're tackling illegal fly-tippers, putting lives at risk.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27You've got a gas bottle in there somewhere.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Like a sunburnt mattress there.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33- You don't want it to go up. - No. Just keep an eye out for dogs.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38And housing officers battle to keep one family's dream move alive.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Can't obviously get any mechanical work in here,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43so it's all going to have to be done by hand.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45- Essentially, you need to be moved out.- Yes.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Finding a suitable place to call home for you and your family
0:01:55 > 0:02:00has never been harder, especially for those on a restricted budget.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04But low rent shouldn't mean your house doesn't live up to
0:02:04 > 0:02:07the same basic standards as everyone else's.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Fortunately, there is a group of men and women who are out
0:02:11 > 0:02:14on the front line, battling on your behalf
0:02:14 > 0:02:18against bad and dangerous living conditions.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20They are the housing enforcers.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29A family home in the countryside is a dream for many of us
0:02:29 > 0:02:31struggling in the urban rat race.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Less traffic, a bigger garden and lower pollution levels
0:02:34 > 0:02:38are just some of the things that make a move so inviting.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42In fact, latest government figures suggest that half a million of us
0:02:42 > 0:02:45will leave towns in favour of rural areas in the next decade.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Here in Somerset, I'm with housing association officer Matt Young.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55He's helped many new tenants settle here and knows better than most
0:02:55 > 0:02:58the pros and cons of life in the countryside.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00It's a very beautiful part of the world.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? Certainly at this time of year.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05But then, on the other hand, in the winter it can get very,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08- very bleak here...- Right. - ..which can cause problems.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Does that mean a lot of your tenants can end up being
0:03:10 > 0:03:13a little bit isolated, a bit stranded at times?
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I think so, in some of the properties on there.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18However, what you do tend to find is the community spirit here
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- is very, very good. - So, where are we off to today?
0:03:21 > 0:03:24We're off to see a lady called Sarah,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28and she did a mutual exchange on this property in May of this year.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32A mutual exchange meant that Sarah and her young family
0:03:32 > 0:03:35literally swapped their property with another tenant's.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39It's an increasingly popular way for council and housing association
0:03:39 > 0:03:42residents to move without going through a lengthy waiting list.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45But Matt's been called out today as there's been a complaint
0:03:45 > 0:03:47about the condition of the property.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Contractor Andy is joining us in case it turns out to be serious.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52How are you, all right? This one right here?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- Right. - Let's see if our Sarah is in, then.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58'Let's hope not, as Sarah has only just moved in with her children.'
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Hello, Sarah. Good morning to you.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06All right? This is Matt and you've met Andy before.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07How are you?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09'Although the property looks to be in good nick,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13'Sarah's complained it's one of her other senses that's been attacked.'
0:04:13 > 0:04:17So, can I ask you, did you first spot the signs of damp in the house?
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Yes, yes. After being here...
0:04:19 > 0:04:22a couple of months, it's only been recently.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26So I got onto the phone and spoke to Matt and it's gone from there,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- rather quickly. - So, what was it initially?
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Was it a smell, or was it...?
0:04:30 > 0:04:36Yeah, the kitchen cupboards had an odour that progressed quite rapidly
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and mould would start to grow on objects in the cupboards,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42which is when I got onto the phone.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43I thought it was fine in here to begin with.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48But moving furniture, once the furniture was moved,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50there was again the smell and there was the rust marks
0:04:50 > 0:04:54from the nails that are actually on the feet of the couches.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57- Right.- So that is how this got noticed.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- So you end up with mouldy cupboards...- Yeah.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03- ..mouldy food and things, whatever you stored in those cupboards.- Yeah.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06- A general pong, as you say. - Yes.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07GIRL LAUGHS
0:05:09 > 0:05:11'It's this immaculate kitchen that's the scene
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- 'of the particularly pungent crime.' - These are the cupboards.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- This is the one...- So, if I opened this I'd get it full blast?
0:05:16 > 0:05:18You're going to smell it quite a lot, yeah.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It's quite strong, if you get a big...
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- I've not got a very good sense of smell.- OK.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24You probably will, this one.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- Oh, yeah. No... - You can see the mould growing...
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- Oh, God.- ..on the sink, you can see it on the boxes.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33So anything you put in there pretty much straight away...
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Anything I did, yeah. Books and things were sort of ruined.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Yeah. That's no good, is it?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41The drawers are also the same, you get the same smell.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42You can't see anything in them, though.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44I think it's more the top ones are the worst.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- Right, OK.- You get the same smell...
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- OK.- ..but you cannot see so much... - HE SNIFFS
0:05:48 > 0:05:50That's where knives and forks were.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54That's the same and that one, that's the strongest smelling.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- Yeah, that's like...- Yeah.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00That's like sort of a really strong stout.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It is. You can't use... You can't use them, no, totally unusable.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07'I appreciate smell isn't the easiest thing to translate
0:06:07 > 0:06:09'onto your TV screens, but you'll have to take my word for it
0:06:09 > 0:06:12'when I say it's pretty overpowering.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14'And that's depressing to endure in the place that should be
0:06:14 > 0:06:16'at the heart of any home.'
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I mean, this is a lovely kitchen, really.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21It's, you know, really, like, functional and clean.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- From the outside, it looks like that.- Yeah.- It looks the business.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27- But then, that is...- It's the horror kitchen at the bottom.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Every time you open that, it's going to, that's going to,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33like, make you feel quite bad about the food that you're preparing
0:06:33 > 0:06:35- for your kids.- That's the thing. So at the moment
0:06:35 > 0:06:36it's a half-functional kitchen,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38which is quite hard, obviously, with the two children.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41'Sarah's daughter already suffers from asthma,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'so this is definitely not a good environment for her.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46'Fortunately, Matt and Andy have already discovered
0:06:46 > 0:06:48'where the problem started.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50'They've taken up the carpets to reveal...
0:06:50 > 0:06:52'Well, take a look for yourselves.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:57You can probably smell it, as well, as soon as you kind of walk into it.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58This is the inspection hole at the back of it.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02This is the inspection hole, if you want to lift that.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- It's a stinky little hole. - It is indeed, isn't it?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10'It seems changes made to the property in the past
0:07:10 > 0:07:12'are now causing problems for these tenants today.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- So, these would have been wooden floors originally.- Yes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17That was the original construction, which all worked well,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19because you've got air passing underneath it.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Well, that, I think, is one of the original problems again,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24is that there isn't any air passing through it,
0:07:24 > 0:07:25because there are no air bricks in it.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27So the front of the building
0:07:27 > 0:07:29has still got the original wooden flooring...
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- Yeah.- ..but no air bricks.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34So after we've completed this, or during the same works,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36we're going to have to put air bricks at the front
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- to stop those rotting out. - This is quite a big job, isn't it?
0:07:39 > 0:07:41- Very big job. - 'There's no avoiding it -
0:07:41 > 0:07:44'Matt and Andy have some bad news for Sarah.'
0:07:44 > 0:07:48We had a specialist damp contractor come out last week.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Has he said anything to you at all last week about the recommendations
0:07:52 > 0:07:53- at all, which are in this report? - No.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57It's not good reading, in the fact that the scenario
0:07:57 > 0:08:01that appears is that we cannot use any chemical substances
0:08:01 > 0:08:05to treat the damp in here and the way forward is actually
0:08:05 > 0:08:07to remove the concrete floors.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09We're going to have to break up the concrete...
0:08:09 > 0:08:11- Right.- ..remove the mud.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Yeah.- So all that's going to have to be taken out.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15We can't obviously get any mechanical work in here,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17so it's all going to have to be done by hand.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Essentially, you'll need to be moved out.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22The whole floor from here to the back wall
0:08:22 > 0:08:24is going to have to come up,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- taken out through the back and round and into a skip, disposed of.- Right.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Also, in that, all the kitchen's going to have to come out.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- OK.- All of the base units. The wall units are fine,
0:08:35 > 0:08:36but all the base units and the worktops
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- are all going to have to come out. - OK.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40'This is a blow for the family.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43'After less than three months in their new property,
0:08:43 > 0:08:44'their dream home,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46'they'll now have to start looking for somewhere else to live
0:08:46 > 0:08:48'while the repairs are made.'
0:08:48 > 0:08:50I suppose one of the things we're going to need to talk about
0:08:50 > 0:08:55is what we're going to do while the work is being carried out.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- Mm-hm.- We need to think about the children, their schooling,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02and of course, until we can find somewhere for you to go,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- we can't start the work. - That's it, yeah.- Right.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08So I think, really, the next phase is then probably for us to arrange
0:09:08 > 0:09:09- a meeting with Belinda...- Yes.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13..our housing manager, and we can discuss the finer details
0:09:13 > 0:09:17of kind of, yes, decamping you, and hopefully we can get some dates
0:09:17 > 0:09:19and talk and decide where we're going to put you.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22- And go from there. - Thank you so much. Let's go.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'It's a tricky situation for Matt,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32'but something clearly had to be done.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34'The family are now facing possibly months of turmoil
0:09:34 > 0:09:36'before they can move back to a house
0:09:36 > 0:09:39'that they'd only just started calling home.'
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Of course, damp in any property's a problem.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45But then, how does it change things when there's a young child
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- in that property, as well? - It changes a lot,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50because speed now is of the essence
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and what we've got to do is act quickly now and get it done
0:09:53 > 0:09:55- as soon as possible. - Good stuff, Matt.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57- Shall we go?- Yeah.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'Later, we'll catch up with Matt and the team
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'as Sarah is on the move again.'
0:10:05 > 0:10:09We had to do quite a bit of work to get it habitable for Sarah
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and to make it nice and comfortable for her.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13It's quite a big thing, because we've only just moved into
0:10:13 > 0:10:15the other property, really,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17and then big upheaval, go again, pack things up,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19like, you've just moved in.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29In the Essex district of Tendring lies the coastal village of Jaywick.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Once a popular tourist destination,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35its temporary cabins were built to accommodate holidaying families,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37offering a welcome break from city life.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42However, this seasonal location has since become a permanent home
0:10:42 > 0:10:45for more than 4,500 residents.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Obviously this place wasn't designed for so many people all year round,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and that's led to some complex problems for the tenants.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56One of the problems that keeps housing officer Rob Goswell busy
0:10:56 > 0:10:58is fly-tipping.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00It's not just an eyesore for residents,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03it poses serious health risks,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and it's becoming increasingly common.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11So, what we have here is a typical kind of empty property,
0:11:11 > 0:11:12fly-tipping kind of complaint.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17A numerous amount of rubbish has been deposited throughout the plot.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20As you can see, this is a worst-case scenario for the tenant next door
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and it can be disheartening -
0:11:22 > 0:11:24if the person next door isn't trying, why should I, you know?
0:11:24 > 0:11:27No matter how much I try to make my property look nice,
0:11:27 > 0:11:29I have this eyesore next to me.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33So it really is kind of very much a downward spiral for them, as well,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37because they don't see the point and they can feel depressed about it.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Jaywick was recently revealed to be one of the most deprived areas
0:11:41 > 0:11:44in England. And coupled with the village's geography,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47there are some pretty good reasons why fly-tipping seems to be
0:11:47 > 0:11:48on the increase.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53Many people don't drive in Jaywick and the nearest recycling centre
0:11:53 > 0:11:55is roughly about three miles away.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58So that's a long way to go when you haven't got a car
0:11:58 > 0:12:00and you've got a lot of bulky items.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04So it makes it difficult for them to get rid of their rubbish.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07So an empty plot that's not maintained,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11long grass, can be an attractive alternative just to get rid of it.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Many of these people are some of the poorest.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18They don't have the money to pay to have it removed -
0:12:18 > 0:12:21many of the removal services will charge a considerable sum
0:12:21 > 0:12:23to get rid of their waste.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27So this is why we deal with this issue more so in Jaywick
0:12:27 > 0:12:29than anywhere else across Tendring.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Today, Rob and his colleague Ian Kavanagh have come
0:12:32 > 0:12:33to investigate a property that has been
0:12:33 > 0:12:35attracting complaints from neighbours.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39It's an empty house, but it's now become a magnet for fly-tippers.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- Right, this is the empty property? - Yeah.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43But we need to go around and check round the back,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45cos that's where we've got issues, round there,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47so I'm just going to have a quick look.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49The problems don't seem obvious from the front,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53but once the boys go down the side alley, it's a very different story.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55They've trampled down the fence.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57So we had a fence here, so they've trampled that down
0:12:57 > 0:12:58and then they put all this rubbish...
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Put all this here.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01- So I'll get a picture of that.- Yeah.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09It's sad but true - once someone's dumped rubbish in one place,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12other fly-tippers will follow and that makes the problem much worse.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18So we get that and try and get the owner to get it cleared,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20but we need to get this boundary reinstated here,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24because otherwise you're never going to tackle this issue of fly-tipping.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Rubbish like this poses a huge fire risk, and in Jaywick,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31where most of the houses are wood framed, that could be disastrous.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35We've probably even got a gas bottle in there somewhere.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Yeah... Some burnt...
0:13:36 > 0:13:38There's a burnt mattress there.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- You don't want it to go up. - No, it's flammable.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44In this weather it could go up. All it takes is a cigarette butt.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46A lot of dry grass, you know,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48that could cause a lot of issues round here.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51The fly-tip is even threatening an empty plot
0:13:51 > 0:13:52at the rear of the property.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54We've got issues there, as well, haven't we?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57We've got a lot of dry grass here, haven't we?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59And then we've got all the bin bags over there.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02- And this is definitely flammable, look.- Yeah.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03Don't want a fire here.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06That could cause a lot of issues, when we get fires down here.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07Look how close it is to a property there.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- Yeah, I know.- There's one there.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12With the grass, you know, wouldn't be the first time we've had
0:14:12 > 0:14:13- a fire spread around.- No.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15- So...- A lot of material to go up. - Yeah.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19If the rubbish were to go up in flames,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21it would cause huge problems for the neighbours.
0:14:23 > 0:14:24So Rob needs to take action,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28tracking down the landlord of the empty house as soon as possible.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30With a lot of accumulation of rubbish behind empty properties,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33there's always a chance of fire and causing a lot of other issues
0:14:33 > 0:14:34which will affect a lot of the residents,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37so it's important that we try and get rid of the rubbish
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and write to the owners to remind them of their obligation
0:14:39 > 0:14:41to stop the rubbish there.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It's always difficult, chasing owners round here,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45because a lot of the plots aren't registered.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48So it's going to take a lot of work to try and get rid of this,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50but we'll try our best to sort of write to the owner
0:14:50 > 0:14:52and get rid of it.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55It's the property owner's responsibility to make sure his land
0:14:55 > 0:14:58is clear and steps are taken to ensure it's secure,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00to prevent fly-tipping in the future.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02If the owner does nothing,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04the council has the power to step in themselves
0:15:04 > 0:15:06to make the area safe for residents.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Since their visit, Rob and Ian did manage
0:15:13 > 0:15:14to get the area clear of rubbish.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18However, it wasn't long before they discovered more fly-tipping
0:15:18 > 0:15:20had occurred on the same site.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But the boys aren't giving up and have been working with the council's
0:15:23 > 0:15:27pollution team to find a long-term solution to the problem.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Earlier, we saw how housing officer Matt Young was faced with
0:15:36 > 0:15:38a particularly pongy problem.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- Oh, yeah, no... - You can see the mould growing...
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Oh, God.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46'Sarah and her young family only recently moved into this property
0:15:46 > 0:15:49'and now they're faced with some shock news.'
0:15:49 > 0:15:51The whole floor from here to the back wall
0:15:51 > 0:15:52is going to have to come up.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Essentially, you'll need to be moved out.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Today, Matt's taking trainee Ashley along to see Sarah as she prepares
0:15:59 > 0:16:04to uproot her family for the second time in as many months.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07The issue we have with it is we have a family living
0:16:07 > 0:16:10in the property, serious damp issues,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13three of the concrete floors have to come on up
0:16:13 > 0:16:16- and it's not going to be a quick job.- How long will it take?
0:16:16 > 0:16:21They reckon between four to five weeks to actually complete it.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24It's been an anxious time for the family,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28with housing officers scouring the local area to find a temporary home,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30without success.
0:16:30 > 0:16:36We tried several hotels, guesthouse B&Bs,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38other housing associations,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41to see whether they had any suitable properties that we could borrow
0:16:41 > 0:16:44for five weeks, and that all drew up as a blank.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47One of the children suffers from asthma,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49so keeping the family in the damp property
0:16:49 > 0:16:51was becoming a serious health issue.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54And with all the usual avenues providing a dead end,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Matt and the team have come up with a fairly creative housing solution.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02We did have another property of ours which was up for sale
0:17:02 > 0:17:05and what we've done is actually withdrawn that from the sale
0:17:05 > 0:17:10and we're now going to kind of decamp Sarah into that new property.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The house in question is just a few hundred yards from the family's
0:17:15 > 0:17:19current home, but it's a rundown 200-year-old listed building
0:17:19 > 0:17:21that's been empty for some time.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26OK, so let's meet the contractors and see what they've got up to
0:17:26 > 0:17:29and whether everything is now completed.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32It's close to the kids' school and would minimise disruption
0:17:32 > 0:17:35to the family, so Sarah's keen to check the property out.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Will this wild card solution prove suitable?
0:17:38 > 0:17:41It's quite a big thing, because we've only just moved into
0:17:41 > 0:17:44the other property, really, and then big upheaval, go again,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46pack things up, like, you've just moved in.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Let's go through into the kitchen then, shall we, and...
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- see what's happening. - It looks great.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Ah, good. Right.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56New kitchen light's gone up, which is excellent.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- Oh, yeah.- I'm assuming just doing the final...
0:18:00 > 0:18:02- Yeah.- ..phases of the testing here, are we?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Yeah. Yeah, just the final phases.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Good, excellent.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10The 200-year-old building's electrics
0:18:10 > 0:18:11have been brought up to date,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14but there's something crucial missing from the kitchen.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I think Monday we will arrange to have the cooker
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and washing machine plumbed on in.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Yeah, no, that's brilliant. We'd be lost without those.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- Yeah, definitely. - Yeah, no, that's great.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25So, let's pop upstairs, then, shall we,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28and let's have a look round up there.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Sarah seems happy that the kitchen will have everything she needs,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33without the additional damp smell.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35And upstairs looks like it'll be fit for purpose
0:18:35 > 0:18:36for the rest of the family.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I think, with the Velux window in there,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40- that helps, as well, doesn't it? - That's great.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42I think that's great for the children, as well.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44This is where the children are going to be, one of them?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Yeah, this is where my teenage son will be.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Right, the hot water cylinder is in here,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and we have the programmer in here, which will control it.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- OK?- No, that's fantastic. - That's good.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Ah, we have light.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59- Brilliant.- Mm.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- Right, so standard type sink and toilet.- Yeah.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06We've put a new shower hose and head on.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07That's lovely, yeah.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09The guided tour has done its job.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Sarah's happy the housing association's
0:19:12 > 0:19:16hastily-arranged property will be a perfect temporary new home.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Everyone's been really helpful and informative.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20So we've known what's happening every step of the way,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24so nobody has had to worry about any situations, really.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Finally the lounge, then, Sarah.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29And she's already looking forward to moving back home,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33when the new floor at her previous property's been installed.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Four to six weeks' time we'll be out of here,
0:19:35 > 0:19:41back into our property and all sort of safe and sound
0:19:41 > 0:19:42in a nice clean home.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- Brilliant.- Thanks. - Thank you very much.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47So excited, super excited. Everybody is.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49For Matt and the team, it looks like a little
0:19:49 > 0:19:51lateral thinking has paid off.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54A lot of work ahead, but we will liaise with Sarah
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and we will give her weekly updates.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58It would've been a lot more difficult
0:19:58 > 0:20:03if this one wasn't available and we had had to move her further afield.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06We had to do quite a bit of work to get it habitable for Sarah
0:20:06 > 0:20:09and to make it nice and comfortable for her.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12But those things have now been done and they'll certainly be finished by
0:20:12 > 0:20:15the end of today, and Sarah will be able to move in at the weekend.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21I'm delighted to report that the housing association's contractors
0:20:21 > 0:20:24wasted no time getting to grips with the problems
0:20:24 > 0:20:26in Sarah's original property.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30The damp issue has now been fully resolved, the smell has gone,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and the family has moved back in.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Defending our rights to a safe place to live is the job of
0:20:37 > 0:20:39housing officers right across the UK.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40This is how they live.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43- It's almost like he's declared war on everybody...- Everybody...
0:20:43 > 0:20:46..that's living here, it's not just you guys.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52It looks like whoever was here had their last couple of parties
0:20:52 > 0:20:54and then decided to give it up.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55Hitting the streets,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57finding out what's happening on the front line...
0:20:57 > 0:21:01This is a good example of a good old waste of council time.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05..as we make sure a house is a fit place to call a home.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07There's a strong smell of damp and you can notice it as soon as
0:21:07 > 0:21:09you come in the property.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12We're going to have no choice but to take them to court.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Job well done.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24The average cost of renting a property outside of London
0:21:24 > 0:21:29rose by just over 5% last year, standing at around £750 a month.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33However, for those looking to rent a place inside the capital,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35they're faced with now paying more than double that
0:21:35 > 0:21:39for a roof over their heads, so it's no wonder the pressure on
0:21:39 > 0:21:43affordable social housing has increased.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45There are currently 1.2 million families
0:21:45 > 0:21:48on the waiting list for a home,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50so councils need to make sure that those most in need
0:21:50 > 0:21:53can get a roof over their heads as soon as possible.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00'In Havering, where London meets Essex, a team of council officers,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03'led by Rob Kleinberg...'
0:22:03 > 0:22:04Boss's coffee.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09'..is gradually visiting all 9,500 social homes in the borough
0:22:09 > 0:22:12'to check the right tenants are in the right properties.'
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Tell me about the area that we're going to.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Right, so, I mean, the whole of the Havering area is very
0:22:20 > 0:22:23mixed demographic, with regard to income.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- Yeah.- So...
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Overall, generally, it's a really sought-after area
0:22:28 > 0:22:30because we're only 25 minutes from the city.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It's very leafy here, isn't it? It's quite green.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Yeah, it's gorgeous.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36It's almost like the first borough of London where you start
0:22:36 > 0:22:37to see fields.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Also, we're a five-minute drive from The Only Way Is Essex.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43- So it's got glamour. - There's glamour, as well.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44Havering's got glamour.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Yeah, we're on the doorstep of glamour.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50'I knew I should've packed that fake tan.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52'Rob's team do an important job,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'as nationally there's been a sharp increase in the number of tenants
0:22:55 > 0:22:58'secretly subletting their homes,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01'possibly as a result of those increased rents.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03'But if a council tenant moves out of their property,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05'they have to let the council know
0:23:05 > 0:23:09'so it becomes available to the next family on the waiting list.'
0:23:09 > 0:23:12So, this particular area that we're going to now is a mixed area
0:23:12 > 0:23:16with regards to the private build properties that are under social...
0:23:18 > 0:23:22..stock and also mass-built social properties.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- So, this is our road that we're targeting today.- OK.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31'The council has a list of who they think should be living in each
0:23:31 > 0:23:32'of their properties.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35'Warning letters have been sent out to tenants that the team
0:23:35 > 0:23:37'are coming, but they don't know when.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44'You can understand why the team would want to make this
0:23:44 > 0:23:45'a surprise inspection.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Right, that's that one, so...
0:23:48 > 0:23:50'But that does mean, this morning, at least,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53'we're having trouble finding people at home.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59'We decide to split up to cover more ground.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02'Zed and I are off to check out a block of flats.'
0:24:03 > 0:24:06So, we have the name of the tenants here.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- Yes.- And their ages?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Their age, so that's all we know as of yet.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14We're just trying to identify them as the correct tenant
0:24:14 > 0:24:15- when we go to the property. - Yeah, exactly.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18So with this, you know, we're going to the address to check
0:24:18 > 0:24:20that the person who we've got marked as living at the property
0:24:20 > 0:24:22is living at the property.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25'There are more than 2,000 families on the social home waiting list
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'here in Havering, so if there are any houses being unlawfully sublet,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'Zed and the team are here to see they're brought back
0:24:32 > 0:24:33'into the council fold.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38'Yet again, there doesn't seem to be anyone home.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41'I'm beginning to wonder if the word's gone round.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Hold on.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45"No junk mail, no free newspapers,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47"takeaway menus, charity bags, leaflets,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50"flyers..." All right.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51"No TV filming crew..."
0:24:51 > 0:24:55"No TV filming crews, council, council employees."
0:25:00 > 0:25:02I mean, we are ticking off a lot of boxes.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- Yeah.- Not necessarily getting much done.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07- No.- I'm going to try my knock.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14'Even my special knock is not working.'
0:25:14 > 0:25:16In my expert opinion, we're not going to get an answer.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17It's not that big a flat.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- It's not like they have to come from the West Wing.- No.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24'But just as we're about to call it a day we get a stroke of luck.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26'There's a tenant Zed's been keen to talk to
0:25:26 > 0:25:29'and a neighbour has let us in the building.'
0:25:29 > 0:25:32We sent out some correspondence end of last year to everyone,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35all of our tenants, in relation to coming round
0:25:35 > 0:25:38to all the properties, all 9,500. Today is your day.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- Have you got time to do that with us today?- Yeah.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45'The tenant is happy for us to come inside, but without the cameras.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47'And although we find no evidence of fraud,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49'Zed's found plenty to report back on.'
0:25:54 > 0:25:58OK, so... I mean, there we have a house that is...
0:25:59 > 0:26:01What it is on the paper,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04you know, which is the chap living there by himself,
0:26:04 > 0:26:09the tenant and nobody else with him, no secrets, nothing being hidden,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11but clearly he's in a right old state.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I mean, as you walk through the door, it's clear that the house
0:26:14 > 0:26:16is basically a time capsule.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- Yeah.- It seems like it's frozen. For one reason or another, you know,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22there's a lot of tobacco staining...
0:26:22 > 0:26:27- Yeah.- ..the place is pretty filthy generally.- Of course.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30But, you know, is that something that you need to take action,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32to let people know about?
0:26:32 > 0:26:35We do highlight these factors to the relevant people that we can
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and make sure they're followed up.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39We're trying to help, we're trying to do our job,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42but also, we are trying to help as much as we can.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45She's a lovely lady who's bringing him round food,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- making sure, checking on him... - And, you know, even halfway through,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50the other guy that came along, as well, sort of just...
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- The community of help there. - Exactly.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57'So, no fraud, but definitely plenty of community spirit.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'And it's good to know Zed's going to feed back on his concerns
0:27:00 > 0:27:02'for the tenant. But our journey continues,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06'and I'm joining Debbie to see if we have any more luck on her beat.'
0:27:12 > 0:27:13DOORBELL RINGS
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Who is it?
0:27:17 > 0:27:19My name is Debbie Robertson, I'm calling from Havering Council.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- Yeah?- We're currently doing tenancy audits
0:27:22 > 0:27:24to all our properties in the borough.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Oh, all right. Come in, then.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27'This looks promising.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29'I mean, at least we're through the door.'
0:27:30 > 0:27:33What we're doing is we're going to each property and giving an update
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- on who's actually living in the property...- Yeah.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38..and making sure the right person's actually living in that property.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- Yeah.- If possible, could I have a form of ID,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43either passport or driver's licence?
0:27:43 > 0:27:46'The IDs soon check out.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'Terry and Pat have lived at this property for more than 40 years,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51'and now they've got a representative of the council
0:27:51 > 0:27:52'standing in their kitchen,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55'they're only too happy to share their complaints about
0:27:55 > 0:27:58'how they were turned down for a new bathroom.'
0:27:58 > 0:28:00- All right... - They don't take more concern on...
0:28:02 > 0:28:07..the tenants, rather than the private tenants.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Was it a walk-in shower you were looking for?
0:28:09 > 0:28:10Yes, yes.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12- Anything that would help you with the bath?- Yeah, yeah.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14You've got a seat there, you've got a shower,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18it helps you to maintain your cleanliness on your own.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23You know? And even the girl said, "If you own the place,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25"you'd get it installed.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29"If you're council, you've got no chance whatsoever,"
0:28:29 > 0:28:31and I think that's all wrong.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Can I ask you, what's your difficulty getting in and out?
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Getting in and out of the bath. I've got arthritis in both my feet,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41my knee and my hands. I've got...
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Which I should be using... using these straps.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49My husband's got a pacemaker, he's had two heart attacks.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51He has trouble getting in and out of the bath.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Now, if we could afford it, we wouldn't bother.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57I mean, we put... Not being funny,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00but we've put enough money in this house.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04We put our own windows in, our own central heating ages ago
0:29:04 > 0:29:05because we was going to buy,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09but my husband was made redundant and we couldn't.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14'There is no question of fraud here,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17'but it does sound like the couple could do with a helping hand.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19'And although it's not part of her job description,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22'Debbie's only too happy to get involved.'
0:29:22 > 0:29:24How long ago was this that you went to the council and applied for this?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- Er...a month ago, is it? - Yeah, yeah.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Have you got the person's details? Maybe I could try and contact her
0:29:30 > 0:29:32and try and sort something out for you.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35'With both Pat and her husband suffering health issues,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38'today's visit has clearly come at the right time.'
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Oh, I'm glad you're here, could have another...bit more moan.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46THEY LAUGH
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Sometimes it is nice to have a moan. - Yes, and we heard.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Can I ask, how long have you lived in this property?
0:29:52 > 0:29:55We moved in in...
0:29:55 > 0:29:57September 4th...
0:29:57 > 0:30:00- '74.- '74.- Mm.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So you've been here for 42 years.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Not being funny, but it is pristine.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08- Your house is spotless. - Yeah.- Isn't it?
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Hard to keep up on it, because everything's wearing out now!
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Yeah, but you... But you go to great efforts to keep this house...
0:30:14 > 0:30:16- Oh, yeah, yeah. - ..the way that you want it to be.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Yeah. Well, we've got to live in it, you know?
0:30:19 > 0:30:21- Yeah.- And while I can do it,
0:30:21 > 0:30:26and if I can have something to help make life a little bit easier for us
0:30:26 > 0:30:31so we can continue on our own, to be independent,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34which a lot of people would like to do.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38'The average cost for a room in a residential home
0:30:38 > 0:30:42'is around £30,000 a year, so it makes sense for councils
0:30:42 > 0:30:46'to help tenants remain in their own homes for as long as possible.'
0:30:46 > 0:30:48There's loads like me,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51that with a little bit of help it wouldn't...
0:30:51 > 0:30:54they wouldn't have to have someone come in to care for us.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59We could do something for ourselves or have something there to help us.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04'This couple clearly love their home and have kept it immaculate
0:31:04 > 0:31:06'for more than four decades.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08'Looking round this well-kept neighbourhood,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10'I bet they're not alone.'
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- Thanks for your time.- Thank you.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17- Thank you very much for your time. - You've made my day now.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20LAUGHTER
0:31:20 > 0:31:23The message I'm getting from this street is that, in Havering,
0:31:23 > 0:31:25you've got a lot of people whose council houses
0:31:25 > 0:31:28- have been homes for decades... - Yeah. Long time.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30..and the effort that they've put into that
0:31:30 > 0:31:33and the attachment they have to those properties
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- is really quite profound.- Yeah.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Every door we knock on conceals a story of one sort or another.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- It's fascinating, isn't it? - Yeah, definitely, definitely.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45'So, after logging Terry and Pat's concerns,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47'we're back hitting the streets.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50'And later on, we'll see another tenant
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'who's also not too happy with the council.'
0:31:53 > 0:31:57They knew this house was dodgy when they offered it to us,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00because it had been empty 18 months before we'd moved in.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02But we had to make it safe, we had children.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Solving the shortage in social housing doesn't just mean
0:32:11 > 0:32:12building more homes.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Local authorities face an ongoing battle to maintain
0:32:15 > 0:32:17their older existing stock, too.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23But in Stroud, a 60-year-old social housing block has become
0:32:23 > 0:32:26so dilapidated the council have little choice but to demolish it.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Whilst the money from the sale of the land will be ploughed
0:32:30 > 0:32:33back into housing, the tenants still living in the block
0:32:33 > 0:32:36will need help to find new homes.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39And that's where housing officer Chris Eadie comes in.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Queens Court has housed 24 properties within it.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47A couple of them were owned but the rest...and one was empty.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51But I've moved out now about 12 of the remaining 21.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53We're down to about ten people.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Along the bottom here we've got single-bedroom flats
0:32:57 > 0:33:01and on the top we've got three- and four-bed maisonettes.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03And we've got people with different vulnerabilities.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Some people, life is fine and they go to work and everything,
0:33:06 > 0:33:07it's all straightforward.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Other people have had difficulties with mental health
0:33:10 > 0:33:12or addiction problems.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14And part of being a social landlord is, you know,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17you need to support people in all different situations.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19But when it comes to moving people,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21for people who've got background difficulties,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24it can be a harder issue.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But the deteriorating condition of the block
0:33:26 > 0:33:29has attracted some unwelcome elements,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32making life even more difficult for those still here.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35We have had quite a lot of antisocial behaviour issues
0:33:35 > 0:33:40in this block in the past, so some people were very keen to move.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Empty properties can act like a magnet for antisocial behaviour
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and Chris is keen to keep disruption to a minimum
0:33:46 > 0:33:48for the final remaining tenants.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51But he's discovered that one of the recently vacated properties
0:33:51 > 0:33:53isn't exactly helping the cause.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58This is a particularly complicated situation.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02We had a tenant in here who did get burgled -
0:34:02 > 0:34:04that's why we've got the broken windows at the back there.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08As a result of that and other issues, he moved out.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11In line with support for somebody who appeared to be a victim
0:34:11 > 0:34:14in this situation, we've covered his housing benefit
0:34:14 > 0:34:15going forward while he was away
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and we found him somewhere, a new property to live in.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24The council acted quickly to rehouse this tenant after the break-in,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27but he wasn't supposed to leave it like this.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32We do put onto these areas responsibility for them
0:34:32 > 0:34:34to leave the place in a decent condition,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37so we'd organised the removals, which we did.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39However, a number of things were left,
0:34:39 > 0:34:41which you can see scattered around the flat,
0:34:41 > 0:34:43and he did promise that he would clear it
0:34:43 > 0:34:45and unfortunately he hasn't.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50The property is in a pretty poor state and is only going to attract
0:34:50 > 0:34:53more antisocial behaviour, and probably rats, too.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Not a pleasant prospect for the remaining tenants.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58It will probably mean the council will have to pick up the tab
0:34:58 > 0:35:00- for clearing it out. - It's a balance, really.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02You want to get a balance between supporting tenants,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05but also them taking responsibility for their part in the move.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07And as it hasn't been cleared,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09we will probably have to look at charging him for that.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11When dealing with different tenants, you look at each
0:35:11 > 0:35:13individual situation as it is.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16And people do have difficulties in their lives and I seek to be,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19you know, considerate towards them in those situations.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23But also, I do feel, when people say they're going to do something
0:35:23 > 0:35:25and they don't do it and then we can't get back hold of them
0:35:25 > 0:35:28and various things, I do find that a bit disappointing.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29But that's part of life.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31I mean, that can happen in different areas of life, as well.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33We have also, on the other side of it,
0:35:33 > 0:35:35found him a brand-new flat to live in
0:35:35 > 0:35:37and given him new carpets and curtains.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39So that's good for him. So it's a balance between us and the tenant.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41The whole process is about working together.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Chris will now look to sort out this mess before it causes more problems
0:35:46 > 0:35:49for the remaining tenants who, like this former resident,
0:35:49 > 0:35:51will soon be rehoused.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Ultimately, that's what Chris and the council want most.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59When I see a tenant who's happy that they've moved
0:35:59 > 0:36:02and they've found somewhere that they like, that makes me feel good
0:36:02 > 0:36:05because I feel like I'm doing the job that I believe in,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08which is finding people somewhere good to live
0:36:08 > 0:36:10and making that as easy as possible for them.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21'Meanwhile, back in Havering,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23'the council's audit team were hitting the streets,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26'checking the right tenants are in the right properties.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28'We haven't found any evidence of fraud yet,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31'but we did discover one couple who were keen to be heard.'
0:36:32 > 0:36:38There's loads like me that, with a little bit of help, it wouldn't...
0:36:38 > 0:36:40they wouldn't have to have someone come in to care for us.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Every door we knock on conceals a story of one sort or another.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- It's fascinating, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49'I'm back on the beat with Debbie, as the door knocks continue.'
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Some of the most beautifully-kept houses, Debs,
0:36:51 > 0:36:52- what's going on?- Lovely.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56I mean, if these are being sort of let out on the sly to people,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59then they're being let out to relatives of Alan Titchmarsh,
0:36:59 > 0:37:00- I would suggest.- Yeah.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04Look at this. I mean, it's another gorgeous-looking house.
0:37:11 > 0:37:12Good afternoon, hi.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- My name is Debbie Robertson from Havering Council.- Yeah?
0:37:15 > 0:37:19We're currently doing audits around all our properties in Havering.
0:37:19 > 0:37:20Would it be possible to come and have a chat
0:37:20 > 0:37:22with you about the property?
0:37:22 > 0:37:23'Although the tenant is at home,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'he'd prefer to talk to the council when his wife is there,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'so Debbie's happy to arrange a revisit.'
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- Thank you for your time, sir. - Take care, cheers.
0:37:31 > 0:37:32You take care. Thank you, bye.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'But Rob is having more luck at his address.'
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Well, somebody's in.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Hello, there. Sorry to trouble you. Is it...?
0:37:41 > 0:37:44'It looks like he's managed to pick up some very useful information.'
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It is not the occupant,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50it was someone we don't know anything about,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53apart from what he told us, which is a relationship
0:37:53 > 0:37:55to one of the tenancy-holder's daughters.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57You have to take that at face value.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Absolutely. I mean, we can only complete the tenancy audits
0:38:00 > 0:38:02with the tenants. But because I saw the van arrive,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06I saw that chap coming out of the van, I've got his name and address,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09these are all points of verification that I'll make a note of.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I mean, we're here at midday.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13I would then schedule this in,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16we'd do a return visit for early in the morning.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18So we'd come maybe 7am, something like that,
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and we'll get a snapshot of who's there and go through the audit.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24There are no shortcuts to this process, are there?
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- No, there's not, unfortunately. - It's not even a single visit.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30- No, exactly.- It's like, you can't make an appointment
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- to have an ad hoc visit.- No.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35You've got to be there and face... In person, face to face.
0:38:35 > 0:38:36Yeah, exactly that.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40'It's fascinating to learn the lengths Rob's team will go to
0:38:40 > 0:38:44'to make sure the council's housing stock is being used correctly.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46'There are definitely no shortcuts here,
0:38:46 > 0:38:47'and the team will return to check up
0:38:47 > 0:38:49'on the information they've found today.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'At the next house we try, council records show
0:38:52 > 0:38:54'we're expecting to find a middle-aged couple.'
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Hello, there. Sorry to trouble you.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Rob Klein from London Borough of Havering.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00I don't know if you received a letter telling that last year
0:39:00 > 0:39:03we were carrying out unannounced visits
0:39:03 > 0:39:05to all of the 9,500 property stock?
0:39:05 > 0:39:08So, we're at yours today. Is it all right if we just come in,
0:39:08 > 0:39:10just go through a couple of questions with you?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Is that all right? Thanks very much.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15The occupants here don't want the cameras inside the house,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19but they are happy for me to go in and listen to what takes place,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22the kind of questions that are being asked and the information
0:39:22 > 0:39:24that Rob and Zed are trying to find out.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26So, be back with you in a minute.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Have you got...? One of you got a form of positive ID, a passport,
0:39:29 > 0:39:30driving licence, just something...?
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Yeah, that'll be ideal, just something...
0:39:33 > 0:39:34'The IDs check out -
0:39:34 > 0:39:37'the right people are in the right home.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40'But again, now there's a representative from the council
0:39:40 > 0:39:42'in their house, they're keen to talk about the problems
0:39:42 > 0:39:45'they've had with the property with the cameras present.'
0:39:46 > 0:39:49I just wanted to understand a little bit about your situation.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52I mean, clearly your health is an issue at the moment.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Heidi, what are you going through at the moment?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57I'm...getting over...
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Well, in the process of getting prepared for dialysis.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I've had a fistula put in my arm.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07- So you've got one kidney that's in the process of failure...- Yeah.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- ..and you need help with that, possibly long-term dialysis.- Yes.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Your home needs to work, doesn't it?
0:40:12 > 0:40:16If your home is falling apart, you're going to fall apart.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19If your home looks nice, you feel nice.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23This house, unfortunately, it does suffer badly with mould.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26And last thing you need is mould
0:40:26 > 0:40:28when you've got other health problems, as well,
0:40:28 > 0:40:32because it can affect your breathing, any number of things.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36'Although dealing with the condition of the property is not strictly
0:40:36 > 0:40:38'in Rob's team's job description,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41'they're keen to learn more about why Heidi's problems
0:40:41 > 0:40:42'haven't been sorted.'
0:40:43 > 0:40:45- This is a council home, a council house.- Yes, yes.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49So for me... I've never lived in a council house,
0:40:49 > 0:40:54but I would imagine that you can call, pick the phone up and say,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57"This needs sorting out, you're my landlord,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59"please come and make it happen." Why hasn't that happened here?
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Because it's too long-winded.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06I mean, they knew this house was dodgy when they offered it to us,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09because it had been empty 18 months before we'd moved in.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12But we had to make it safe, we had children.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I mean, my youngest at the time was only about four years old.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18He had to have a safe environment.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20In the end, they did it, but they didn't want to.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23'I can sympathise with Heidi's situation,
0:41:23 > 0:41:25'especially as she's suffering ill health,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28'but it's hard to see what the council could've done
0:41:28 > 0:41:30'if they weren't aware of the situation.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33'That means this visit could've come at exactly the right time.'
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Today, Rob and Zed have come through
0:41:36 > 0:41:38to find out what's going on in the house.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Rob seems really confident that he'll be able to sort
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- these problems out for you. - Seeing is believing.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49The main thing I would like help with is the mould.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51I'm going to leave you in peace now.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55Thank you so much for talking to us and sharing what's going on.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57'The team haven't discovered any fraud at this address,
0:41:57 > 0:42:01'but they have found a family who claim to be suffering and haven't,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04'for whatever reason, reached out to those who could've helped.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07'You have to wonder what would've happened
0:42:07 > 0:42:08'if Rob hadn't knocked on their door.'
0:42:08 > 0:42:13So that's what happens when relationships and communication
0:42:13 > 0:42:16breaks down between occupants and the council.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18There's a lot of mistrust,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21certainly, on the side of the occupants there.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24But then, without that communication, nothing gets done.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28And that's the real challenge now, is to take that situation
0:42:28 > 0:42:31and try and make some changes
0:42:31 > 0:42:33which will make what feels like
0:42:33 > 0:42:36a really difficult situation for them...
0:42:37 > 0:42:40..for that family, a little bit easier, if at all possible.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42So, we'll wait and see.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46'I'm pleased to say that, since that visit,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49'the council did get back in touch with Terry and Pat
0:42:49 > 0:42:51'and offered a shower and bath board,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55'which hopefully will make life that little bit easier for them both.'
0:43:00 > 0:43:02That's it for today, but join me again next time
0:43:02 > 0:43:06when I'll be back on the front line with the housing enforcers.