Episode 19 The Housing Enforcers

You could be down there without anybody knowing.

'Everyone deserves a safe place to live.'

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

'But with rents rising and demand increasing,

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

-It's a stinky little hole.

-It is.

'I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back with the housing enforcers.'

Phew! It stinks.

If I'm honest with you,

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

'I'm on the front line

'with those fighting for the right to decent housing...'

Ooh, this place is a bit of a mess.

They usually urinate in that corner.

'..as local councils and housing associations

'battle problem properties, and slum conditions...'

The smell in there, everything just reeks.

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

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

'..nightmare neighbours...'

-She has been kicking you?

-Yeah.

Get rid of him.

'..and everything in-between.'

OK...

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

-Behind every door...

-Yeah.

..is a little bit of a detective story.

'Today I might have bitten off more than I can chew

'at a community lunch club.'

We've got apple pie to go next

and I would imagine that the entire assembly

is going to want a cup of tea afterwards, as well.

Ah! That's hot!

'In Suffolk, a council eviction doesn't quite go according to plan.'

They seem to have double-locked the door.

RATTLING

This is a good example of a good old waste of council time.

'In Newcastle, housing officers try to help

'tenants living in fear of a neighbour from hell.

-He comes to his window and shouts...

-"I'm surrounded."

"I'm surrounded, I've got a bomb. I'm going to blow yous all up."

It's almost like he's declared war on everybody.

-Everybody.

-It's not just you guys.

'And after 50 happy years,

'this tenant in Stroud is facing up to losing his home.'

I never thought we'd ever move, but that's the way it happens.

You think, "I've been here 57 years" -

it's a long time, isn't it?

Making sure everyone has the chance

to find and keep a roof over their heads

is the job of housing officers across the UK.

I'm working alongside these men and women

who use the law to make sure we don't live in slums,

but in homes fit to raise a family or enjoy our retirement.

They can make sure you have the facilities you need

as you get older.

They also have the power to enforce a landlord

to sort out a dangerous property

or help evict a bad tenant.

It's definitely a challenging role.

Welcome to the world of the housing enforcers.

The UK is facing up to the challenge of an ageing population,

with recent statistics suggesting that in just over 20 years' time,

almost a third of us will be over 60.

That's obviously going to have a huge impact on our housing needs,

but there's also another issue

facing local councils and housing associations.

It's estimated that, today,

more than a million older people will go a whole month

without speaking to friends, family or neighbours,

and there are real fears that loneliness

could be the next big public health issue.

Today, I'm in London.

Welcome to the old banger.

If it doesn't start first time, don't be too concerned.

On the road - hopefully -

with Hyde housing officer, Grace Briody.

She's become more than a little concerned

about a couple of her local elderly residents.

Hello, Sylvia, it's Grace.

BEEPING

That's that one.

'They both live up here on the third floor.'

OK.

No escaping the rain, even up here.

'Although London is one of the busiest cities in the world,

'Grace is worried this pair may be in danger of becoming isolated

'from their local community.'

Coming in. Hello.

How are you doing, Shirley?

'Now in their 80s, and with health and mobility problems,

'Sylvia and Shirley have shared many happy memories here in their flat.'

How long have you two lived together now?

We've been here, we've been friends a long time.

I couldn't tell you how long,

but we've been friends for a long time.

My mum and dad was alive, her parents was alive,

and everything was lovely.

We've been very, very good friends.

Haven't we, Sylvia?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

And if anyone has a go at her, I have a go at them.

-You're like my sister.

-Oh, yeah.

-You are a team?

-Yeah.

And also, there's Peanuts, as well.

-How old is he know, 14?

-14, he is, yeah.

-Getting on.

When the lady came in this morning,

she tried to take him out but he's a bit stubborn,

he wouldn't go out cos it was raining.

Oh, of course.

'Although life inside these four walls seems happy enough,

'Grace is worried that it's been a while

'since either Shirley or Sylvia has ventured outside.'

One of the things we talked about was that you're a bit worried

about not getting out

cos you're worried about getting a bit lonely

or feeling a bit, kind of, isolated.

When you're indoors, you know you're only going to sit here

and look after Peanuts, but Peanuts is no trouble, really.

What happens when you don't go out, though, for a few weeks?

When I don't go out, I sit here, I do whatever I'm doing -

cooking, I do the cooking for me and Sylvie.

We watch TV or I go in my bedroom and do my knitting

or listen to the wireless set there.

'Well, today's going to be a bit different,

'as Grace has organised a little trip for the girls.'

So, how are you feeling about lunch club today?

Do you remember we spoke about lunch club?

-Going to the centre, you mean?

-Mm.

-Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

I just want to get out, meet people, and that's it.

'A visit to a community lunch club

'might not seem part of a housing officer's job description,

'but as I've learned, a home for people like Sylvia and Shirley

'is more than just bricks and mortar -

'it's about the community that you live in, too.'

What's it like, having Grace to come and help you with these things?

It's good, it's good.

Comes and talks to us and all that, helps us out a bit, you know.

How about this lunch club? Are you looking forward to that?

I don't know, cos I've never been before.

-You never know, you might make some friends there...

-Might do.

-That you could see regularly.

-Yes.

-I really hope they've got some of these cupcakes.

-What?

The little cupcakes, you know, with loads of icing on top.

Do you know what? I've never had a cake in my life.

I've not had one cake.

How have you avoided cake?

Just avoid it. Just leave it alone. Just leave it alone.

Cos cake is one of the best things there is.

'Shirley definitely seems to have

'got the taste for a trip out, though.

'Unfortunately, Sylvia's not feeling up to it today.'

I'll be back in a few hours.

I'll pop back up with Shirley, all right?

-Yeah.

-All right, then.

'So, it's up to me and Grace to provide backup.'

There's Sylvia and Shirley,

both with their particular selection of challenges to overcome.

But they're still getting by.

Imagine the same picture,

without Gracie and the other little team of people

that they've got helping them, just to do the basics,

just to do the stuff that we kind of take for granted,

and that whole picture would be much more dismal, I think.

Anyway, lunch club beckons.

I can't believe that Shirley's never had cake.

That's not right.

'Later on, we'll see how both Shirley and I get on

'when the dinner bell sounds.'

Very important job, being in charge of custard, you know.

-It is.

-You can't muck this up.

Meanwhile in Suffolk,

housing officer Andrew Weavers

is on his way to carry out

one of the more unpleasant parts of the job.

The main role of a housing officer is to get people into housing

but, sometimes, when there's no other option,

they have to remove tenants from their homes, too.

There's an eviction on today,

someone has failed to pay their rent.

It takes an awful lot for someone to lose their council tenancy.

People tend to get a lot of chances to pay their rent

and make agreements and arrangements.

We do our best to keep the roof over people's heads.

It's really important,

people don't realise the amount of support

that we have to put in to try and keep people in their homes.

We don't want to evict people.

We always see eviction as a failure.

The first thing Andrew has to do is gain access to the property,

but when tenants are either absent or refuse to cooperate,

it can be easier said than done.

If he's there, then great. If not, we have to break the locks -

which these guys are going to do for me.

HE LAUGHS

There doesn't appear to be anyone at home,

which might be just as well.

Andrew knows removing people from their homes

can mean tensions can rise.

The bailiff has got a stab vest on,

we'll see if the council can fund a stab vest for me,

if I can get one.

I haven't seen anyone wearing a stab vest

in this neck of the woods before, so...

Even with a locksmith and a very powerful drill,

today's job of breaking and entering

seems to be particularly challenging.

They seem to have probably double-locked the door.

This is a good example of a good old waste of council time.

It's not just time that's been wasted -

today's eviction is an unnecessary cost to the council as well

and providing quite a workout, as it happens.

He's well and truly locked that door and made sure life is made

a little bit more difficult for us.

Success at last.

That was a tough one.

HE PANTS

A lot of people pay for a gym membership, you know,

it's a proper workout.

Oh, dear.

Now the door is - finally - open,

Andrew can assess the condition of the property...

..and that leaves quite a bit to be desired.

They always forget to do the washing up

and one of the biggest rules is, when you're on an eviction,

is never open the fridge.

Never open the fridge.

Generally, if it has been empty for some while,

as soon as you open the fridge, the smell hits you.

Honestly, it really does get to you, the smell.

I'm not going to open anything much. I'll leave that to someone else.

As I say, he hasn't washed up

and he's still got his washing in the washing machine, so...

Evictions in England and Wales are at an all-time high,

with more than 170 households removed from their homes every day.

When the eviction takes place, it's then up to people like Andrew

to make sure the property is in good condition

for the next tenant to move into.

But in this case, it's not only the washing up and rubbish -

Andrew finds a couple of clues

that something more sinister may have been going on here.

Obviously, there's evidence of some sort of...

They look like old cannabis leaves, dried leaves there, look,

so there's obviously been some sort of drug smoking going on.

A little baby one in there, look. So whether they were using this...

Cos there's another trough here, look.

They probably did a bit more growing, so...

I can just about smell that one.

That one's not quite completely dried out.

With more than 1.2 million people

currently waiting for social housing in England alone,

there's clearly a demand for empty properties like this,

but not in this state.

This is obviously the living area.

It's not very tidy.

It's got his little drug-smoking, little ashtray, look.

HE CHUCKLES

You know, he's left all his stuff here,

so we're going to have to store it for a little while,

which racks up a little bit more money.

We do recharge when they reappear or we find them.

These all appear to be, mostly, lovely bills.

Enforcement notice there.

That's a non-payment of council tax, dated last year.

This flat will need a fair amount of work

to bring it back up to rentable standard,

but, typically, Andrew is remaining positive.

That's not so bad.

We'll be able to clean that. We'll soon get someone else in here.

There'll be a lot of money spent

trying to get this back to habitable again.

Getting this place clear, getting it all ready for the next tenant.

Hopefully, we'll have someone who'll look after it

and who'd want...who'd want it as their home.

Today, all that's left is to change the locks.

Just have to make sure

all the windows are all secure and locked up

cos we don't want anyone breaking in and squatting.

If there's a window open, that gives them every right to get in, but...

Well, it's all ours now, it's back in our hands,

so that's the end of this gentleman's tenancy

and I'll take these back and we then give this to our Voids team

who'll go in and get the place ready for the next tenant.

Now there's just the matter of those possessions left behind.

Just put a Section 41 notice on the door.

This gives him the opportunity and the information

of how to contact us so that he can collect his bits and pieces

that may be of any value in here.

After a certain date, we will dispose of anything that's in there.

That's me done, that's job done now,

the property is back in the council's hands.

Well, despite that opportunity to collect his possessions,

the tenant left them for Andrew and the council to dispose of.

The property has now been cleared and let to a new tenant

but the council is still trying to trace the former resident

to bill him for his rent arrears

and the costs of clearing up the flat.

Whether you're a private or social housing tenant,

the idea of a home for life is pretty appealing.

But what happens when the home you think you'll spend

the rest of your days in becomes unfit for purpose?

In Stroud, one council housing block is now so antiquated,

the tenants are having to move out.

Queen's Court is a 60-year-old block of 24 flats and maisonettes.

It was a fairly new building in 1958,

when 11-year-old Jim moved in with his mother,

but the ageing building has reached the end of its natural life

and is scheduled for demolition.

You think, "I've been here 57 years" -

it's a long time, isn't it?

You get less than that for murder.

HE LAUGHS

I never thought we'd ever move, but that's the way it happens.

Along with other residents,

68-year-old Jim has to pack up and move out.

Housing officer Chris Eadie

has the responsibility to ensure

that all the residents

are suitably rehoused.

This is an old block now, it's an unusual build for today,

it's not really suitable for today,

because it's got maisonettes above flats,

which aren't popular.

It's also in a condition where it's no longer economically viable

to maintain as it is and therefore,

we have to look at other options for people.

The best option is to move people out

and sell the site so we can use the finances for something else.

Packing up after five decades in the same property

is bringing back lots of memories for Jim.

I was an 11-year-old when we moved in to the Queen's Court.

I'm 68 now, so I've been there a long time.

Since the death of his mum three years ago,

Jim has been living in the first-floor flat alone.

When my mother was alive,

I used to look after her and everything.

She was too old, she was 91 when she passed away

and she didn't...

If she'd been alive now, I don't think she'd have been able to move.

She wouldn't have been able to put up with

all the hassle of moving.

A dodgy knee has also left Jim struggling with the stairs,

so the council has found him

a refurbished two-bedroom bungalow nearby.

I was lucky to find this place. I'm quite pleased now.

Just looking forward to the new challenge now.

With his move only days away,

Jim has come to the council offices

to meet tenancy supervisor Chris Horwood.

Hi there, Jim.

Lovely. OK.

This is your tenancy pack,

-that you're going to take away with you.

-That's fine.

You don't need to make notes or anything, cos you've got it.

OK, this is your tenancy agreement, then, Jim.

You can see here it's a secure tenancy agreement,

exactly the same as the one you've got at the moment.

You're not demoted or anything. You have a secure tenancy, you keep a secure tenancy.

You've been a tenant with us for a long time, haven't you? So...

Yeah, well, obviously, when we moved in,

1958, I think it was, believe it or not...

My mother... When did she pass away?

Three years in November,

so I took the tenancy over, then.

-Yeah. Amazing, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-OK.

If you wouldn't mind just signing to say you've had your keys.

-There we go.

-Great stuff. That's it, we're done.

I hope you're very happy in your new home.

I know it wasn't a choice of yours to move, was it?

-No, but...

-It's a nice property.

It'll be nice to have it all on one level, won't it?

-Yeah.

-I'm quite looking forward to it, actually.

Yeah, that's good.

-Thanks.

-Nice to meet you.

As a secure tenant, Jim has been assured

he can live in his next property for the rest of his life

as long as he doesn't break the conditions of the tenancy.

But that doesn't make the process

of packing up half a century of memories any easier.

I haven't got much more to do, now so...

Just some clothes I've got to take with me, obviously, pack that up.

Um...there's a few things in the kitchen and that's about it.

Fortunately, the new property will be able to accommodate

the things that matter most.

The cabinet, I would love to take with me, which I can.

It was my mother's, she bought it.

It's sentimental, yes.

That's quite old, actually.

Mw other furniture, I haven't got to get rid of it,

I can get it all in, which is really, really pleasing.

Moving away after so many years can't be easy,

but Jim is trying to stay positive.

I'll miss the neighbours,

but it's a new experience,

so I'm quite looking forward to it now.

So I just have to get on with life.

I hope so anyway.

We'll be joining Jim as he moves into his new bungalow

a bit later on.

Actually, it's the first time I've seen it.

I didn't know they were going to put a new kitchen in, which is...

I'm over the moon with that, it's really good.

Defending our right to a safe place to live

is the job of housing officers right across the UK.

This is how they live.

-There was a fire.

-There weren't. Was not!

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

Looks like whoever was here had their last couple of parties

and then decided to give it up.

Hitting the streets,

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

Warrants have been issued and they can be enforced.

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

There's a strong smell of damp,

you can notice it as soon as you come in the property.

We're going to have no choice but to take them to court.

Job well done.

Earlier, we met Shirley and Sylvia at their third-floor flat.

Housing officer Grace was concerned

they might be becoming isolated from the rest of the community

so organised a local trip to a local older people's lunch club

and although Sylvia wasn't quite feeling up to it,

Shirley was more than happy to poke her head out of the door,

despite the weather.

Cheers, my love. Thank you.

You've got the umbrella this time.

GRACE LAUGHS No mistakes this time.

You want the umbrella?

BOTH: No, you're all right.

'The idea of this local lunch club is to keep people socialising,

'especially those who might find it hard to get out of the house.'

-It smells good.

-That smells good.

-Something smells nice.

-That smells awesome.

-Hello.

-Morning.

Morning, morning.

Something smells nice.

Hello. You all right?

'It looks as if the guys here are expecting a big crowd.'

If you want help serving the food,

give me a shout and I'll help you out.

I can help - I'm useless, but I'll do my best.

-I'll do whatever I can.

-Maybe set the tables.

-Yeah?

'Always happy to lend a hand.

'Now, let's hope there's some cake on the menu for Shirley.'

I hope you enjoy your lunch today.

-We've got roast lamb.

-Good.

Oh...!

Roast potatoes, parsnips.

-Wow.

-Mixed vegetables. Cabbage.

-Very nice.

-Yeah.

I don't know if you heard, but that was my tummy rumbling.

For future reference.

And apple pie, custard,

and they've got melons to start with today.

And there's some juice.

-How does that sound, Shirley?

-Apple pie, hello!

That's all right, I think we've got a taker there.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

'OK, so, no cake, but apple pie and custard.

'What's wrong with that?

'To prove there's no such thing as a free lunch,

'look, there's a new work experience lad in the kitchen.'

I'm behind the scenes here at the Hyde village lunch club.

We're awaiting the onslaught, there's a coachload coming.

We've got to be ready for when they get here.

'I've got my fetching green pinny on.

'What could possibly go wrong?'

Here they come.

-You go - no, after you.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, definitely.

'Everyone here is really friendly,

'but it still must be a little nerve-racking for Shirley,

'especially as she hasn't experienced

'so many new faces in a while.

'I really admire her for getting out and not giving up.'

Shirley, do you want a cup of tea?

-Yes, please.

-There you go.

-What's your name, sir?

-Kenny.

Kenny, would you like a cup of tea? There you go, mate.

'As Grace has learned only too well,

'there's not much that a cup of tea and a good chinwag can't cure.

When I used to look after old people,

I used to ask them the silliest of questions every week.

One of the questions I asked one week was, "How old do you feel?"

The interesting answer would always be,

"To be honest, I know I'm 80,

"but I actually just feel like I'm 18."

Can you imagine putting an 18-year-old in a house

and telling them they can't leave cos they're not mobile and able to

and expect them to be OK with that?

I think for some of the older people,

mentally, they're still young, they still want to laugh,

they want to talk about the same things

and for people like Shirley and Sylvia,

they've great personalities.

Shirley's got a really good sense of humour.

She really enjoys chatting to people and having a laugh,

so getting out and having the opportunity to come here

and just interact,

it's what every person of all age needs.

'Isolation is undoubtedly one of the biggest concerns

'facing elderly people

'and you can see how important clubs like this are to local residents.'

It's one of those services that if it wasn't for Doris volunteering,

making this whole thing happen, then it wouldn't happen.

There would be no lunch club without volunteers like Debs

and the rest of them that are prepared to give up their time,

in the middle of a working day, to come and do this.

It wouldn't be happening. Shirley would be at home

for the rest of the day.

'Now, there's only one thing standing between these residents

'and their delicious roast dinner - me.'

Thank you.

-Swapsie.

-We have a conveyor belt.

-We have a conveyor belt going.

'So far, at least, everyone seems happy.'

Is the food always this nice?

Yeah. It looks amazing.

Better than the roasties I make.

-Nice.

-Yeah? Is it tasty?

The meat looks nice.

We've got apple pie to go next

and I would imagine that the entire assembly

is going to want a cup of tea afterwards, as well.

Ah! That's hot!

'It's a good job the pudding is in safe hands.'

Very important job, being in charge of custard.

-It is.

-You can't muck this up.

What do you guys do on the days you don't come to lunch club?

What would you do if the lunch club wasn't here?

You know, that day... Get a sandwich or something.

Get a sandwich.

-So this could be your only hot meal of the week.

-Yes.

'Hot food and good company - what more could you want?

'Let's hope Doris, who helps deliver the service,

'doesn't think I was completely useless.'

How did I do?

-Very well.

-Really?

-Excellent. You can be one of my volunteers now.

That's it.

Shirley, how's she fitting in there?

She was all right. I mean, she's quiet,

but they're involving her in the conversation.

-Yeah.

-So, we're going to ask if we can get her down

to all the little sessions we do as well after lunch.

-This programme is about housing.

-Yeah.

Obviously, this is not their bricks and mortar,

but it's an extension of that, isn't it?

Yes. It's fetching them out of their homes

-that, sometimes, they become isolated in.

-Yeah.

A lot of elderly people become ill because they're isolated.

They don't mix, they don't socialise.

Do you see a change in them when they come here

-over weeks and months?

-Yeah.

It's about having that little bit of continuity with them

and caring about them.

I think sharing and caring is what it's about, really.

What would you want?

Would you be wanting to sitting indoors with nobody to talk to?

No, not really. I'd want apple pie and custard.

-Yeah. So, it's...

-And a bit of a laugh!

-Yeah, yeah.

And you know, if you get the chance...

'That's the thumbs up from Doris. What do my customers make of it?'

Are you off?

Look at the speed!

He's done something to that scooter,

cos I've never seen one go quite that quickly.

I go to lunch club because I depend on it.

-Yeah.

-Because then I can go home and relax and fall asleep

and make a sandwich for tea.

So, knowing you've had one good meal during the day

means you don't have to worry so much about tea-time?

-Yeah.

-And what about the company? How important is that?

Have you got family around you?

I've got family all around me,

but then no-one lives with me, I'm on my own.

-Right.

-And I look forward to coming out for treats,

like a dinner and things like that.

-They're all going.

-Yes.

-Really nice to meet you.

-Thanks for having me.

-Thank you.

-See you again. Bye-bye.

That's Dolly, the chair of the association.

-Hello, Dolly. How are you?

-How old are you, Doll? Tell him.

-How old are you?

-91.

-Are you?

-So, you're still the chair.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

-She's the honorary chair.

-Fantastic.

-Dolly, how was lunch today?

-Beautiful, always is.

-Did you get enough?

-Yes.

'The regulars obviously really rate this place,

'but I'm wondering how our newest guest of honour got on.'

-Shirley, what did you think of that? Of lunch club?

-All right.

-All right?

-Yeah.

-Just all right?

No, it was maybe great, it was good.

-Good. Out of ten?

-Oh, I don't know.

-More than ten.

-More than ten?!

-Wow.

That's really good.

Well, getting out, getting out of the house, innit?

And the menu? How was the food?

It was great. It was good.

-Apple pie?

-Good.

-Nice.

You're willing to give it a crack?

-Yeah.

-Peanuts can come down, as well.

Yeah, well...he'll have your dinner!

LAUGHTER

No, he's not - very strict rules about that.

Very strict rules we have about that.

Thanks for letting us tag along today.

That's all right.

'I'm not surprised Shirley is a little bit overwhelmed by today

'and although we still didn't manage to provide her any cake,

'thanks to Grace and the team here, we did manage to show her

'that there's a place for both her and Sylvia

'where they're always welcome to meet new friends -

'can't be bad.'

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye, Shirley.

Bye.

Very nice people.

Anti-social behaviour. Three little words

that can mean a whole lot of trouble for tenants and housing officers.

For tenants, it's no fun living next-door to noisy neighbours,

overgrown gardens, or having a collection of refuse

dumped unceremoniously on your doorstep,

and for the housing officer, well, tackling anti-social behaviour

can mean having to play the role

of policeman, diplomat and counsellor all rolled into one.

Last year, UK housing officers

dealt with around 300,000 reported cases of anti-social behaviour

at a cost of £300 million.

But what happens when anti-social behaviour

forces you to become a prisoner in your own home?

In Newcastle, I'm with housing association officers

Chris O'Neil and Gary Scurfield.

We're on the way to meet tenants

who've had to put up

with years of abuse

and threats of violence from a neighbour -

a situation which has now reached crisis point.

The perpetrator in this case, he's been given every opportunity.

We, previously, instead of seeking possession of his property,

we actually obtained an injunction against him through the court

for his behaviour, so...

We've had the injunction against him. He's actually...

Behaviour stopped when the injunction was in place.

As soon as it ended, it began again.

So, now it's come to the point where we can't do anything else.

That's it now, enough's enough.

'The neighbour's four-year campaign of alcohol-fuelled harassment

'has left tenant Paul and his friend Dawn

'effectively trapped in the flat.'

So, you've reached the end of your tether, have you?

End of my tether. I've been telling them what's been happening.

Lately, we've had to get the police out on several occasions.

Been standing at the back of the property,

trying to intimidate Dawn, trying to intimidate meself.

-Threatened to poke Dawn's

-BLEEP

-eyes out.

Cos she's going through the change of life...

I'm going through the change, I've got to keep standing at the bathroom...

She was coming to the bathroom window for air,

and he got mortal drunk,

and then he was just stumbling around the square.

And then he pointed up to the window and he says,

"If you stand there much longer,

"I'm going to come over there and poke your eyes out."

This is the most recent one, is it?

Does it ever go beyond threats? Is any other action?

You know, like damage, violence to people or to property.

Or is it usually verbal and no more?

Just verbal and threatening what he's going to do and what he's not going to do.

But he's never actually carried any of his threats out.

But it's getting to the point where I am frightened to go out.

'All tenants have the right to feel safe and secure in their homes.

'But, for Paul, the impact of this anti-social behaviour

'could potentially be life-threatening.'

Cos I suffer from anxiety and depression.

And I have a medibox. I don't have much medication.

I've got chronic heart disease and an enlarged heart.

I just get stressed, and I can't be doing with him.

I've had enough of him.

Because we have got to sit here and just take his abuse.

I mean, in a way, it's feels a bit like you are trapped in here.

That's why I was starting to get sick of it

and thinking about moving.

'The situation is creating misery and fear.

'Not just for Paul and Dawn -

'now other tenants are demanding to be rehoused.

'But Chris has some news.'

An update of where we are at now.

-I took the statement off you last time.

-Aye.

All the statements have been produced,

and we have actually served notice on this individual

to end his tenancy.

All right. That notice has just expired.

Following that, we have then applied to court.

The court papers are in.

All we are waiting for now is a date from the court

to go for the full hearing to get possession.

So, that's what we are applying for. For possession for the property.

I know you were saying you were looking at moving.

We hope, in a couple of weeks, you won't have to

cos we are resolving that situation.

-Oh, that would be great.

-Yeah?

'A possession order on the neighbour's flat

'hopefully means the threats will disappear,

'along with the troublesome tenant.

'It sounds like it can't come a moment too soon

'for Paul and Dawn.'

He just comes to his window,

lifts his net up and his window's wide open, shouting...

-"I'm surrounded."

-"I'm surrounded.

"I've got a bomb. I'm going to blow yous all up.

"Just watch, before I leave. I'm going to get yous.

"I'll get yous."

Once the problem of your neighbour is removed,

are you happy to stay here?

-In this tenancy, yeah?

-Oh, aye. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Right, we're moving forward.

Obviously, you know, you know where we're at now.

We're quite a way down the process

to try and get things finalised for you to get, you know,

the highest level of enforcement we can do, pretty much, in there.

So if you feel threatened, make the police aware, as you do.

Also, you know, housing issue, if you feel anything else,

contact us, as well, and we'll pick up on that.

Thanks for your time. We'll finalise it.

I'll be in touch next week for some updates.

When I get a relevant date back for the court,

I'll let you know, all right?

'The list of anti-social behaviour and intimidation

'that Paul and Dawn have had to endure

'is some of the worst I've come across

'in my time working with housing officers.

'I'm hoping that Chris and Gary's visit today

'will put their minds at ease.'

-What did you think of that?

-I think it was good.

I'm pleased there's action being taken.

It's only taken 11 years,

but at least they're getting somewhere now.

You were about ready to move out yourself?

Oh, aye. I was going to be off this afternoon

to fill the forms in just to move out of here.

I was seeking that out, because I am that sick of him.

I'm depressed. I didn't want to see him.

He was trying to get us to bite,

and when we're not biting, he's getting more and more agitated.

And the more he thinks he can shout abuse at me.

And he thinks he gets away with it.

I'm not letting him get away with nothing now.

It's almost like he's declared war on everybody...

-Everybody.

-..that's living here.

It's not just you guys.

And the constant abuse of alcohol.

Seven days a week. Night and day.

And smoking drugs on top of it.

It's obviously doing something with your brain.

And it's making him...

He's getting more and more and more paranoid all the time.

It seems bizarre, though, that this is one person

-that's causing all this upset for...

-Everybody.

However many houses there are.

So you are now looking at a situation where, hopefully,

within a matter of weeks, he should be out.

-Yeah.

-Does that give you complete confidence?

Are you happy with that?

Once he's out... Once he's out of the square,

and we don't see him on a day-to-day basis,

then it's going to be a lot nicer and pleasanter,

not just for us, but everyone.

Well, listen, I hope it gets sorted out for you quickly

and it's obviously had a big effect on you.

But I hope it manages to get itself sorted out,

and you can carry on living here.

'It's been a tough day for Chris and Gary

'and it's clearly been a long process for the housing association.

'Despite working with the police to tackle the anti-social behaviour,

'and offering support to the residents,

'the stress for Paul and Dawn remains.'

I mean, it felt like a sort of litany, didn't it,

of events over the last 11 years for poor old Paul there.

And it gave the picture that this is a guy

who has basically declared war on the rest of the estate there.

It certainly has been like that.

There's, I would say, specifically, the last four years

where there's been a lot of problems

and we have tried to keep this individual in his property.

In the end, it all seems to backfire and doesn't work.

I suppose the acid test

is when you're starting to get other people leaving

and requesting to be re-homed.

With all the effort that that takes, all the disruption to their lives,

at some point, you've got to draw a line, haven't you?

Paul himself was saying, you know, he would have been off

if it had gone on any longer.

So, you're disrupting a community there because of one.

Because of one individual, yeah.

And, you know, you've got to take into account

everyone else's circumstances. their needs are more,

compared to one person's actions and behaviour, haven't you?

We've got to stop that. You know, can't go on any longer.

We didn't manage to meet the gentleman himself,

which would have been a rare pleasure(!)

But, you know, maybe another time.

And keep us posted on what happens, yeah?

-Yeah, will do.

-Good stuff.

-Thank you.

'Eviction is, of course, the last resort,

'and it will be up to the court to decide, ultimately,

'whether the tenant will be evicted.

'But I hope, for the neighbours' sake,

'something is done.'

Well, that was a particularly difficult case

for Gary and Chris to tackle.

Fortunately, anti-social behaviour on that scale is rare.

But effects on neighbouring residents can be severe.

Isos is continuing to work alongside those tenants affected

to help bring the situation to a satisfying conclusion

for everyone concerned.

In Stroud, tenant Jim is having to leave the flat

that's been his home for 57 years

and move into a two-bedroom bungalow.

I never thought we'd ever move, but that's how it happens.

Jim's been packing up more than just furniture.

There's a lifetime of memories here, too.

You think, "I've been here 57 years" -

it's a long time, isn't it?

It's housing officer Chris's job

to ensure everything goes smoothly.

The thing with Jim is that he's been a tenant with us

for a long time, over 50 years.

Since he was 11. And he...

He needs to move because the Queen's Court

is no longer economically viable,

and also, it's not that accessible a building

in terms of being away from amenities,

and also, because he's on the first floor,

it's not so easy with him with his bad knee.

So, having a bungalow suits him really well.

We do realise that people moving home is a stressful event.

It's one thing when you choose to move home,

but when you're being asked to move

because the property is no longer suitable,

then obviously it's a bigger thing for people.

Jim has what is known as a secure tenancy

and that guarantees him a home for life,

as long as he doesn't break his tenancy rules.

As it wasn't his choice to leave his former flat,

Jim's has been offered a home loss payment of £5,000

plus carpets, curtains and removal costs...

Let's see if this is the key.

..all of which should hopefully cushion the blow.

So with everything he needs to make the move,

it is time for Jim to open the door to his new life.

First impressions, positive.

It's great. That will be ideal, this one.

Be nice when the carpets are all down tomorrow.

It'll make a lot of difference, won't it?

Yeah, I'm really pleased with it. It's very good.

I didn't know they were going to put a new kitchen in.

Over the moon with that, it's really great.

Done a good job, actually.

Really nice.

It looks like Jim is keen to get settled in as soon as possible.

I'm measuring for the cooker, actually,

cos I had a gas cooker, which...

I couldn't bring it.

So I've ordered a new electric cooker,

and it should definitely go in.

There's more good news in the bathroom.

This is what I wanted, was a wet room, to be quite honest.

I didn't want a bath.

This is great. It's ideal.

Really good. Really quite pleased with that.

With Jim settling in...

..housing officer Chris wants to see how he's getting on.

See who this is.

-Hello, Jim. How are you?

-I'm good, how are you?

-Yeah, fine.

I just wondered how you found it all, coming in?

-Yeah.

-I brought some...

-That's the carpet?

-Brought some carpet for you.

-That's the hessian you picked.

-Yeah.

Just wondering how you're feeling about the whole thing, really.

I think it's very good.

They've done... The decorating's excellent.

Yeah, we've decorated it all, haven't we? Which was nice.

It was a little bit ropey when we first looked,

so we've got that organised for you.

This is a nice, big room, so it should fit all your furniture

from your old place, which is great.

I know some of those had sentimental value for you.

Yeah, it was sentimental.

The inside is looking good. What about the outside space?

Yeah, so, Jim, this is your new back garden.

We've already got some nice shrubs here, haven't we?

You can hang your washing out up there, so you're all right.

I can cut that. I can get a little mower.

Just a little one. That's not going to take too long.

I think this'll be nice. I mean, it's a nice, quiet area.

Do you know this area? You knew this area anyway, didn't you?

I know the woman up there.

I think this is a really decent-sized bungalow.

Be nice not having to walk up stairs.

-Yeah, I think that'd be better for you, won't it?

-Yeah.

'We're really pleased, as a council,

'that we've found a really nice bungalow for Jim.'

Because he's been with us for over 50 years, been a very good tenant,

always paid his rent, keeps the house immaculate,

and that's really, really good.

I'm really, really pleased that he's happy.

Moving home is never easy,

especially after having to say goodbye to a place

with so many happy memories.

Thanks to Chris and the council,

this new place is hopefully the beginning

of a new set of happy memories for Jim.

Good luck, then, Jim, with the next steps.

-Cheers.

-All the best.

Well, as we've just seen,

being a housing officer

means a daily dose of tough choices and difficult decisions.

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

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

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

where I'll be back on the front line

with the housing enforcers.