0:00:02 > 0:00:04VOICEOVER: Can you imagine living in these conditions?
0:00:04 > 0:00:08- So, you started with mice?- Yeah. - And now they're rats?- Yeah, yeah.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Security's very poor at the back of this property.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13But with the pressure on housing greater than ever,
0:00:13 > 0:00:17finding a safe place to live is getting harder and harder.
0:00:17 > 0:00:18It's just terrible.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20It gets me the most, this place.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Oh, my God. Can you see what's going on here?
0:00:23 > 0:00:28I'm Matt Allwright and I'm back on the front line with the housing enforcers.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31So, what you've got is a very, very quick way to dispatch yourself.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35This series tackles downright dangerous houses head-on.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Really worryingly, there's no mains gas supply here at all.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41From life-endangering firetraps...
0:00:41 > 0:00:43They wouldn't even know the place was on fire before they were dead.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45You can see these plugs here, they've blown.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Worst-case scenario, the house could have burned down.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49..to health hazards...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52It's at a stage where it really needs to be dealt with now.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55..to accidents waiting to happen.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58You're actually not talking about fire, you're talking about an explosion.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Making sure we all have a safe and secure place to call home.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07There are things here that could seriously shorten your life.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Today, I'm faced with a dangerously unsafe property.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- So, what we've got here is a time bomb, effectively.- Yeah.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21We investigate a neglected home that's a hazard in every way...
0:01:21 > 0:01:25The flies were the first thing that brought us to the property, really.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27..and the residents aren't keen to leave.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34And in Margate, children's health is put at risk.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37I just feel like my kids should have better than this.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Do you know what constitutes a safety risk in your own home?
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Hopefully, yes.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47But if you're a tenant, you look to your landlord to provide a safe
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and hazard-free place to live.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54I'm working alongside the men and women whose job it is to make sure
0:01:54 > 0:01:56those landlords keep to their side of the bargain
0:01:56 > 0:01:59and they are the housing enforcers.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Generally, for home safety, I worry about flooding.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07I don't think we get regular enough boiler checks.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Because I know they can blow up and stuff
0:02:09 > 0:02:12and I think it's really important for someone to come and check them,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15- do you know what I mean?- Can't say I get my appliances checked.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19They work, I plug them in and that's it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21I've got children at home.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25And it's their safety and our safety, it's everyone's.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And our neighbour's safety all together, it can save.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29In terms of safety, it's your home.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33If you can't be safe there, you can't really be safe anywhere.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38In the West Midlands, I'm working with housing officer
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Richard Hawkins, investigating a tip-off about some tenants living
0:02:42 > 0:02:45in potentially lethal conditions above a row of shops.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49When you've got family accommodation above a shop,
0:02:49 > 0:02:50the problem that you've got is fire.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54It turns out there's already been a fire in a takeaway below a
0:02:54 > 0:02:58neighbouring flat, leaving residents in the block potentially vulnerable.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01You've got the risk of cookers setting on fire, things like that.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Also, people go home at the end of the day and leave these shops.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08A fire kicks off and you're above, how do you know about it?
0:03:10 > 0:03:13It sounds like something that needs dealing with straightaway.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17It's frightening to think that up to 300 people in England are killed by
0:03:17 > 0:03:19fires in their home every year.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Today, we're also joined by fire safety officer Wendy Westward.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28- How you doing, all right? - How are you?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- Hiya, Wendy, how are you? I'm Matt. Good to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34We're going to start at the front of the row of shops.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37First impressions are not good.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42So, what we're actually saying is there's potentially somebody living
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- up there with a roller shutter.- Yes.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50So is it worth us having a look round the back first before we ring the buzzer?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52- Possibly, yeah.- Do you think? - Yeah.- Yeah?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Commercial properties can be a fire risk to any adjoined
0:03:56 > 0:04:00residential housing, so running into a locked roller shutter
0:04:00 > 0:04:04if other exits are blocked could be literally a dead end.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Our first hurdle is to find out how the residents upstairs get in and
0:04:07 > 0:04:09out of this place.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Right, I'm just going to gingerly, gingerly move across.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18It's locked from the inside with a padlock as well.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Clearly, they've tried to protect themselves from burglars,
0:04:21 > 0:04:26but by doing so, they've actually negated ways of getting in and out
0:04:26 > 0:04:28of the property if they absolutely have to.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Yeah, I can see a cooker in here. This is all residential.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33KNOCKING
0:04:33 > 0:04:36There are signs of life, but no obvious way in.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39Hello?
0:04:39 > 0:04:40Hello?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Hold on, there is someone in.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Hi, I'm from Sandwell Council, can you come to the door, please?
0:04:48 > 0:04:52The resident invites us to climb in through the window.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55It's anybody's guess what we'll find inside.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Have I got to walk over the sofa?
0:04:58 > 0:04:59OK, just watch that,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02because the actual windowsill's giving as you climb in.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03Nice to meet you, Bobby.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07After literally stumbling into Bobby's lounge,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09we find out that that he's the tenant.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And as well as living here, he runs a barber shop on the first floor.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18So, the only way in and out there without coming through here...
0:05:20 > 0:05:21..is through your window?
0:05:23 > 0:05:24Yeah, OK.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27Yeah, please.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30So, whilst his customers can enter from the street,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Bobby's also been using that window to get in and out of his flat.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41And just how bad is about to become clear
0:05:41 > 0:05:45because what we find in Bobby's kitchen is beyond belief.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49You can't look anywhere and not see something which is a hazard
0:05:49 > 0:05:52to Bobby, it's a hazard to people living next door.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53- It's grim, isn't it? - It's really grim.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01Around 60% of accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04But the list of other hazards in here is, well, pretty extensive.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Right, so what we're looking for is not just what the risk is,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13but we're also looking for the impact it could have if it were to happen.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Yeah, Matt, from your training, as you'll probably remember,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17we're looking for things like damp,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19we're looking for things like falls between levels.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Position of amenities like cooker space.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24We're looking for electrics, we're looking for the whole shebang.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Well, in that case, I would say we should probably not do very much
0:06:27 > 0:06:28this afternoon.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Because we've got our hands absolutely full in this place.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35So, we've got a cooker, really worryingly,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38there's no mains gas supply here at all,
0:06:38 > 0:06:45so it's being fuelled by a giant propane Calor gas bottle...
0:06:45 > 0:06:52- Yeah.- ..right next to it, which is putting a naked flame next to a
0:06:52 > 0:06:56giant, volatile, combustible item.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- Pressurised.- Pressurised!
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Highly pressurised.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Highly pressurised. So that, if it were to be here,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04presumably should be separate from it,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07either outside and piped through but just a million miles away.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Not only should it be outside, it should be in a cage.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12So what we've got here is a time bomb, effectively.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16In all my years working with housing officers, I've never seen anything
0:07:16 > 0:07:19as dangerous as Bobby's cooking facilities.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25With a potentially catastrophic cooker and gas bottle combo, well,
0:07:25 > 0:07:26it's unbelievable.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Things aren't much less lethal in the bathroom next door.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33There's a lot of issues in here.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36We have a lot of mould.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40That's not good. Damp and mould can aggravate respiratory infections and
0:07:40 > 0:07:43even affect the immune system.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Somebody's waiting to fit a socket here.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48This shouldn't be here at all, this shouldn't be in the bathroom.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49That shouldn't be in the bathroom at all.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54In fact, building regulations say electrical sockets shouldn't
0:07:54 > 0:07:56be fitted in bath or shower rooms.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58If you do, you're dicing with death.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00And as for the makeshift extension lead...
0:08:03 > 0:08:08What they're doing is using a socket with a wall socket on the other end.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10It's barely wired in.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12You're right next to water,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16so what you've got is a very, very quick way to dispatch yourself.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21So, that's electrocution to add to our ever-growing list of safety hazards.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23When you see things like this, it's an indicator to you.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26What this is telling me is that whoever's put this building together
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- is happy to cut corners. - Yes.- So don't trust anything.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33There are so many risks here,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36it's all the more important that Bobby can get out of his flat,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38if he needs to, in the event of a fire.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43There's some issues here with regards to your safety.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45It there's a fire, like there was the other day,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48there's issues in how you would escape.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51At the moment, you've only got one, really, entrance and exit,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53which is that stairwell.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54That's a problem.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56That window is not a door.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01So we've got to work out how we can change this to make it safe for you.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- OK? And you've been here seven years?- Yes.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07OK.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09That's, er... That's surprising.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15You've got a locked window at the back,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19a shutter that comes down at the front and a commercial premises in
0:09:19 > 0:09:21between the two. In the case of a fire,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25what he could do about it in a hurry is not very much.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Having no proper fire escape is right up there on a list of
0:09:30 > 0:09:31housing hazards.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Later on, there's some worrying information about Bobby's neighbours.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Are there children there? - Yeah, there's children.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41There's children living next door?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I don't think I've ever seen Richard look quite this worried.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48When it comes to safety,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51we might be able to control what happens in our own homes, but
0:09:51 > 0:09:55whether it's antisocial behaviour or a neglected property next door,
0:09:55 > 0:10:01sometimes it's our neighbours who could be putting our wellbeing at risk.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Antisocial behaviour is a big thing for me.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08There has been times when that has been an issue and I've had to
0:10:08 > 0:10:09contact the landlord about that.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12It led to us moving house because we couldn't put up with it.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14And actually we felt the authorities weren't actually quick
0:10:14 > 0:10:17at dealing with that sort of thing. It takes a while to deal with that.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20It's always a risk, where you live, really.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Neighbours help to make the community.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26So you do worry about that kind of thing going on.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31In Oldbury, housing officer Christina Bartholomew is heading
0:10:31 > 0:10:35to a privately rented property, which has attracted complaints from
0:10:35 > 0:10:38the neighbours after reportedly been left in a shocking condition.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Normally, the idea is that the landlord would do the repairs and
0:10:42 > 0:10:45the tenants can continue to live in the property.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49But this property is so bad that the tenants have had to move out.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Reports suggest things might be in a bad state in the house.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56But what Christina's faced with when she enters the property is almost
0:10:56 > 0:10:57beyond belief.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10The tenants have left their 12 - yes, 12 - cats running riot in the place.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12And although they've been returning to feed them,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16the conditions in here are, well, horrendous.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19The flies were the first thing that brought us to the property, really.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Because my colleagues in environmental health, they had a complaint in.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Flies do carry disease and cats are doing...
0:11:28 > 0:11:32..their poos on the floor, so it's encouraging the flies.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Obviously, the cats are weeing all over the carpet,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39which is why you can smell the ammonia, which is really strong.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42It's bad for you to be breathing in that sort of air.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45And, again, as you can see from the windows,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47they've got a double layer over them,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50so it's not as if the ventilation's ideal in here either.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55The urine produced by this number of cats can create high levels of
0:11:55 > 0:11:59noxious ammonia, which can lead to serious respiratory problems.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Not to mention the fleas.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05When the council was alerted to the general state of the property,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09they arranged for the tenants to be rehoused.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11But it's worth remembering that they were living,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15eating and sleeping in this place only three weeks ago.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21I really don't know how people have got away with living in the house
0:12:21 > 0:12:25so far, really, under the conditions that it currently is.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28As if the cat mess wasn't bad enough,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31the number of other safety issues in this property is staggering.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Not least in the kitchen.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40Well, the boiler's been condemned and you can see these plugs here,
0:12:40 > 0:12:45they've been connected to the cooker for switching the cooker on and off.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46And they've blown.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49The tenants may have called this place home,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52but judging by the state of the kitchen,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54they were living in a very dangerous environment.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59That's the worst plugs I've seen been blown like that.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03The worst-case scenario is that the house could have burned down.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07You know, with people and cats in it.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10That's another major hazard.
0:13:10 > 0:13:1420,000 fires a year are caused by dodgy electrics.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16It's a wonder the place hasn't gone up in flames.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17But that's not all.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22You can see the water's dripping through from the ceiling.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And the room directly above this is the bathroom.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31So it's highly likely that either there's piping that's leaking through
0:13:31 > 0:13:36or the outside, there's also water coming from that pipe outside.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40In fact, it looks like there's water pouring in throughout the house,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42causing dangerous structural damage.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46There's a tile missing on the roof.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It's been left for quite a long time so whenever it rains,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52the water comes through and it's gone onto the floor.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54And it's rotted through the floorboards, basically.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58The immediate safety risks apart,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01the level of squalor in this place is jaw-dropping.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02There's rubbish everywhere
0:14:02 > 0:14:05and the cats have spread their filth all over the place.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07It's a breeding ground for diseases.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10But with the tenants moved out,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14the priority now is the welfare of the 12 cats,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and the health and safety of the neighbours who first raised the alarm.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21They have been obviously using the kitchen, but a lot of things in here,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25like the dirt on things, are probably about a year old or more.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It really is shocking that a home could end up in this condition.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33The place isn't fit for humans or cats.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40For now, though, Christina has to arrange for the 12 cats to be re-homed.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42There's one hiding behind here.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Got to try and photograph each one so it can be re-homed in the
0:14:46 > 0:14:49best place. We've got Mr Tipp,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Keisa and Misty.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55So that's the three kittens.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I'm sure the kittens won't have any problem being re-homed.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00The cats are going to be a little more difficult, I think,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03because they've got a bit more attitude.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04She's not kidding.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Careful, Christina.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10It won't be easy, but Christina is focused on getting the best outcome
0:15:10 > 0:15:12for everyone.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18The cats can't stay in that sort of property under those conditions.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21I'll definitely be returning.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26I've offered to help catch the cats to put them into the cat carriers.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29So that'll be the next stage, to actually catch them.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34And we'll be finding out if there's a happy ending for those
0:15:34 > 0:15:36unfortunate felines a bit later on.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38He's escaped back upstairs!
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Earlier on, I was in the West Midlands
0:15:42 > 0:15:46inspecting a flat above a row of shops that's so full of hazards,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50housing officer Richard is looking into issuing a prohibition order.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53That's closing the property down and forcing tenant Bobby to leave
0:15:53 > 0:15:55his home of seven years.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58But Richard soon spots another potential problem.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02What's this, Bobby? What are you up to?
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Part for the boiler.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Sorry, just rewind a second, that's a part for your boiler?
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Who put that in? You?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Did you fix it?- Yes.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16This may now be a prohibition order.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18- You can't do that, Bobby. - No, no, no.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20You could blow yourself up.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Poorly maintained boilers can release poisonous carbon monoxide gas,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28so they must only be worked on by a qualified gas safe engineer.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Luckily, it turns out Bobby's not been tinkering with the boiler himself.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36So you've kept it as a spare in case yours breaks?
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- Right. That can never be used in there, then.- No, no, no.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- You must throw it. Nobody would ever fit it.- No, no, no.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46OK.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48At least the boiler's fine for now.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51But there's all those other safety hazards to consider.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54And we're about to get some unsettling news.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Bobby, can I ask you, does anybody live next door?
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- Yes.- Do you know who lives next door?
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Two families.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05- Two families?- Yes. - Are there children there?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08- Yeah, there's children. - There's children living next door.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10It's a shocking discovery.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14I don't think I've ever seen Richard look quite this worried
0:17:14 > 0:17:17and we've worked together for the last four years.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22I think we're pushing on prohibition.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23- Really?- Yeah.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Things really aren't looking good for Bobby.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30If that happens, the other side effect of that is that Bobby loses
0:17:30 > 0:17:36his business and his home until that prohibition order is lifted.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37We're above a commercial shop.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42We've got dodgy electrics, we've got very questionable ways of escape.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44And those push it very much towards prohibition order.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46So you've got to weigh those risks.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48And who knows what we might find next door?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I'm probably even more concerned about that than this one.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52When you've got children in a building,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and if we're coming across anything as bad as this,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57it's going to be all hands to the pumps to get them out.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Well, if the state of next door is a patch on Bobby's flat,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Richard will have no choice but to remove the family living there.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Hello, I'm from Sandwell Council.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Mum is home, but doesn't want to be filmed.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Are there anybody else living here other than you?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Yes, two more.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19There's you, your child...?
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- And my husband.- So it's just you as one family.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24And one more family, yes.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26So there's two families here?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- Yes, two families. - So we've got an HMO.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34an HMO is a house in multiple occupation.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37That can mean several households living together,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40usually sharing a kitchen and bathroom.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43One of the things you'd expect to see in an HMO is you would expect to
0:18:43 > 0:18:47see linked fire detection.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51So that means if there's a fire in one room, everybody knows about it.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54What we haven't got here is that.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58To have no fire detection is a serious hazard.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Not only that, the family's only means of escape in an emergency is
0:19:02 > 0:19:04through the kitchen.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08The situation here is looking even worse than Bobby's next door.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12In here, you're actually...
0:19:12 > 0:19:14You're at no less risk of fire, it seems to me.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16At more risk in here.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Because you've got an HMO situation.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20And whenever you've got an HMO situation, you've got families
0:19:20 > 0:19:23eating at different times and you've got a child in this flat,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26they're reliant on people that aren't even their own parents or family.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29You can't trust the people around you, so you have to trust
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- the system, and here, the system's failed.- Mmm.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37It's not long before I find more potentially fatal failings in the bedroom.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44There's a sash window, where the bottom half of the sash is just a guillotine.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49- Oh, my gosh.- You've got kids living here, there's no restriction on this at all.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53Perfect access for a child, nothing to stop them getting in.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Just a sheet of glass, straight down.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58I dread to think the damage that could do to someone.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03In fact, these two flats above the shops
0:20:03 > 0:20:06contain at least seven serious safety contraventions.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12The flat housing the families is actually leased by this tenant,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14who's been subletting it.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17The issue we've got is that this is an HMO.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21When that happens, there's greater fire risk in a property,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24so the law requires higher fire regulations.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28On top of that, you're above a shop,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30which is also a fire risk.
0:20:30 > 0:20:36And because of that, that also requires higher fire regulations.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38I'll tell you the problem you've got. You've got a kitchen
0:20:38 > 0:20:41at the front of the building, that's most likely where fire's going to be.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43And they have to pass through that kitchen to escape.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46I think it's going to have to be closed.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49The fact that children are living in these conditions has left Richard
0:20:49 > 0:20:52with no choice but to issue a prohibition order.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58So, I'm standing outside the shop, which is underneath the HMO,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01house in multiple occupation, upstairs, which contains two families,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03a home for two families.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08And in there, Richard is informing the landlord that this property is
0:21:08 > 0:21:13going to get shut down now because he cannot guarantee them a safe exit
0:21:13 > 0:21:15from this place in the case of a fire.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18You can't have people living up there in its current condition.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- At all?- We just need it so that it's operational and we can lift the
0:21:21 > 0:21:22prohibition order, all right?
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Actually, the temporary landlord is being quite philosophical about this
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and he's saying, "Well, actually, if it was my family living upstairs,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32"I'd want to know they were safe, too", so full marks for that.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36And he's having a very quick lesson in how to look after your tenants.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43The owners of Bobby's flat were given two months to comply with the
0:21:43 > 0:21:49improvement. They've told us the property is let as commercial premises
0:21:49 > 0:21:52and that the tenant shouldn't be sleeping there regularly.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57But they have said all the issues at the property have now been fixed.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01The council shut down the flat with the family living in it,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05but, despite being offered new council homes,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08their landlord has now found them somewhere to live.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12But Bobby's flat escapes the prohibition order,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14as he's thought to be less at risk.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Safety hazards in the home take many forms,
0:22:21 > 0:22:26but very high on the list for any housing officers are damp and mould.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It's one of the most common problems we see on Housing Enforcers
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and it can cause some serious health problems,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36particularly for old people and kids.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41I did, years ago, I lived in a rented flat.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45It was really, really damp with mould on the walls.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I reported it, but they never done anything about it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51My boyfriend's house at the moment has damp on the ceiling and the floor
0:22:51 > 0:22:54is coming up where it's been wet from the shower and stuff.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58And you can tell at times, even without knowing the technical stuff,
0:22:58 > 0:22:59that stuff isn't right.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02I am aware of the health risks, yeah, but you just...
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Don't know why, you just don't really think about it until it's bad, don't you?
0:23:05 > 0:23:08We don't have damp and mould in our house,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12but I've seen damp and mould and I know that it's quite dangerous,
0:23:12 > 0:23:13especially for younger children.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19In Kent, Beth Thistle and Steve O'Shea from Thanet Council have been
0:23:19 > 0:23:22on the case of one landlord who's already been warned that his
0:23:22 > 0:23:25property is putting tenants at serious risk from damp.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31We've served an improvement notice requesting for works to be carried out.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36The ideal scenario would be that works have been completed.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Today's the inspection that we would need to determine whether that has happened or not.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44The two-bedroom basement flat has been on the council's radar
0:23:44 > 0:23:46for more than a year.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48KNOCKING
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Hi, there. Just from the council.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53So this is the landlord's last chance to make it safe for the tenants.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Caroline and Dean moved into the flat 18 months ago
0:23:59 > 0:24:00with their two young children
0:24:00 > 0:24:04and quickly found damp and mould affecting the whole family's health.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11My six-year-old, all she ever knows is damp and mouldy conditions.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15I suffer from Type 2 diabetes and they've deemed this place suitable
0:24:15 > 0:24:20enough to have pneumonia injections, just in case I was to come down with it.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23All you can do is just make do and get on with it.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24That's all you can do.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It's reckoned that around 2 million families in the UK
0:24:27 > 0:24:30are living in damp properties, which can aggravate asthma
0:24:30 > 0:24:32and allergies and affect the immune system.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36That's not a good environment for anyone, not least the kids.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I've got mushrooms in my kitchen.
0:24:38 > 0:24:39And they keep growing.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41I keep spraying, they keep coming back.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44It's just a never-ending cycle.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46But, for us, it's an embarrassment.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49It's a difficult situation for Caroline and the family,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53but it seems attempts to get the landlord to sort everything out
0:24:53 > 0:24:55haven't really worked.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58We've been working closely with the council for the last 18 months,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01trying to find a resolution to the problem.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04And it just doesn't seem the landlords are interested.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Before the council got involved, the family couldn't even open
0:25:07 > 0:25:10the windows to help ventilate the damp flat.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Yeah, OK, then, so that's been done.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Thankfully, that's one job the landlord has now completed.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18But in the kitchen, it's a different story.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23This bit is all starting to...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- OK.- It's all coming away.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29The problem is the floor itself.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31If you have a look at the side, it's all drooping.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34The kitchen itself is actually sinking.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Falls are one of the most common accidents in the home.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Dodgy flooring like this could be a serious trip hazard anywhere,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45not least in a kitchen.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Despite months of complaints to the landlord's agent,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53the only repairs that have been down here seem amateurish at best.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54And Beth's spotted something else.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00So, you've obviously got some mice droppings in here.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04This gets worse. Damp, serious trip hazards and now mice.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07They can cause all sorts of health and safety issues,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10so it's crucial they're dealt with quickly.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15Once you see you've got a mouse infestation, you want to try and
0:26:15 > 0:26:19set bait and get rid of them as quickly as possible because what
0:26:19 > 0:26:23they can do, if you're unlucky, they start to multiply.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26And we see lots of droppings and they can urinate as well.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28So they're running around, they won't be just running around there,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32they could be running around worktops and if you're not aware of
0:26:32 > 0:26:36that you could be touching that, you could be getting a possible infection,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38food poisoning and things from that as well.
0:26:38 > 0:26:44You really want to get in early and get rid of that infestation as quickly as you can.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Faced with so many safety issues in her home,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48it's all getting too much for Caroline.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52As a parent, I'm concerned for my kids' safety
0:26:52 > 0:26:55because they have to eat here, I have to cook in here.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58And it's horrible, it's really horrible.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00This is the room that gets me the most
0:27:00 > 0:27:04because you're supposed to nourish your family and I literally just put
0:27:04 > 0:27:06something in the oven and I go.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08You know, I feel like we quite literally just...
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Nuggets and chips, that's the best of my abilities in this place
0:27:12 > 0:27:14because it is just terrible.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17It's clear Caroline is feeling overwhelmed.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It's hard to imagine what it must be like to live here.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24With no windows, there's a lack of ventilation in the kitchen, too.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27And Steve soon spots some bizarre growths on the ceiling.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32We thought it was slugs to begin with and then through the days it just got bigger and bigger.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Certainly I'm curious as to know what that is and perhaps what's caused it.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39There's some moisture up there for that to happen, but...
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Upstairs have a leak.- ..I haven't seen that type of vegetation
0:27:42 > 0:27:45before so I'm curious to try and identify it.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Even a recently installed fan, which was supposed to ventilate the kitchen,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51seems to have caused another problem.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56We requested that an extractor fan was provided in here to take away
0:27:56 > 0:27:59excess moisture, so obviously with cooking,
0:27:59 > 0:28:04you also have lots of pans on the boil so it creates a lot of moisture,
0:28:04 > 0:28:09so we've asked for the extractor fan to try and alleviate any problems with damp and mould.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12But it appears the fan hasn't been properly installed.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14They never tunnelled it through the wall properly.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16They never tunnelled it through, they still haven't.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20So on the other side there's a wooden box and the hole for the
0:28:20 > 0:28:22smoke, steam, whatever, to escape from is only this big.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25And all the steam's now venting straight into my kids' room,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27it's made it more mouldy.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31So the moist air is supposed to be diverted through a flue to outside,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34but some is escaping into the kids' bedroom.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39And if you feel, you can feel the air through the vent and this is all the mould.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It's not adequate at all.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44It's not venting the kitchen so you're going to get that build-up of
0:28:44 > 0:28:49moisture when you're cooking and that moisture, high moisture content,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52can lead to your mould growth and your increase in dust mites and
0:28:52 > 0:28:56things like that, which can cause respiratory problems and you're
0:28:56 > 0:28:58beginning to get signs of mould growth here.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Let's not forget there are two young children sleeping and playing
0:29:02 > 0:29:03in this room.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Youngsters spending a fair amount of time in here,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11they're going to get exposed to the effects of mould.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15It's at a stage where it really needs to be dealt with now because
0:29:15 > 0:29:18if it's left, it will begin to increase and expand
0:29:18 > 0:29:20and it'll become worse.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23It's hard to believe that anyone would think of diverting a kitchen
0:29:23 > 0:29:26flue via a kids' room like this.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30I just feel like my kids should have better than this.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33They should have better than this. My daughter, you know,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36she's six years old and she suffers from what I could describe as
0:29:36 > 0:29:38depression. She doesn't want to come home.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39She doesn't want to be here.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41That breaks my heart.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47This was supposed to be a fresh start for all of us.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52The work that's been done here hasn't gone nearly far enough.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55It's no wonder that Caroline feels let down by the landlord.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58I just wake up in the morning, I just don't want to be here.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02I feel very down, very depressed and I feel like the property just
0:30:02 > 0:30:05reflects how I feel, broken inside.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09And I don't know how much more me and my family can take.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12As far as Beth and Steve are concerned,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15the time has come to take action against the landlord.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19From serving the improvement notice and coming back today,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22we can see that some of the work's been done,
0:30:22 > 0:30:26some to quite a poor standard as well,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29but then we've also got issues which haven't been addressed at all,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32so I think we'll probably have to go back to the landlord,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35try and establish a reason why they haven't done the work.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Well, Caroline's landlord has said they will fix the issues in the flat
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and is setting up a meeting with the council to decide what still needs to be done.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53They also said they'll find out if Caroline has raised any
0:30:53 > 0:30:55other problems they didn't know about before.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Hopefully the family can now look forward to a safe and happy future
0:30:59 > 0:31:00in their home.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06By law, rented properties must be of a safe standard to live in.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10If landlords don't maintain those properties to a safe standard,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14then it's the job of housing enforcers to make sure that they fix
0:31:14 > 0:31:17the problem and the tenants are safe and secure.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24The premises belong to the landlord and he should make sure that
0:31:24 > 0:31:26everything is safe
0:31:26 > 0:31:29for other people to come in and live in there.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34Definitely, the landlord should take the first responsibility for the
0:31:34 > 0:31:38health and safety issue in the house because we are tenants,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40we live there, we pay our rent.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42I think you should have certain expectations,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45particularly with fire safety,
0:31:45 > 0:31:50that landlords should be required to adhere to before their flat or house
0:31:50 > 0:31:53is let out, so I think it should be their responsibility.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Problems with dodgy landlords have forced Peterborough Council to bring
0:31:57 > 0:32:01in a new scheme demanding all landlords have to hold a licence to
0:32:01 > 0:32:03rent out a property.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Today, I'm working with housing officers Pete Bezant and
0:32:06 > 0:32:10David Marshall, whose job it is to police these licenses.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15The issues in some parts of Peterborough are such that we have to outline
0:32:15 > 0:32:17to these people in no uncertain terms that
0:32:17 > 0:32:20this is how we expect you to rent out a property,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22this is how it needs to be.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25But we're not talking about creating palaces in Peterborough.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- No, absolutely not.- We're talking about keeping people safe and healthy in their own homes.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31We want hazard-free homes, exactly, yeah.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38They've dealt with this particular owner before and now a new licence
0:32:38 > 0:32:40application has been made for one of his properties,
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Pete and David want to check that it's safe and secure for the tenant.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50But it's not long before I spot some telltale signs.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54There's a big bulge in the ceiling,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56it's clearly been repaired at least once,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58but I would say a number of times.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Raymondus, do you still have a problem with this?
0:33:01 > 0:33:02- You have water?- Yeah.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Water comes down now.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12So you have a shower upstairs and a shower downstairs?
0:33:12 > 0:33:13At the same time?
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Really, standing there, you get water down the back of your neck?
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Time to investigate where that water might be coming from.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31We're in the landing. You can see...
0:33:31 > 0:33:34- Once again...- Once again we've got some ingress of water.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36We've got a repair there.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Yeah, we've got a bit of a botch job going on here.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40Shall we try the bathroom?
0:33:42 > 0:33:47OK, so where we were seeing the problems downstairs I reckon equates
0:33:47 > 0:33:50to either the loo or
0:33:50 > 0:33:52the bath plug.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55- Yeah.- So it's going to be underneath one of these.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Yeah.- The flooring in here feels very uneven.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Like it's been affected in some way.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Yeah.- And then round behind it is just a mess.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08The tiles have fallen away,
0:34:08 > 0:34:11which indicates quite a lot of damp behind there.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14There's something else missing in this bathroom that we would ask to
0:34:14 > 0:34:17see and there's evidence of what it used to be down there.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19- Is it a radiator?- Yeah.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21So there's no heating in this bathroom at all.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24No heating in this bathroom, no. Clearly there was and, for whatever reason,
0:34:24 > 0:34:25it's been removed and capped off.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29So if you put together the window that doesn't work and the lack of
0:34:29 > 0:34:31radiator in here, it's going to be very cold at bath time.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Yeah, it's just not an inviting place.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38It's not encouraging people to maintain a healthy hygiene regime, is it?
0:34:38 > 0:34:40It's not the sort of thing you want to spend any time in.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44There's no doubt that the water will cause damp and mould issues,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46particularly if there's no heating,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50but there are even greater dangers caused by that leak.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52If the water gets into the electrics,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56it could pose a real danger and there's evidence of dodgy electrics
0:34:56 > 0:34:59- all over the house.- So we've got an electric cable here that's
0:34:59 > 0:35:04running from inside the house, it looks, all the way up and round.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09We've then got a terminal block that's exposed, so if you snag that...
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Then its exposed and you're...
0:35:11 > 0:35:15- Yeah.- You've got live electrics. - The next person to walk past it is
0:35:15 > 0:35:17going to get stung.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Exposed wiring could easily give someone a serious electric shock.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24The hazards in this property are really adding up.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27It's no wonder the council is concerned.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Can you press that fire alarm for me?
0:35:29 > 0:35:31That's not working.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34No surprises that the place is a fire risk, too.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38- Above your head. - These are incredible.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41It is incredible that anybody thought these were a good idea, ever.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Polystyrene ceiling tiles, which, um...
0:35:45 > 0:35:50..you know, incredibly flammable and at the slightest opportunity will
0:35:50 > 0:35:53drip down molten plastic on anybody in the room.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55It's bizarre, isn't it, what we used to do?
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Crazy.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Any hint of a flame is just going to get this whole ceiling.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Those highly flammable tiles will definitely have to go.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07And there's even more.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10The handle on this window is very loose.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12I reckon in 12 months that's not going to...
0:36:13 > 0:36:14..be there that long.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Inadequate security is another hazard which makes a
0:36:17 > 0:36:21home unsafe for its tenants and nearly all the windows here seem to
0:36:21 > 0:36:23fall way below standard.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25So not really secure at all.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27And as for the side access door...
0:36:27 > 0:36:29I don't know if you can see this metal clip,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32but that's the only thing stopping this door from fully opening.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35So anyone is just going to pass through this door with ease.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38- Be straight in.- Security's very poor at the back of this property,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40so a quick upgrade is required.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Things aren't looking good for the owner,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46but I'm keen to know what it's
0:36:46 > 0:36:48like for Raymondus to have to call this place home.
0:36:50 > 0:36:55What is it like to live here with the water
0:36:55 > 0:36:58and the security, how does that feel?
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Are you happy here?
0:37:05 > 0:37:06You're happy in this property?
0:37:09 > 0:37:10OK.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16Raymondus might be used to it, but he's still living in a house that's
0:37:16 > 0:37:18a health and safety nightmare.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Oh, and he's paying £1,000 a month for the privilege.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27But despite everything, it seems there are people willing to put up
0:37:27 > 0:37:29with conditions like these.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Talking to Raymondus downstairs, he said he's happy here.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35I mean, I don't know whether it was a language difficulty and I just
0:37:35 > 0:37:38didn't get the true meaning but he said it's expensive...
0:37:38 > 0:37:40- Yeah.- ..but he's relatively happy here.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42We find that a lot.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46The problem for a lot of these guys, for a lot of tenants,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50is that the fear of complaining and what happens to them if they
0:37:50 > 0:37:52complain. The licence actually says no, there's no complaint,
0:37:52 > 0:37:56we are going to do this, we're going to carry out these inspections because that's what we do,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58so that's a good answer, isn't it?
0:37:58 > 0:38:03That feels like that takes the onus off the tenant to complain in the
0:38:03 > 0:38:07- first place.- Yeah, and people know that we will be here to come and
0:38:07 > 0:38:09look at things and we will address them because we feel we need to
0:38:09 > 0:38:12address them, not because the tenant does.
0:38:12 > 0:38:17One thing is for sure, this property needs sorting out and quickly.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Raymondus, maybe he is happy here, maybe this is all, you know,
0:38:21 > 0:38:25he's been led to expect from accommodation from where he's been
0:38:25 > 0:38:27before, but nevertheless,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31this is our chance to put it right for whoever comes here next.
0:38:31 > 0:38:37There are things here that could seriously shorten your life or could
0:38:37 > 0:38:39seriously affect your health.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46Raymondus may think any roof is better than none, but this house has
0:38:46 > 0:38:49at least four major safety contraventions - water ingress
0:38:49 > 0:38:54and damp, dodgy electrics, fire risks, a shocking level of security,
0:38:54 > 0:38:57all of which the owner is required to sort out
0:38:57 > 0:39:00as a condition of his licence.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02So, what are the next steps?
0:39:04 > 0:39:08It's almost a textbook example of why selective licensing is a
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- good idea, isn't it? - Yeah, it's a perfect example.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13That's the sort of thing we're trying to get out of the area,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17the sort of management practices we don't want and so we'll certainly
0:39:17 > 0:39:22pay attention to this one, get it all up to scratch and obviously
0:39:22 > 0:39:24we're going to have to have conversations with those with an
0:39:24 > 0:39:29interest in the property to get them to find somebody more suitable to manage it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37Well, since the inspection, David's decided to fast-track the process for prompting the landlord to
0:39:37 > 0:39:39carry out the safety work.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43If the landlord fails to comply, the council will simply make the
0:39:43 > 0:39:46fixes and charge the owner for the work.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Housing officer Christina Bartholomew has been inspecting
0:39:51 > 0:39:54a property that's a health and safety disaster.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58The house could have burned down
0:39:58 > 0:40:01and people and cats in it.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04With the tenants being rehomed,
0:40:04 > 0:40:08it's now down to Christina to deal with the 12 cats they couldn't take.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15The good news is she's found homes for three of the younger ones with a
0:40:15 > 0:40:17local cat charity.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23Right, the plan is to try and get the male into the carrier first.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26I'm going to attempt to catch the cat.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30But with the cats having had the run of the place, in every way,
0:40:30 > 0:40:34getting them to come quietly could prove tricky.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35Oh!
0:40:36 > 0:40:37In you go.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41See, that wasn't too difficult.
0:40:41 > 0:40:42One down.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45But there's still two to go.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51Oh!
0:40:53 > 0:40:54Got it.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Just trying to find Misty now, so...
0:41:01 > 0:41:05But it seems Misty isn't interested in leaving any time soon.
0:41:06 > 0:41:07Oh, he's escaped!
0:41:08 > 0:41:10He's escaped back upstairs.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15With so many cats living in such dire circumstance,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18it's going to take some time to get the place cleaned up and fit for the
0:41:18 > 0:41:20next tenant.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23So you can smell the ammonia, that's from the cat urine,
0:41:23 > 0:41:29which is on the floor, so obviously that can cause bronchitis
0:41:29 > 0:41:32and breathing problems.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Just one cat left to catch.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Got him.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46I've got you!
0:41:47 > 0:41:49I might take this one with me, actually.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Smuggle it in my bag!
0:41:54 > 0:41:57With the three younger animals safely rescued,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00it's time to take them to a local animal rescue centre,
0:42:00 > 0:42:02where they'll be found new homes.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04There's one more in the car for you.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Hello. Who have we got?
0:42:07 > 0:42:09It's a relief for everyone.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13They're in a much better environment now than what they were in,
0:42:13 > 0:42:17it's a nice, clean environment and they've got the space
0:42:17 > 0:42:20to run around and
0:42:20 > 0:42:23be in a hygienic house.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Hello, little one.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Let me get the pictures up.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30- Sweetheart...- No, no.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33They are frightened.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Really frightened!
0:42:35 > 0:42:39Judging by the scratches on volunteer Pauline's hands,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41not all the cats are coming quietly.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47But the good news is, the rest of those cats are also being found
0:42:47 > 0:42:51new homes and the landlord is in the process of getting the property cleaned up
0:42:51 > 0:42:53and ready to put back on the market.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58That's all for today. Join me next time when I'll be working with the
0:42:58 > 0:43:03men and women who are fighting to keep you safe in your home.