Episode 18 The Housing Enforcers


Episode 18

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Transcript


LineFromTo

You could be down there for a while without anybody knowing.

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Everyone deserves a safe place to live.

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If your home is falling apart, you're going to fall apart.

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But with rents rising and demand increasing,

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it's getting harder and harder to find a secure place to call home.

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-It's a stinky little hole.

-It is, indeed.

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I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with the Housing Enforcers.

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It stinks!

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If I'm honest with you, I'm not sure whether

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I would want Grace going into that house.

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'I'm on the front line with those fighting for the right

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'to decent housing...'

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Oh, this place is a bit of a mess.

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And he usually urinates in that corner.

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..as local councils and housing associations

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battle problem properties and slum conditions...

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The smell in there... Everything just reeks.

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'..as they deal with dodgy landlords...'

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And probably here is about as far as it's safe to go.

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..nightmare neighbours...

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-What is she doing? Kicking you, or?

-Yeah.

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-Would you want either side evicted?

-No, I wouldn't.

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..and everything in between...

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OK.

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..to help those in need of a happy and healthy home.

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Behind every door...

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is a little bit of a detective story.

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Today, I meet a couple in need of more than just a helping hand

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if they're to stay in their property...

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Angela has arthritis of the spine.

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You might have notice she's bending over.

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-I can't stand up.

-She can't stand up.

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-I'm all right if I'm leaning on something, but...

-OK.

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But she's shrinking, you know?

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We didn't want to make a fuss.

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It's sort of... We've always been independent.

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..a troublesome tenant is causing a nightmare

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for his neighbours in Suffolk...

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-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Hello. Andrew, Aimi.

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I just want to talk to you about your behaviour.

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Because of the police involvement, we now need to take some action.

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..housing officers in Stroud rush to answer a kitchen SOS...

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I'm a coeliac. I'm a diabetic,

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I've got two heart problems and so has my husband.

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So the problems we have actually are not as easy to fix as some people

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might feel, you know?

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..and in London, a routine visit threatens to get out of hand.

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I know you're upset and angry,

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but I haven't come here to, kind of, point fingers and have a go at you.

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There's obviously some issues with the overcrowding.

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She's got no powers of entry, Grace.

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She's here by herself, dealing with a tenant

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that won't allow her entry to the property to work

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out what's going on.

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At this stage, it feels like stalemate.

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Finding a suitable place to call home for you and your family has

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never been harder, especially for those on a restricted budget.

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But low rent shouldn't mean your house

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doesn't live up to the same basic standards as everyone else's.

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Fortunately, there is a group of men and women who are out on the front

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line battling on your behalf against bad and dangerous living conditions.

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They are the Housing Enforcers.

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The housing crisis currently gripping the UK is making it painful

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for anyone trying to get a foot on to the housing ladder,

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with first-time buyers have to fork out on average

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more than £200,000 for their starter home.

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And that's just outside London.

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Inside the capital, you can double that figure.

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Equally, councils and housing associations keeping people in their

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existing homes that they've cherished for many years

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can also be a challenge.

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In Somerset, I'm with housing officer Belinda Eastland.

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We're on our way to our way to check in on an elderly couple

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whose changing circumstances have set alarm bells ringing.

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OK, so who are we going to go and see today?

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We're going to go and see Mr and Mrs George.

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They haven't reported any repairs for many years,

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but they were struggling to get in and out of the bath.

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So, why would they not report those things, then?

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Do you know, I don't really know.

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Some tenants feel as though

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if they're ringing you up and reporting repairs that they're

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actually bothering you.

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So, that's why it's very important to visit tenants

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on a regular basis to try and get to the ones

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that haven't bothered reporting things and have

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outstanding issues. So we had a look to see what we could do for

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them and put out quite a few repair orders to bring them up-to-date.

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Belinda and her team have already been out to adapt the house to

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help suit the tenants' needs.

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'But this follow-up visit is a way of checking whether the

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'changes have been enough to improve quality of life

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-'for Angela and Nick.'

-Hello, Mrs George.

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Thank you.

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The reason I've come out today is to find out how you're getting on since

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-Tracey was last here.

-Yes.

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Because she came out and found that there were quite a few things that

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-she needed to try and get put right for you.

-That's right, yeah.

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And hopefully that has happened.

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It's really a courtesy call today to find out how you are managing.

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OK. To be honest, it's been fantastic

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I have gone downhill in this last year.

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I was told 30 years ago, if I looked after myself I'd get ten years,

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and now I've had 30.

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And I was still working until a year ago, but I've had to retire.

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Angie suffers from osteo and rheumatoid arthritis

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and she's diabetic.

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So the pair of us have, sort of, got a double whammy.

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-And gout.

-And gout, yeah, yeah.

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But Tracey arranged for grab rails to be put up with your builders

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-and that was done.

-Yes.

-That is quite helpful.

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But going forward, longer term,

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you think you need further adaptations, do you?

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-It is a problem with what we've got.

-OK.

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So they have spoken to Tracey,

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who I understand has given permission, through whoever,

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that they're going to put in a wet room.

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That's a great result for you, isn't it? Yeah.

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Well, yeah. I mean, I'm so grateful I could burst into tears.

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'The housing association has provided a set of grab rails'

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in the bathroom, as well as repairing the shower and heater.

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These are not huge changes in the grand scheme of things,

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but you can see what it means to both Angela and Nick.

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Angela has another problem with her...

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She's got arthritis of the spine.

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-You might have noticed she's bending over.

-I can't stand up.

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-She can't stand up.

-I'm all right if I'm leaning on something.

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-OK.

-But she's shrinking, you know?

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I used to be five foot seven.

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-What am I now - five foot two?

-Yeah.

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It's great being old, it really is. It's fantastic!

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-Something to look forward to!

-You don't hear that very often!

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We were just wondering why you hadn't made those requests before.

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You know, did you feel you didn't want to bother the association?

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Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

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-I think we're coping all right, aren't we?

-We're OK.

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We've never, ever made claims in our lives.

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We didn't want to make a fuss.

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It's, sort of... We've always been independent.

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'Staying independent is clearly a big concern for this couple.

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'But Belinda needs to think about the future as well.'

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'Given Nick and Angela's health concerns,

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'is remaining in this house still a viable solution,

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'even with the proposed addition of a wet room?'

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OK, so we can see... I mean, this is very limited in space, isn't it?

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-Yes, it is. Yeah.

-And you can't really change that.

-No.

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-That's why they will remove the bath...

-Yeah.

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You know, to put the level-access shower in.

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You know, these things, they always...

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When they've been described to you, they sound small, you know,

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but then when you actually put yourself in that situation

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that Nick and Ange are talking about, getting away from the bath,

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when you're really limited with mobility

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and getting back out into the room

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and you're probably wet and possibly cold as well...

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-Exactly, yeah.

-You know, it's actually...

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It's actually quite...

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You know, quite a dangerous manoeuvre to be able to pull off...

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-Yeah.

-..because you're pulling yourself away

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and there's nothing there to grab on to.

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The bathroom adaptations were a fairly quick fix for Belinda and her

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team, but unfortunately providing a wet room

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is going to be a little bit less straightforward.

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But, you see, these grab rails, we can afford to do something like

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-this short-term...

-M-hm.

-..you know, to keep them going.

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And often that's enough with portable adaptations.

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But then if more extensive works are required,

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like changing it into a wet room,

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that's when they do have to go through the local authority to get a

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disabled facilities grant.

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Just like any other landlord, you're balancing the...

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Any works that you do to a property

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against the rental you're going to get from that.

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Whereas, there's no magic fund for you guys.

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-You have to finance yourselves.

-No, that's right.

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Yeah, that's absolutely right.

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It will now be down to the local council to decide whether

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Mr and Mrs George get the grant they need to provide the funds for their

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wet room. If unsuccessful, you do wonder how long this couple

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could realistically stay here.

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'It looks like Nick's doing his best to send out some positive vibes,

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'courtesy of his rather unusual hobby.'

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Big finish! Big finish!

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Speeding up!

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That's awesome!

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These are African drums.

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I didn't expect this when we came out today.

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No, I didn't expect to be doing it.

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How long have you been doing this for?

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I've been doing this for about three/four years.

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-I was looking for something in retirement...

-Yeah.

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..and I started off with a group - the Mendip All Drummers.

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-Most people go golf or...

-Yeah, I know, but...

-Not for you.

-No.

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You're like the John Bonham of African drumming!

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'Nick's clearly not quite ready to embrace the quiet life just yet.'

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A hobby like this requires plenty of space and understanding neighbours.

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It's another reason why being forced to move out of this property

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could prove life-changing.

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I got the feeling that this place right now to you is as important

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as it's ever been, this home you've got right now.

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Too right. The housing association, as I said indoors,

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have been fantastic.

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I didn't know this sort of thing went on.

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They care. They really care.

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I've asked them for things and help

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and they've come along and over and above.

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From our side, we were surprised that you hadn't been asking,

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or hadn't expected that you could get help like the sort of help

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that you were getting. What was through your mind beforehand?

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Pride. Pride.

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As I say, we've never, ever made a claim.

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We don't want to be claimants for benefits,

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but we've reached the point where we have to be.

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But the system has catered for us.

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'I'll be keeping all of my fingers crossed that the council agree to

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'provide funds for the wet room so that Nick and Ange can keep their'

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independence and continue to remain in the house they love.

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In the meantime, it's good to know there are people like Belinda and

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the housing association keeping an eye out for them.

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Belinda, you know, so often in this programme I come across people

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who actually don't know how to or forget how to ask for help

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-when actually they really need it.

-They think it's too much trouble,

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it's going to cost us too much money.

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But that's what we're there for.

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OK, so the next steps them with them -

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obviously the wet room is something that's out of our control,

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it's in the hands of the local authority?

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Yes. Yes, it is.

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But we will still help to co-ordinate things.

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We'll be talking to the local authority.

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We'll be getting in touch regularly for updates and, you know,

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we'll be coming out to see how they're coping

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-once the wet room has been installed.

-Great stuff.

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I'm pleased to say that Nick's drumming skills

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remain as rhythmic as ever and the couple's application

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for their much-needed wet room is still being

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processed by their local authority.

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Fingers crossed it goes through and that Nick and Angela

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can remain in their much-loved home for many more years to come.

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With more than a million people currently on the social housing

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waiting list, finding a suitable property

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can be enough of a challenge,

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but once you do manage to secure a council property,

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new tenants aren't initially offered a home for life.

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For the first year they've put on a 12-month introductory tenancy,

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which means they have to demonstrate

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they can respect the accommodation and the community.

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Here in Suffolk, housing officers Andrew Weavers and Aimi Myhill

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have been called out to see a new tenant

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whose broken so many rules he's in danger of being evicted

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even before his first year's up.

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He's been in trouble with the police several times over the last few

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months for being drunk and disorderly,

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causing harassment to neighbours.

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And when we went out there, we found most of his possessions

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in the garden.

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So, what we've got to do now is go and serve him a notice

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because the things that have been going on have been quite serious.

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He's an introductory tenant

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and this is our opportunity to deal with it fairly swiftly.

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The council has the power to evict an introductory tenant with just

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four weeks' notice if they've obtained a court order.

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But eviction is always a last resort and Andrew is still hoping there may

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be a way to avoid turfing this tenant out.

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This particular tenant came through the homelessness route

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prior to moving to this property, so understands how difficult it is

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-to be allocated a council property, so...

-So he actually knows, doesn't he?

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So he knows how valuable it is, you know, what he has.

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It's all very well saying, "I'll live on the street,"

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which is what he's threatened to do.

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-Yeah, it is. Yeah.

-It's lovely weather.

-At the moment.

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It won't be long before it starts getting colder.

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-Then he'll be saying, "Oh, can I have a house, please...?"

-Yeah, yeah.

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-"..Mr Council Man."

-We did receive a call from a resident again yesterday

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about his behaviour following our visit the other day.

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-Did we?

-Yeah.

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Apparently nothing had changed.

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He was continuing to cause a nuisance,

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-banging inside the property.

-What, even after we left?

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Even after we'd left. Just causing a real nuisance and scaring people,

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-not valuing the tenancy that he has with the council.

-No.

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If he starts kicking off, I'll be right behind you.

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What would I do without you?!

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The list of complaints against this troublesome tenant is already pretty

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long and it looks like you can add fly-tipping

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to his ever growing charge sheet.

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-That's more or less how we found it?

-Yeah, it was more or less.

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Right. We'll go and have a look, have a word.

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How is the tenant going to react to being served a notice

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to leave the property? KNOCK AT DOOR

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Good to see Andrew leading from the front, by the way.

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Hello. Andrew, Aimi.

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I just want to talk to you about your behaviour.

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The tenant doesn't want to be identified,

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but I'm not sure closing the door on Andrew is going to help his cause.

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Look, I'm just going to give you this and then I'm going to go away,

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all right? OK?

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You don't... As I say, this is a notice of seeking possession

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of the property.

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The back's still bad, but I'm just going to say to you,

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we now need to take some action.

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And you're an introductory tenant, right?

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So what that means is for a year,

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you are supposed to be one of our ideal tenants.

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But obviously because of the police involvement and the way you've been

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with neighbours, we are really worried

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that you're not keeping to your tenancy agreement.

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So, what I'm going to do is I'm going to give you this personally.

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All right? That's the notice.

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This details everything that has...

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Everything that's been reported to us recently about your behaviour,

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which is what we discussed the other day.

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So it's everything that's affecting your neighbours -

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you know, the things in the back garden, the things at the front.

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It also regards the two vehicles that you've got

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on the road out here, which shouldn't be there,

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which are not taxed or MOT-ed.

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Despite the tenant's unruly behaviour,

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Andrew and Aimi are keen to offer him one last chance

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to change his ways.

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So, you've got two weeks now to let us know whether you'd like a review

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of our decision, which would result in you having to come to the council

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offices for a hearing. So, if you want to carry out that review,

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then there's a form here that you can sign that Andrew's got.

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Here's the review form, OK,

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this is really important if you want to stay here.

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Yeah? If you want to do it now, I'll take it away so I know we've got it.

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That shows me you want to keep... You want to stay here.

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Right, here we go.

0:16:330:16:35

"Do you want the council's decision to end your tenancy

0:16:350:16:37

"to be reviewed?" You want to stay? So you want it to be reviewed.

0:16:370:16:41

Right, so we'll tick that.

0:16:410:16:43

"Do you want to attend a review when...

0:16:430:16:45

"And have a private hearing?" I suggest you do. Yeah?

0:16:450:16:49

So, all I need for you to do is sign it there and date it, please.

0:16:490:16:52

And I need your full name and address on there, please.

0:16:520:16:55

Introductory tenants facing eviction do have the right to appeal

0:16:550:16:59

the decision. And Andrew's hoping it might lead

0:16:590:17:01

to a change of behaviour, too.

0:17:010:17:03

What I'm going to say to you now is that...

0:17:030:17:07

Get yourself cleared up out the back.

0:17:070:17:09

Get your flat sorted out.

0:17:090:17:11

Try not to disturb your neighbours, right?

0:17:110:17:14

And if you can come to the council offices

0:17:140:17:17

and show that you are willing to be one of our better tenants,

0:17:170:17:21

then you can... There's a possibility that you could keep your tenancy.

0:17:210:17:25

But if we think that the behaviour's going to keep going,

0:17:250:17:29

the decision might be... Go to court...

0:17:290:17:31

You know, our job is to help you keep your flat,

0:17:310:17:33

which is what we were saying to you.

0:17:330:17:35

Like I said the other day, you can either work with us or against us.

0:17:350:17:38

And we're happy to try and help you keep your flat.

0:17:380:17:40

Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

0:17:400:17:42

The tenant's been left in little doubt

0:17:420:17:43

about the seriousness of the situation.

0:17:430:17:46

Well, his options are to give the place up and walk away in 28 days,

0:17:460:17:49

because that's what the notice says,

0:17:490:17:52

or work with us, come to the council offices on a set date and appeal.

0:17:520:17:58

It can work one of three ways.

0:17:580:18:00

We could either say, "No, we didn't...

0:18:000:18:02

"We're not going to do anything. You're fine, we'll extend your

0:18:020:18:07

"tenancy by a further six months, or your behaviour's so bad

0:18:070:18:11

"we can't have this and we'll take it to court."

0:18:110:18:14

We've got to give this fella a chance to try and keep his tenancy,

0:18:140:18:18

but I think the trouble here, I think when alcohol is concerned,

0:18:180:18:22

I think he probably turns into a different animal

0:18:220:18:26

when he's had a few drinks.

0:18:260:18:28

He's clearly stated to us, "I don't mind being out on the street."

0:18:280:18:32

He's been there before.

0:18:320:18:34

So I don't really think he's that bothered.

0:18:340:18:35

But, trust me, he will be bothered and he'll want to come back.

0:18:350:18:40

But if he loses this tenancy through the courts,

0:18:400:18:42

he'll be intentionally homeless

0:18:420:18:44

because he's lost a perfectly good tenancy.

0:18:440:18:47

Later on, Andrew and Aimi are back on the estate,

0:18:550:18:57

this time with the police in tow.

0:18:570:19:00

That's his clearing up exercise.

0:19:000:19:01

All he's done is move it from the outside into his hallway.

0:19:010:19:06

His door's been damaged.

0:19:060:19:08

I'd like to get in there and have a look, but I can't.

0:19:100:19:12

Whilst housing officers work hard to avoid evicting their tenants,

0:19:190:19:23

sadly sometimes it's inevitable.

0:19:230:19:25

But when one door closes, another opens,

0:19:250:19:27

so when properties are vacated the race is on to get them inspected

0:19:270:19:31

and get them made ready for a new tenant from the waiting list.

0:19:310:19:34

If that property hasn't been left in a decent condition,

0:19:340:19:37

it could mean those in need have to wait even longer for a decent roof

0:19:370:19:40

over their head.

0:19:400:19:42

Here in Havering, community wardens Barry Armour and Liam Knight

0:19:430:19:47

have been called into a house in multiple occupation, or HMO,

0:19:470:19:52

to check that one of the residents who's recently been evicted

0:19:520:19:55

has actually left the property.

0:19:550:19:57

-Hello.

-We're waiting on the locksmith...

-He's just arriving.

0:19:570:20:01

Colleague Vanessa has been liaising with the single female tenant

0:20:010:20:04

but despite her best efforts, the resident refused to pay her rent.

0:20:040:20:08

I know with this particular tenant we've really, really helped her.

0:20:080:20:12

We've really tried to help her,

0:20:120:20:14

getting her housing benefit back in place.

0:20:140:20:17

But then she goes and gets herself a job and then doesn't let them know.

0:20:180:20:22

You know, it's really difficult,

0:20:220:20:24

so we're liaising with housing benefit.

0:20:240:20:26

But it's been hard, this particular tenant.

0:20:260:20:29

We like to help our tenants as much as we can.

0:20:300:20:33

And which we normally do.

0:20:330:20:35

But after missing yet another rent payment,

0:20:350:20:38

the council's been left with no choice but to evict,

0:20:380:20:41

something that's not the preferred result for anyone.

0:20:410:20:44

And although the tenant might no longer be around,

0:20:440:20:47

there seemed to be plenty of her belongings still here.

0:20:470:20:49

Is she allowed to leave them here?

0:20:490:20:51

-She's not.

-Just on the staircase in front of someone's front door.

0:20:510:20:54

That's not, that's...

0:20:540:20:56

That's not the point, is it. It's in front of someone's door.

0:20:560:20:58

It's a fire hazard, it shouldn't really be here, should it?

0:20:580:21:01

No, it should not.

0:21:010:21:02

She's already left. Her boxes are outside.

0:21:040:21:06

She's already left the property. As you may see, it's empty.

0:21:060:21:08

Her belongings ain't allowed to be here. They'll have to be removed.

0:21:080:21:11

I'll move them if you want to show me where to put them,

0:21:130:21:15

just so they're off the staircase.

0:21:150:21:17

Luckily, Liam's around to offer up a safe pair of hands.

0:21:170:21:20

Heavy, this one.

0:21:200:21:22

-Careful!

-And it's two steps there, not one!

0:21:230:21:25

Good save, Liam. I don't think anyone noticed.

0:21:250:21:28

It looks like the tenant's left another gift for the team.

0:21:280:21:31

So, she leaves yesterday's dinner just out on show.

0:21:310:21:33

Lovely!

0:21:330:21:35

After clearing a path, it's now up to Liam and the team

0:21:360:21:39

to try and get this property back into action as soon as possible.

0:21:390:21:43

It will be let out, soon as, I'd say, within a week or two,

0:21:430:21:45

it will be out and someone will be in there.

0:21:450:21:47

It will be cleaned up and straight back out.

0:21:470:21:49

there's a list waiting for this. There's plenty of people waiting

0:21:490:21:52

months and months to get in these rooms.

0:21:520:21:54

So as one goes out, they come straight back in again.

0:21:540:21:56

So the turn-around's quick.

0:21:560:21:58

See if she'll come and pick up her belongings.

0:21:590:22:01

If she don't, they will be removed.

0:22:010:22:03

Evictions are always a last resort.

0:22:030:22:06

But unpaid rent means there's less money for the council

0:22:060:22:09

to fund other essential services.

0:22:090:22:11

And it sounds like this tenant had really pushed her luck.

0:22:110:22:15

She is approximately £5,000 in arrears,

0:22:150:22:18

so, we chase her for the money.

0:22:180:22:21

It's not just kissed off.

0:22:210:22:23

You know, we do follow up.

0:22:230:22:25

Make sure that we are repaid.

0:22:260:22:28

-Done.

-Good man, well done. Thank you.

0:22:290:22:31

-A bit longer than 30 seconds!

-Yeah!

0:22:310:22:34

-Make sure it works now.

-I was going to say, yeah!

0:22:360:22:39

We'll be locked in!

0:22:410:22:42

Because this is a property with multiple tenants,

0:22:430:22:45

there are strict health and safety regulations

0:22:450:22:48

that all residents need to adhere to.

0:22:480:22:50

But Liam's spotted a potential issue that could provide a serious problem

0:22:500:22:54

for any new tenant of the flat.

0:22:540:22:56

As you may see, they're using incense in the communal area, which,

0:22:560:22:59

in my eyes, from the years of experience, they're smoking drugs

0:22:590:23:02

in the property and they're trying to disguise the smell.

0:23:020:23:05

So we'll now start patrolling

0:23:050:23:07

and checking if there is any smell of cannabis.

0:23:070:23:09

If there is, we'll then go down the route

0:23:090:23:12

of taking tenancy agreements and getting them evicted.

0:23:120:23:14

In their tenancy agreement they're not allowed to smoke drugs in their property.

0:23:140:23:18

So we'll be sending letters as well regarding wooden shelf,

0:23:180:23:23

fire, it's a fire hazard.

0:23:230:23:25

So that would have to stop as well.

0:23:250:23:27

So we'll be lettering them to let them know

0:23:270:23:29

that needs to stop straight away.

0:23:290:23:32

A fire in a property like this would clearly be catastrophic

0:23:320:23:36

for all the tenants. And Liam doesn't want to take any chances.

0:23:360:23:39

With the potential hazard logged,

0:23:390:23:41

there's just time for a few final checks.

0:23:410:23:44

I'll go back to the office, advise the team

0:23:440:23:47

that an eviction has taken place

0:23:470:23:50

and then the maintenance officer will come over, carry out a visit,

0:23:500:23:54

look to see what needs to be done, which, looking at the room,

0:23:540:23:58

it just needs a good clean, the carpet,

0:23:580:24:00

but we will need to replace a bed

0:24:000:24:02

because the tenant's taken the bed and a wardrobe,

0:24:020:24:05

because that's what comes with the room when we let it out.

0:24:050:24:08

So, not content with taking five grand away from the council,

0:24:080:24:12

this tenant is also leaving them with a bill for new furniture, too.

0:24:120:24:16

It's lucky we have our housing heroes on hand

0:24:160:24:18

to help sort out these problems.

0:24:180:24:20

Super warden. Going to put my pants on the outside.

0:24:200:24:23

Pants on the outside. Cape on and I'm going to fly to my next job.

0:24:230:24:26

-He's not joking!

-I'm not joking.

0:24:280:24:30

-We'll see you.

-See you later.

-See you soon.

0:24:300:24:32

-I'll get that request over.

-Yes, please do. Have a nice day.

0:24:320:24:36

This flat will be ready for a deserving tenant in no time at all.

0:24:370:24:41

That's gone very well. It's nice and quiet.

0:24:410:24:44

The tenant's left before we even arrived,

0:24:440:24:46

so that there was no hassle.

0:24:460:24:49

The room is clear.

0:24:490:24:50

There's a few boxes left to be picked up at a later date.

0:24:500:24:53

We've moved those into a safer area, and job's a good 'un. Yes.

0:24:530:24:59

That's ready for re-let probably in one week, two weeks' time.

0:24:590:25:03

Defending our right to a safe place to live

0:25:110:25:13

is the job of housing officers right across the UK.

0:25:130:25:16

Fire Service turned up, didn't they?

0:25:160:25:18

There was no need for them.

0:25:180:25:20

-There was a fire.

-There was not.

0:25:200:25:22

I'm working alongside the men and women that do exactly that.

0:25:230:25:27

This one's the worst that I've seen.

0:25:270:25:28

The amount of mould is quite shocking, actually.

0:25:280:25:32

Hitting the streets...

0:25:320:25:33

-Hello.

-..finding out what's happening on the front line...

0:25:330:25:35

Warrants have been issued and they can be enforced.

0:25:350:25:38

..as we make sure a house is a fit place to call a home.

0:25:380:25:42

-Is that one there?

-Oh, look at that.

0:25:420:25:44

-There's another one.

-Yeah.

0:25:440:25:46

I know I've got somewhere I can call home and it's permanent.

0:25:460:25:50

It's got to be a good thing.

0:25:500:25:51

Meanwhile, back in Suffolk,

0:25:570:25:59

housing officers Andrew and Aimi were dealing a tenant

0:25:590:26:02

whose antisocial behaviour

0:26:020:26:04

was making his neighbours' lives a misery.

0:26:040:26:07

I just want to talk to you about your behaviour.

0:26:070:26:10

This is a notice of seeking possession of the property.

0:26:100:26:13

Because of the police involvement,

0:26:130:26:15

and the way you've been with neighbours,

0:26:150:26:17

we now need to take some action.

0:26:170:26:19

The tenant was told he'd be turfed out unless he changed his ways.

0:26:210:26:25

But after the council offered to review his eviction notice,

0:26:250:26:28

news has come that things haven't improved.

0:26:280:26:31

We served him notice to seek possession of the property.

0:26:310:26:34

As soon as we served it and we walked away,

0:26:340:26:36

we subsequently found out that he kicked off a little bit.

0:26:360:26:40

Damaged the door, for which we're going to ask the police

0:26:400:26:44

to deal with that as criminal damage.

0:26:440:26:46

And caused a lot of noise issues and...

0:26:460:26:50

..started ranting and raving at neighbours

0:26:520:26:54

and that's come from the police.

0:26:540:26:55

So, he didn't take kindly to our visit last time

0:26:550:26:59

and it's not really the way to go if you want to keep your tenancy.

0:26:590:27:03

With this troublesome tenant causing more misery for his neighbours,

0:27:030:27:07

it's looking increasingly unlikely

0:27:070:27:09

that he'll be allowed to keep his council property.

0:27:090:27:12

So, Andrew and Aimi are here with the police,

0:27:120:27:14

to collect evidence for any potential legal proceedings,

0:27:140:27:17

as well as to check if there are any other issues.

0:27:170:27:20

It's asking people just to take a little bit of time out,

0:27:200:27:23

to complete this, to find out if there's been any problem

0:27:230:27:26

with various different types of antisocial behaviour.

0:27:260:27:29

So it does give us a good idea

0:27:290:27:30

of what's going on in the neighbourhood.

0:27:300:27:32

Everyone's got to have one.

0:27:340:27:36

We know we've got a particular person here who's a problem to us,

0:27:360:27:39

but we're seeing if there's more antisocial behaviour

0:27:390:27:42

being caused by anybody else.

0:27:420:27:43

So it's not just this, you know, just this one person.

0:27:430:27:47

We're trying to find out

0:27:470:27:49

if there's any other antisocial behaviour in the area.

0:27:490:27:52

When Andrew says everyone's got to have one,

0:27:520:27:54

he means everyone, including the tenant

0:27:540:27:56

whose behaviour caused the problems in the first place.

0:27:560:27:59

Our little man up here, he's entitled to have one of these.

0:27:590:28:03

So he can have his say on antisocial behaviour as well.

0:28:030:28:06

Ironically.

0:28:060:28:08

Well, by looking at the state of the property,

0:28:080:28:10

I think the tenant is an expert on antisocial behaviour.

0:28:100:28:13

That's what was outside.

0:28:160:28:18

That's his clearing-up exercise.

0:28:180:28:20

All he's done is moved it from the outside into his hallway.

0:28:200:28:24

His door's been damaged.

0:28:240:28:26

This has been damaged. That was damaged, the bit before.

0:28:270:28:30

But it was hanging off last time, but that's completely...

0:28:300:28:33

I'd like to get in there and have a look, but I can't.

0:28:360:28:39

We will. Eventually.

0:28:400:28:41

And the less said about the back garden, the better.

0:28:440:28:46

Survey drop complete,

0:28:480:28:49

it's now a case of waiting to see what the neighbours have to say.

0:28:490:28:53

-How many have you put out?

-32 or so.

0:28:530:28:56

32. Great!

0:28:560:28:57

Lovely job.

0:28:570:28:59

We can now find out how many we get back and see if the problem

0:28:590:29:03

just centres around this property

0:29:030:29:04

or if there's antisocial behaviour all over the street.

0:29:040:29:07

Once all the information is collected,

0:29:070:29:10

the council can make a decision about the rest of the estate.

0:29:100:29:14

But as far as this particular tenant's eviction is concerned,

0:29:140:29:16

it could soon be the end of the line.

0:29:160:29:19

Obviously keep you up-to-date with the old possession action as well.

0:29:200:29:23

Cos there's going to be a hearing at our place, informal.

0:29:230:29:26

So we'll let you know how that goes.

0:29:260:29:28

I don't think he'll turn up, if I'm honest.

0:29:280:29:31

If he does, he's got the opportunity to come and have his say.

0:29:310:29:35

From what I've seen, I don't know if he'll be coming.

0:29:350:29:38

-We shall see.

-All right, fella. Well done. Cheers, mate.

0:29:380:29:41

Despite Andrew and Aimi doing their best

0:29:450:29:48

to get this tenant to change his ways, they've since learnt

0:29:480:29:51

he's caused even more damage to the flat.

0:29:510:29:53

Even though evictions are always a last resort,

0:29:530:29:56

the council has to take the safety of other residents into account.

0:29:560:29:59

So, they have now repossessed the property.

0:29:590:30:01

It will be repaired and made ready

0:30:010:30:03

for the next tenant on the waiting list.

0:30:030:30:05

Here in London, rising rents and property prices have led

0:30:110:30:14

to an increased demand for affordable housing,

0:30:140:30:16

a demand that arguably isn't being properly met.

0:30:160:30:19

Especially when you learn the number of rough sleepers

0:30:190:30:22

on our capital's streets has more than doubled in the past five years.

0:30:220:30:26

With so much pressure on finding a roof over your head,

0:30:260:30:28

it's little wonder that some landlords, and indeed some tenants,

0:30:280:30:32

might be tempted to cram more people into a property than might be safe.

0:30:320:30:36

Today I'm in Brent, with housing officer Grace Briody.

0:30:380:30:40

She's on her way to investigate

0:30:400:30:42

one of her Housing Association properties,

0:30:420:30:45

where she's been tipped off

0:30:450:30:46

there may be a case of some serious overcrowding.

0:30:460:30:49

So the reason that I want to visit this property is because

0:30:490:30:52

we had some electrical contractors that were due in for an appointment

0:30:520:30:56

-last week. Early last week.

-Yeah.

0:30:560:30:58

When they went in, they found there was so much junk

0:30:580:31:01

and potential hoarding in the property,

0:31:010:31:03

-they physically couldn't get to the electrical points.

-Right.

0:31:030:31:06

They also noted that they believe there could be up to nine people

0:31:060:31:09

-living in the property.

-Right. OK.

0:31:090:31:11

Which obviously is not what we have registered.

0:31:110:31:14

Breach of tenancy. Is that what it comes under?

0:31:140:31:16

Yeah. It is a breach of tenancy.

0:31:160:31:18

It's difficult because obviously without making an appointment

0:31:180:31:22

they can refuse us entry.

0:31:220:31:24

If we make an appointment, they're aware we're coming.

0:31:240:31:26

It's an interesting position Housing Associations are in

0:31:260:31:30

because you have kind of all the responsibilities and obligations

0:31:300:31:33

of a social landlord, which you are.

0:31:330:31:36

But you don't have the powers,

0:31:360:31:37

you need the backup from either the police or the council

0:31:370:31:41

to be able to get your side of things, as a landlord, really.

0:31:410:31:46

You can't just sort of bust in there and...

0:31:460:31:49

..and find out what's going on.

0:31:500:31:52

-Yeah.

-You're kind of caught between two stools really.

0:31:520:31:54

Yeah, this is where the problems begin.

0:31:540:31:57

As Grace says, this visit might not prove to be straightforward,

0:31:590:32:02

as the tenant doesn't have to let her in to investigate.

0:32:020:32:05

Hi. It's the housing officer. Is your mum home?

0:32:070:32:11

The tenant doesn't want to be identified.

0:32:110:32:14

But as there's clearly a child on the premises, Grace knows

0:32:140:32:17

that the issue of overcrowding has just got even more serious.

0:32:170:32:20

Yeah, I'm the housing officer from Hythe.

0:32:220:32:24

The reason I've come today, I'll be honest with you.

0:32:240:32:26

I think we had some electrical contractors

0:32:260:32:28

who tried to come in last week. One of the things they identified

0:32:280:32:31

was there were quite a lot of people living in the property

0:32:310:32:33

and they were a bit concerned, they weren't able to do the tests

0:32:330:32:36

because there was a lot of clutter in the property.

0:32:360:32:39

It turns out the tenant isn't happy at Grace's line of questioning.

0:32:390:32:42

She claims the contractors didn't complete the work at the property

0:32:420:32:46

because of a rat infestation.

0:32:460:32:48

The tenant's now getting very agitated and claims her complaints

0:32:480:32:51

to the Housing Association about the rats have been ignored.

0:32:510:32:55

As her voice gets louder, I think our chances of getting inside

0:32:550:32:58

to investigate the overcrowding are getting slimmer.

0:32:580:33:02

OK, I know you're upset and angry,

0:33:020:33:04

but I haven't come here to kind of point fingers and have a go at you.

0:33:040:33:07

There's obviously some issues with overcrowding

0:33:070:33:09

and that's why I've come here - to see what's actually going on,

0:33:090:33:12

to see if there is something we can do to resolve it.

0:33:120:33:15

As the tenant's temper continues to heat up,

0:33:150:33:17

I think it's wise to make a move, in case they threaten to boil over.

0:33:170:33:21

I'm going to take the cameras away, Grace.

0:33:220:33:25

-Are you happy here?

-That's fine.

0:33:250:33:27

It's just another stark reminder

0:33:270:33:29

of the daily challenges faced by housing officers,

0:33:290:33:31

not just here in London, but across the whole of the UK.

0:33:310:33:34

Decided the best thing to do was probably step away

0:33:340:33:37

from the property and let Grace try and do her job.

0:33:370:33:39

I say try, because she's come to try and establish

0:33:390:33:42

what's going on in the house.

0:33:420:33:44

The occupier of the house, the main tenant, is saying,

0:33:440:33:48

we have rats, but no-one's helping us.

0:33:480:33:51

Grace is saying, well,

0:33:510:33:53

we need to get inside the property to be able to help.

0:33:530:33:56

So, you have a main tenant who's not letting anybody go in.

0:33:560:33:59

It kind of highlights the point that we were talking about.

0:33:590:34:02

She's got no powers of entry, Grace.

0:34:020:34:03

She's here by herself, dealing with a tenant

0:34:030:34:06

that won't allow her entry to the property

0:34:060:34:08

to work out what's going on.

0:34:080:34:10

At this stage, it feels like stalemate.

0:34:100:34:13

And if I'm honest with you,

0:34:130:34:15

I'm not sure whether I would want Grace going into that house

0:34:150:34:19

because the tenant is in a very high state of emotion.

0:34:190:34:24

And so, OK, there's a discussion going on now,

0:34:260:34:29

which feels like a bit more reasonable,

0:34:290:34:31

with another member of the household.

0:34:310:34:34

So I think if we keep the cameras away,

0:34:340:34:36

I'll go and listen in and see what's happening.

0:34:360:34:39

If I'm told to go away again, I will.

0:34:390:34:41

Because I don't want to make Grace's job any more difficult.

0:34:410:34:44

It's at times like this I'm reminded that housing officers often have to

0:34:440:34:48

play the role of social worker,

0:34:480:34:50

diplomat and investigator all at once.

0:34:500:34:53

Grace has managed to calm the situation

0:34:530:34:55

and learnt that due to the housing crisis,

0:34:550:34:57

this tenant's extended family have had no luck in finding

0:34:570:35:00

an affordable property in London, so they've moved in with her.

0:35:000:35:04

There are now nine people living here.

0:35:040:35:07

Not just a breach of tenancy rules,

0:35:070:35:09

also a serious health and safety issue, too.

0:35:090:35:12

With the situation now calming and the tenant agreeing to arrange

0:35:120:35:15

an appointment with the Housing Association,

0:35:150:35:18

it feels like this visit is ending on a much more positive note.

0:35:180:35:22

It was really interesting, early on there,

0:35:270:35:29

I felt the door just about to close. Do you know what I mean?

0:35:290:35:33

But then you managed to pull it back by saying,

0:35:330:35:35

you know, you're being totally honest with them, but saying,

0:35:350:35:38

this is what I'm trying to achieve. That's in your benefit.

0:35:380:35:41

That's my approach. You know, it works for some people,

0:35:410:35:44

it doesn't work for everyone.

0:35:440:35:45

I have found that by just being completely honest,

0:35:450:35:48

right from the beginning,

0:35:480:35:50

I win the trust quicker.

0:35:500:35:52

And it helps me to help the tenants and that's what it comes down to.

0:35:520:35:55

It's almost an impossible situation for you, because there you are,

0:35:550:35:58

you're taking the responsibility and saying,

0:35:580:36:00

I want to help you as much as possible, but the overcrowding,

0:36:000:36:02

moving that family, gaining entry to that house,

0:36:020:36:06

that's all out of your control.

0:36:060:36:07

You actually can't do any of those things.

0:36:070:36:10

I can't. But then that's why, for example, when they open the door,

0:36:100:36:13

the tenant was being a little bit agitated and aggressive.

0:36:130:36:16

But by standing my ground and reassuring her about

0:36:160:36:18

why I was there and being very honest about what we'd been told

0:36:180:36:21

and why I'd come today,

0:36:210:36:23

I like to think I've now gained a little bit of trust there.

0:36:230:36:26

So I will get into the property at some point further down the road.

0:36:260:36:29

And that is where I can start to resolve those issues.

0:36:290:36:33

-It's baby steps?

-Yes.

0:36:330:36:34

-Little by little. Get there.

-Come on, then.

0:36:340:36:36

Well, despite that visit, the resident failed to turn up

0:36:410:36:44

for the appointment that Grace had arranged.

0:36:440:36:46

Grace has since written to her twice to try and engage,

0:36:460:36:49

but there's been no response.

0:36:490:36:51

So, today the Housing Association has been unable to help further

0:36:510:36:54

with the issue of overcrowding at this property.

0:36:540:36:57

Overcrowding remains an issue for housing officers all across the UK,

0:36:570:37:01

but if a resident doesn't respond,

0:37:010:37:03

it remains incredibly difficult to tackle.

0:37:030:37:06

If you're a social housing tenant,

0:37:130:37:15

day-to-day upkeep of your property is your responsibility.

0:37:150:37:18

But when it comes to things that require

0:37:180:37:20

a little bit more than a screwdriver and a washer,

0:37:200:37:23

that's where the council and Housing Association step in.

0:37:230:37:26

Although most tenants might welcome the chance of their home

0:37:270:37:30

to enjoy a spot of modernisation,

0:37:300:37:31

for some residents change and upheaval can present

0:37:310:37:34

plenty of worries, too.

0:37:340:37:36

In Stroud, housing officer Elaine Booth and trainee Zoe Whitehead

0:37:360:37:40

are off to visit a tenant with disabilities,

0:37:400:37:42

whose kitchen is due for a refurb,

0:37:420:37:45

but they're in need of a little reassurance first.

0:37:450:37:47

The couple we're about to visit contacted me when they received

0:37:470:37:51

a letter with a start date for their kitchen,

0:37:510:37:54

quite concerned and anxious about the timescale it was going to take.

0:37:540:37:58

Jan and husband Phil share this council bungalow,

0:38:020:38:04

but after Jan suffered a stroke,

0:38:040:38:06

the rest of her health deteriorated, too.

0:38:060:38:09

All which means that the prospect of seeing their kitchen ripped out

0:38:090:38:12

is a daunting one.

0:38:120:38:14

I'm a coeliac. I'm a diabetic.

0:38:140:38:16

So that's gluten, sugar,

0:38:180:38:21

I've got two heart problems and so has my husband, so we have no salt.

0:38:210:38:25

You know, and then we don't have fats, either.

0:38:250:38:28

So we have a very complicated diet.

0:38:280:38:31

In our minds we worry about it so much, you know.

0:38:320:38:36

We both said we can't have it done.

0:38:360:38:37

We really can't go through all this.

0:38:370:38:39

Even though Jan's new kitchen will be designed to be

0:38:400:38:43

more wheelchair-friendly, her fears still remain.

0:38:430:38:46

So Zoe and Elaine have been doing their best to reassure her.

0:38:460:38:50

It's not worth them getting, not upset, but worrying about it,

0:38:500:38:54

having sleepless nights, which is what she was doing

0:38:540:38:57

at one point before I went to speak to her.

0:38:570:38:59

'I came round, had a chat with the tenant.'

0:39:000:39:02

-Hello. You all right?

-You OK?

0:39:020:39:05

'Put her mind at rest, talked of solutions on what we can do'

0:39:050:39:08

so they can still have their meals.

0:39:080:39:10

And next week we're going to start the kitchen.

0:39:100:39:13

Hiya. How are you?

0:39:130:39:15

-Hello.

-You all right?

0:39:150:39:16

-Yes, thank you.

-Good.

0:39:160:39:17

-Good.

-Nice to see you again.

0:39:170:39:20

So, next week a new kitchen.

0:39:200:39:23

-Yes, all systems go.

-How are you feeling?

0:39:230:39:26

Not as nervous as I was, to be quite honest,

0:39:260:39:29

now that you've sorted a lot of it.

0:39:290:39:32

Yeah. So, start Monday.

0:39:320:39:34

Then obviously rip out.

0:39:340:39:36

Electrics, kitchen fitted.

0:39:360:39:39

Do appreciate it very much, you know,

0:39:390:39:41

that you're going to try so hard

0:39:410:39:42

-for us to get it back together again.

-It'll be good.

0:39:420:39:45

With Jan and Phil's restricted diet,

0:39:450:39:47

preparing food might be a little bit difficult during the renovations,

0:39:470:39:51

but it looks like they've got a plan.

0:39:510:39:53

What about your meals - have you got all that sorted?

0:39:530:39:55

Yes. Somebody's been kind enough to give us a little cooker,

0:39:550:39:59

-rings and a stacking tower for vegetables.

-Yeah.

0:39:590:40:03

So Phil can still cook for me every day and in the evenings.

0:40:030:40:07

It will be a big upheaval for you.

0:40:070:40:09

-We are grateful to you.

-You're welcome.

0:40:090:40:12

Are there any details you want to show me,

0:40:120:40:14

-so I can give it to the builders, or whatever.

-I'll show you the pipes and then we'll...

-Go for it.

0:40:140:40:18

The upside of the disruption from this scheduled refit

0:40:180:40:21

is that the council are also now able to make changes to the kitchen

0:40:210:40:24

to better equip it for Jan and Phil's specific requirements.

0:40:240:40:28

-So we're going to put in a wider door.

-Yeah, so Jan can...

0:40:280:40:33

The cooker's going to come over here because of the unit, Elaine.

0:40:340:40:38

-Yes.

-So, they're talking like moving that.

0:40:380:40:42

That way because it's not right where it is.

0:40:420:40:44

If there's a unit there, they'll tile all around there.

0:40:440:40:47

Yeah, if we put worktop, we always tile wherever there's worktop.

0:40:470:40:52

OK, so, plug socket in the tiles.

0:40:520:40:56

Change can be scary.

0:40:560:40:58

But it looks like Elaine and Zoe have managed to provide

0:40:580:41:01

the right kind of support for Jan and Phil.

0:41:010:41:04

Nobody looks forward to upheaval,

0:41:040:41:06

but people have really taken us into consideration and listened to us,

0:41:060:41:12

you know. I'm really going to try and help.

0:41:120:41:15

-Thanks very much.

-You're welcome. You're welcome.

0:41:150:41:18

As I say, I'll pop in quite a bit next week as well.

0:41:180:41:21

And I am on the phone. All right?

0:41:210:41:23

Really appreciate what you've done for us.

0:41:230:41:26

-You're smashing. You really are. Ain't she?

-Yeah.

-You take care.

0:41:260:41:30

See you next week. Definitely see you Monday, anyway.

0:41:300:41:32

-I'll just see you out.

-All right? OK?

0:41:320:41:34

-Bye-bye!

-Goodbye.

0:41:340:41:36

Bye!

0:41:370:41:39

It now seems that both parties just can't wait

0:41:390:41:41

for the kitchen to be finished.

0:41:410:41:43

I'm going to pay her a little visit

0:41:440:41:46

and we're going to have a nice cup of tea in her brand-new kitchen.

0:41:460:41:49

My sister said, when it's all done, Jan,

0:41:490:41:52

we'll have a kitchen-warming party,

0:41:520:41:55

so I might get my brothers and sisters and the children

0:41:550:41:59

and the grandchildren, you know, and a little yee-haa sort of thing.

0:41:590:42:03

A big deal to her.

0:42:050:42:06

A big deal. And to see happy tenants, that's the end goal.

0:42:060:42:10

Well, after the council contractors got busy,

0:42:160:42:18

I'm pleased to say that the kitchen is now complete.

0:42:180:42:22

There's better wheelchair access and the new layout means the couple's

0:42:220:42:25

strict dietary demands can be met more comfortably.

0:42:250:42:28

Like Jan said, upheaval is never a pleasant experience,

0:42:280:42:31

but I'm sure it all feels worth it in the end.

0:42:310:42:34

Well, as we've just seen, being a housing officer means

0:42:410:42:45

a daily dose of tough choices and difficult decisions.

0:42:450:42:48

But it's all in a day's work for the men and women fighting

0:42:480:42:52

to ensure we can enjoy a safe place to call home.

0:42:520:42:55

That's it for today. But join me again next time,

0:42:550:42:58

when I'll be back on the front line with the housing enforcers.

0:42:580:43:01

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