0:00:04 > 0:00:05I'm Michelle Ackerley.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08My parents both grew up on council estates
0:00:08 > 0:00:12and, as a family, we understand the difference social housing can make
0:00:12 > 0:00:13to people's lives.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18Millions of families across the UK are struggling to find affordable housing.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22So, this is my front room and my bedroom together.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Many are living in temporary or overcrowded conditions,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27desperate for somewhere decent to live.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30This is our room where we sleep and this is what we've got at the minute.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32We can't really call it our home.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35But some social housing tenants are abusing the system,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38holding on to properties they no longer need.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41When somebody applies for housing, you expect them to live in a property.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And when they don't, it does start to take the mickey.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Or even worse, making a small fortune by illegally subletting them.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51He was charging beyond £1,500 a month.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54He exploited this completely to his advantage.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58So, I'm with housing investigators, cracking down on tenancy cheats...
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- What a waste!- If you want to commit tenancy fraud,
0:01:03 > 0:01:04don't bother coming here.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06..reclaiming properties.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08I need to speak to you, please.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11They've seen an opportunity and they think they're not going to get caught.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15..and giving them to families in genuine need.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17That's how a council house should be.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19It should be loved and looked after.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22This is Council House Crackdown.
0:01:25 > 0:01:30Today, an inside job, as a council executive earning more than £50,000
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a year attempts to unlawfully purchase a council property.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37I just cannot believe, even now, when I go through this with you,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39that this guy really thought he was going to get away with it.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45A champagne-swigging couple claim homelessness to gain social housing
0:01:45 > 0:01:48while leading a secret, jet-set life.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52It's really frustrating when you've got people telling lies about their
0:01:52 > 0:01:55circumstances, especially when you know there were genuine people out
0:01:55 > 0:01:58there that really needed that home.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02And housing officers reveal a shocking misuse of council property,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06as anti-social behaviour complaints lead police to an illegal drugs factory.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Going into the living room, that was sort of the moment where we kind of
0:02:11 > 0:02:13knew what we were dealing with.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15You know, it wasn't an amateur setup.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36A total of 2,700 investigations into social housing tenancy fraud
0:02:36 > 0:02:38have been carried out over the last 12 months.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Half of these cases involve illegal sublets.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48The rest involve other attempts to cheat the system,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50such as lying about your circumstances,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53or making a false application for social housing.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01Our first case exposes an executive earning more than £50,000 a year
0:03:01 > 0:03:06but leading a double life to cheat authorities out of not just £23,000
0:03:06 > 0:03:10in benefits, but a highly sought-after social housing property.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- This is him.- This is Charles Kimani-Hahn.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17His deception began in the leafy suburb of Blackheath in south London.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Royal Borough of Greenwich fraud investigator Clive Parrish was part
0:03:23 > 0:03:26of the team that exposed this tenacious tenancy cheat.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Clive, this area looks really lovely to me.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33You can see just from walking along this street.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35These properties are amazing.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36Beautiful houses.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Lovely, vast, open, green areas.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41What about the properties over here?
0:03:41 > 0:03:45So these are predominantly council-owned.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46- They're council properties?- Yeah.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48They don't look like it at all.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Many of them have been bought by their tenants that have lived here
0:03:52 > 0:03:55for any length of time, really, because they are so desirable.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58People want to live in a part of town like this.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01I'm not surprised. I mean, if I lived in London, I'd want to live here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06I can imagine the demand for a property like this when they become available is pretty high.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Yes. Oh, very much so.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13I think if one of these is vacant, and it goes on to the council's list,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16anybody on the waiting list will want to bid for this.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21The bidding system adopted by Greenwich Council ensures each social
0:04:21 > 0:04:26housing property is allocated to the person or family with the greatest need.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Once the property is advertised,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31housing officers determine who is the most
0:04:31 > 0:04:32suitable applicant,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35based on meeting their criteria for the property and how long they've
0:04:35 > 0:04:36been registered.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42In June 2009 Mr Charles Kimani Hahn was one of the hopefuls
0:04:42 > 0:04:45desperate to upgrade to one of these Blackheath properties.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50According to council records at the time,
0:04:50 > 0:04:5443-year-old Mr Hahn was an unemployed father of three.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59He was the tenant of a one-bedroom flat in Greenwich.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02His family was growing in size and they needed larger accommodation.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Mr Hahn's circumstances seemed all too typical.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11A struggling father trying to support a young family and needing help.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16For the leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, councillor Denise Hyland,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18it was a familiar story.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Talk me through how important it is for social housing properties in the
0:05:23 > 0:05:28Royal Borough of Greenwich to go to those who are in genuine need.
0:05:28 > 0:05:34I meet my constituents, you know, at least on a fortnightly basis.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38And I would say 90% of the cases I deal with,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40it's about housing need.
0:05:40 > 0:05:47We have about 16,000 people on our waiting list and it feels like it's thus ever been.
0:05:48 > 0:05:54But we work very, very hard to provide housing to those in genuine need.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Sympathetic to Mr Hahn's plight,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00the Royal Borough of Greenwich considered his application.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06And after nearly three years on the waiting list, in May 2012,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10he was allocated a two-bedroom council property next to Blackheath's
0:06:10 > 0:06:12highly sought-after Cator Estate.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17After living in cramped conditions for years,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21this apparently struggling father had finally landed the home he'd been
0:06:21 > 0:06:25dreaming of, a more spacious family property in one of London's most
0:06:25 > 0:06:27appealing areas.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33A lot of the houses in this road are houses of £1 million, plus.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35- Really?- And all privately owned.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38And it's a really nice place.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41People want to live here, you know?
0:06:41 > 0:06:44It's a part of south east London that is desirable.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49As far as the Royal Borough of Greenwich was concerned,
0:06:49 > 0:06:50it was a job well done.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56But just one month after Mr Hahn moved into his property,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00he sent an application to the council that immediately rang alarm bells.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Charles Hahn informed authorities that he wished to exercise his right
0:07:05 > 0:07:06to buy his new property.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Under right-to-buy legislation,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13council tenants can buy their homes at a huge discount.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17In this case more than £100,000.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19The idea is to encourage home ownership,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21but there's concern about
0:07:21 > 0:07:23diminishing social housing stock.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25We're selling our assets,
0:07:25 > 0:07:30if you like, by our housing stock being diminished when people want to buy their own house,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32which they have the right to do.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37So it's very important that when a right-to-buy case comes in,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40they're all scrutinised quite carefully.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44And it was under this scrutiny that eagle-eyed officers spotted something
0:07:44 > 0:07:47unusual in Mr Hahn's application.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50During the right-to-buy process,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54somebody has to produce evidence that they can get a mortgage,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56their mortgage offer letter, if you like.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00And Mr Hahn's mortgage offer letter, when it arrived at the council,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04was addressed to him at an address in South Ockendon in Essex.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09The authorities immediately became suspicious.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Officially, Charles Hahn was supposed to be a council tenant living in Blackheath.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19So, why did his mortgage provider send him a letter to an address in Essex?
0:08:22 > 0:08:23Later...
0:08:23 > 0:08:27The shocking truth behind Charles Kimani-Hahn's deception.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30We were astonished. I mean, we couldn't believe it.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34And emotions run high as the impact on the wider community hits home.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Yeah, I could cry for them, you know?
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Because I don't...
0:08:38 > 0:08:39Oh, sorry.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Is that ridiculous?
0:08:42 > 0:08:44No, not in the slightest.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54When it comes to social housing,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57family homes are often in really short supply.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58In Wolverhampton, for example,
0:08:58 > 0:09:04fewer than half of the 23,000 social housing properties have two or three bedrooms.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09Making sure these properties are being put to the best possible use is vital.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15This is Mkhululi Mpofu and his wife, Vanessa.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19When they appealed to housing authorities for support with their young family,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22they appeared the perfect match for one of Wolverhampton's precious
0:09:22 > 0:09:24two-bedroom properties.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29But the extreme level of their deception prompted Elaine Morgan
0:09:29 > 0:09:34and her team at Wolverhampton Homes to bring their first ever prosecution for
0:09:34 > 0:09:35housing tenancy fraud.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43In Wolverhampton,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47there are nearly 9,000 households actively seeking social housing.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52This house here, it's a two-bedroom house, good size.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Back garden, off-road parking,
0:09:54 > 0:09:55so, it's ideal for families.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Yes. Very sought-after area.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02As fraud investigators for Wolverhampton Homes, Elaine and her colleague,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Louise Humphries, know just how difficult it can be for young families on
0:10:06 > 0:10:08the social housing waiting list.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11A lot of our applicants are very desperate for a home
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and with the situation with housing in the UK at the moment,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17it's not very easy for people to get onto the property ladder any more.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22The demand for social housing is very great.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26We deal with so many people who are desperate for housing
0:10:26 > 0:10:30and have no other means of being able to, you know, to get housing,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32either by buying it or renting privately,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34because it's just not affordable for them.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42With demand for social housing in this part of the country at an all-time high,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46fraudulent tenancy claims can have a devastating effect.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49With social housing, it's designed for people in need.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53So it's not just something that should be available to people to
0:10:53 > 0:10:56come along and say, you know, "I want that house, I fancy living there."
0:10:56 > 0:10:59It should be for the people who genuinely need it.
0:10:59 > 0:11:04And in 2013, when Wolverhampton Homes received a housing application
0:11:04 > 0:11:10from Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu, the information indicated that this was one such family.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12They claimed that they didn't have anywhere to live.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15They were staying with friends
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and they were sleeping on the floor with their child.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22They said that they had no bedroom of their own.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26And because of that they were given homeless priority.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29So they were given emergency banding.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34Emergency banding is reserved for applicants in the most desperate need of help.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36As a homeless couple with a young child,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39their application was afforded the highest priority.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Emergency banding is a banding for people who really don't have anywhere to go.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49We have to prioritise people who genuinely don't have a home.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54They provided us with the proofs that we would require to check out before
0:11:54 > 0:11:56we allocate a property.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59So they provided bank statements at the address at which they claimed to
0:11:59 > 0:12:02be living and wage slips from that address.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04There was no reason to suspect there was anything untoward.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Wolverhampton Homes immediately set about trying to find a property for
0:12:13 > 0:12:15the struggling young family.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20There is a knock-on effect on health for those who don't have proper
0:12:20 > 0:12:21settled homes.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25And when you're raising a family,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29it's very difficult to bring a family up and teach them family values if
0:12:29 > 0:12:32you don't have a settled environment in which to do so.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33So...
0:12:35 > 0:12:40When a two-bedroom property in the Fordhouses area of Wolverhampton became available,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43it looked like the answer to everyone's prayers.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49A two-bedroom house became available in an area in Wolverhampton and
0:12:49 > 0:12:52this particular couple put a bid on for that property.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56It's a popular area, it's a family neighbourhood,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00reasonably good schools in the area, good connections into the city,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03and you've got the countryside on your doorstep,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05so it's a sought-after area.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12This area, as we're sort of driving around, you can see there's a lot of
0:13:12 > 0:13:18green areas, places for kids to play, there's local shops, a school.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23I suppose it is just ideal for families living here.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Because of the banding and the priority that they'd been given based on
0:13:26 > 0:13:31what they told us, they were successful in bidding for the property.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33And they were offered the house.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38The apparently desperate circumstances surrounding the Mpofus' application
0:13:38 > 0:13:42meant that they were awarded the property in the face of some tough competition.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44The property that they bid for in particular,
0:13:44 > 0:13:50I believe over 230 other applicants also applied for it,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52which meant that obviously they got the property because of their
0:13:52 > 0:13:54emergency banding.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57For Wolverhampton Homes, a young couple had been given
0:13:57 > 0:14:01the essential support they needed to raise a family.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Yes, I suppose, especially because of children, as well,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07and if they've never had a home or a house with a garden and they've got
0:14:07 > 0:14:09somewhere to play,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13and I think it's just great for them that they've got that opportunity.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Local authorities routinely carry out data checks on all social housing properties.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25And 18 months into the Mpofus' tenancy, one such check alerted
0:14:25 > 0:14:27investigators to something unusual.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32And we received a match for this particular address.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37The match indicated that the tenants themselves had actually been living
0:14:37 > 0:14:42in another socially rented property out of the borough at the time that
0:14:42 > 0:14:44they applied with us.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu were already living in social housing ten miles away in Walsall.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56This was not a homeless family in need of support, but a pair of fraudsters
0:14:56 > 0:14:58intent on cheating the system.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04Later...
0:15:04 > 0:15:06It is sickening.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08It just reinforces what we've always said -
0:15:08 > 0:15:11there is no such thing as a typical fraudster.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Investigators learn the truth behind a shocking deception.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16They had completely lied.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19They were professional people.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23They quite openly posted photographs of themselves abroad,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25sipping champagne,
0:15:25 > 0:15:30travelling to various countries and living a jet-set lifestyle.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Back in Blackheath,
0:15:42 > 0:15:47Charles Kimani-Hahn was a supposedly unemployed father of three who'd been awarded
0:15:47 > 0:15:53a tenancy beside the highly sought-after Cator Estate by Greenwich Council.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56So these are predominantly council-owned.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00- They're council properties?- Yeah. - They don't look like it at all.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03When he applied to purchase his council property with a right-to-buy
0:16:03 > 0:16:06discount of more than £100,000,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10authorities were alerted by his mortgage provider to a mysterious
0:16:10 > 0:16:12second address in Essex.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Charles Hahn and then the address here in South Ockendon.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21In Greenwich, counter-fraud manager Nigel Brown's team of investigators
0:16:21 > 0:16:26have dealt with more than 2,000 cases of tenancy fraud in the last two years.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30When Charles Hahn's right-to-buy form landed on their desk,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33their suspicions were immediately aroused.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34So what is it that we can see from this document?
0:16:34 > 0:16:37As a result of putting the right-to-buy form in,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41he also provided us with details of his mortgage provider.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Because we ask them as a matter of course,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45how are you going to fund the property?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48So in this case he provided a letter to us to tell us that he was going
0:16:48 > 0:16:53to get a mortgage, but inadvertently we saw on this letter that it refers
0:16:53 > 0:16:56to the borrower, Mr Charles Hahn,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and then it's got an address here in Aveley in South Ockendon, Essex.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04So this raised an alarm bell as to, why is this on there?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06This would appear to be his home address.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Investigators delved deeper to find out what connected a property in
0:17:10 > 0:17:12South Ockendon to Charles Kimani-Hahn,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16one of their tenants renting a council property in Blackheath.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20What they discovered was alarming.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Charles Hahn was already a property owner
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and therefore had no need of social housing.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30We did a land registry check and, well, lo and behold,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Mr Charles Hahn is the owner of that property in South Ockendon
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and he purchased it for £190,000 in July 2010.
0:17:39 > 0:17:44To investigators, a worrying picture was beginning to emerge.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Between the time Mr Hahn applied for his Blackheath property, and the day
0:17:48 > 0:17:52he was handed the keys, he had purchased a house in Essex.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55He had neglected to inform the authorities.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00When Mr Hahn applied to get a larger property,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02he was living in a one-bedroom flat.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06But between the time that he applied and the time that he got granted the
0:18:06 > 0:18:09tenancy here, his circumstances had changed.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12He'd bought a house, he had an alternative place to live.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16He didn't actually need that social housing any more.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And it would have been his responsibility to tell us that he'd
0:18:19 > 0:18:22bought a property and he hadn't told us.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25The evidence confirmed investigators' suspicions.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28While applying to rent a highly sought-after council property in
0:18:28 > 0:18:34Blackheath, Charles Kimani-Hahn already owned another house.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35This was fraud.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Investigators decided to take a closer look into Mr Hahn's background,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45and began to uncover an extraordinary double life.
0:18:45 > 0:18:51Mr Hahn had been claiming benefit for a number of years as an unemployed person,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53or as a person who was sick.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57But what we actually found was that he had full-time jobs,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00he was working as a consultant,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03he was a Health and Safety Executive at another
0:19:03 > 0:19:06local authority in London,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12- Oh, my gosh.- And was actually quite a high earner.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14So he was working within the council?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Yes, within another council, yes.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19What did that make you think when you heard that?
0:19:19 > 0:19:22I mean, the cheek of it at the very start is crazy,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25but to think he was working within the council,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27knowing clearly that something like this is wrong.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Yes, well, the department that he was Health and Safety Executive for
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- was the Department of Housing within that local authority.- Oh, my gosh!
0:19:35 > 0:19:38So he must have had an idea about everything
0:19:38 > 0:19:41about what social housing was about and the importance of it.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44When you saw this information, what did you think?
0:19:44 > 0:19:45You must have been shocked.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Yes, really quite shocked
0:19:47 > 0:19:52and it was sort of far-reaching, it had gone back quite a few years.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Yes, it was quite surprising.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59When officers investigated further,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02they discovered that through consultancy work with a number of
0:20:02 > 0:20:06organisations, including the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham,
0:20:06 > 0:20:12and the London Borough of Southwark, Mr Hahn was earning £55,000 a year.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18And all the while claiming to be unemployed and in receipt of thousands of
0:20:18 > 0:20:20pounds in benefits.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It wasn't just the right to buy and the tenancy fraud that was an issue for us now,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26it was also the fact that he had been on unemployment benefit,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28or employment support allowance as it's now called,
0:20:28 > 0:20:34claiming to be an unemployed male whilst working and earning £55,000 a year in the council.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Not only that, we found that he'd also defrauded us on housing benefit
0:20:38 > 0:20:41because at some point, he'd claimed benefit from the council property
0:20:41 > 0:20:44we had given him and never declared again that he was working.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49So we always thought, and had evidence to show, that he was an unemployed male.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Charles Kimani-Hahn had deliberately withheld information about his change of
0:20:53 > 0:20:57circumstances - information he knew would have led to his application
0:20:57 > 0:21:00for social housing being rejected.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01Looking at all this evidence,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05you can see it's a man who's been incredibly deceptive but very
0:21:05 > 0:21:09methodical and systematic with the whole thing.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Yes, I mean, for a few years he pretended to be a man,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14unemployed male with a family,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17who needed help and assistance from the council.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19We ourselves awarded him housing benefit,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22which we've overpaid him £23,000 as a result of this fraud.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27Yet this was a man that's living a double life, earning £55,000 a year
0:21:27 > 0:21:29as an executive of a local council.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31You know, this guy should have known better.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I just cannot believe, even now when I go through this with you,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37that this guy really thought he was going to get away with it.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40It almost feels like this is the type of fraud that's on your doorstep
0:21:40 > 0:21:42because it was someone within the council
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and you look at your colleagues and, you know, friends within work,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and think, well, you wouldn't do that, the person you're working with wouldn't do that,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51but then it's someone within your industry.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52No, you're right,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54it was one of our own committing fraud, really.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02So in essence, Mr Hahn was leading a double life, wasn't he?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Yes, that's it, in a nutshell, exactly that.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06He had two lives.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12Mr Hahn was arrested and, in the face of overwhelming evidence, pleaded guilty
0:22:12 > 0:22:17to multiple offences under the Fraud Act and the Social Security Administration Act.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19The judge interestingly, though,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23had some pretty descriptive words on the case, didn't he?
0:22:23 > 0:22:24He was quite passionate about it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Yes, he did, he said, "In the summer of 2012,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32"someone meeting you would see a well-presented head of health and safety
0:22:32 > 0:22:35"at a large London Borough with a good salary.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37"No-one would have guessed what a fraud you are."
0:22:39 > 0:22:42On December 20, 2016,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Charles Kimani-Hahn was given a prison sentence
0:22:45 > 0:22:46of two and a half years.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53For the investigators who exposed his deception,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56the punishment fit the crime.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58We were pleased when the result came through and he was put away in
0:22:58 > 0:23:00prison - I mean, that was a good result, really,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02because he thoroughly deserved it.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Not only has he deprived people who genuinely need properties -
0:23:05 > 0:23:09and a nice property, too - he's gone on to claim money from the council,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12housing benefit and other things, council tax.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14You know, I have to pay my council tax, and we all have to pay.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18He didn't have to pay any of it because we thought he was unemployed.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23In Greenwich, the actions of fraudsters like Charles Hahn have a direct
0:23:23 > 0:23:28impact on the 16,000 people currently sat on the social housing waiting list.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35So from your point of view, you see people who are desperate for housing,
0:23:35 > 0:23:40desperate for accommodation, they're coming to you week in, week out.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42How does that make you feel on a personal level?
0:23:42 > 0:23:46And many of them I would consider to be the working poor.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50They are people who work in retail,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54many of them will be working on zero-hours contracts.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59So a lot of them won't claim benefits because their earnings are going up
0:23:59 > 0:24:01and down like a yo-yo.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06And frankly, I could cry for them, you know, because I don't...
0:24:06 > 0:24:07Sorry.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09Is that ridiculous?
0:24:09 > 0:24:11No, not in the slightest.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13But that's the whole thing, isn't it?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15It's an extremely emotional thing
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and you just want the system to be working how it should be.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23And that's why you're working tirelessly to make sure these people get the
0:24:23 > 0:24:25accommodation they deserve.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27It's sickening, isn't it?
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Because here we are trying to do our best to make sure there is a fair
0:24:32 > 0:24:34system for housing
0:24:34 > 0:24:40and then you get people who are trying to subvert the whole process.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45And so taking back our properties from these fraudsters and giving them to
0:24:45 > 0:24:50those in genuine need is a priority for this council and every council
0:24:50 > 0:24:51in the land.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05With the demand for council properties on the increase,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09it is now more important than ever to crack down on the fraudsters.
0:25:11 > 0:25:1420 miles north of Greenwich in the London Borough of Havering,
0:25:14 > 0:25:19almost 10% of the population live in poor or overcrowded conditions -
0:25:19 > 0:25:21that's more than 9,000 households.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26More and more people are struggling to be able to get a property and
0:25:26 > 0:25:30support themselves in private rented accommodation and so, as a borough,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33we are responsible for providing social housing where appropriate.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37It's fraud investigator Zed Eagling-Rana's job
0:25:37 > 0:25:39to make sure that Havering's
0:25:39 > 0:25:43precious stock of social housing doesn't fall foul of the fraudsters.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47We need to make sure that people aren't abusing the system,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49it is in place for people that are in need
0:25:49 > 0:25:52and it needs to be allocated where appropriate.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53Where it's not, obviously,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56that's where our job comes into place and we take great pride
0:25:56 > 0:25:59in finding out where people are abusing the system,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and if we can rectify that, so it's allocated to those that do
0:26:02 > 0:26:04actually genuinely need it.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Havering investigators work closely with the police,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12sharing information to help crack down on the illegal use of
0:26:12 > 0:26:14council properties.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17And in April 2016,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21they received information concerning a potential shocking misuse of one
0:26:21 > 0:26:22of their flats.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27We explained to the police force exactly what kind of things we were
0:26:27 > 0:26:31looking for in terms of people not living at their properties,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35council tenants. At this point they actually had a case already on the
0:26:35 > 0:26:38tip of their tongues, so they actually explained to us about a warrant they'd
0:26:38 > 0:26:43had granted by the courts to enter a property for cannabis cultivation
0:26:43 > 0:26:47and with that, they suspected that the tenant actually wasn't living at
0:26:47 > 0:26:48the property, either.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Zed and his team checked their tenancy records ahead
0:26:51 > 0:26:52of the police raid.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56So this is a one-bedroom property.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It's the top floor of a block of flats.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02It's a perfect flat for an individual or a couple.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04The tenant was there for 13 years.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08To the best of the council's knowledge, the tenant was living there.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12There'd been complaints about anti-social behaviour at the property,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16so when the police executed the warrant, Zed decided to join them.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Often where we are trying to get hold of tenants, they're just not home.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23That's because they are living their normal lives.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26And so on this occasion, where we suspected -
0:27:26 > 0:27:27and, actually, the police suspected -
0:27:27 > 0:27:30that the tenant wasn't living at the property,
0:27:30 > 0:27:35it was a perfect opportunity to actually go to the property and see what the circumstances were.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42We made all the checks that we thought were necessary to ensure our
0:27:42 > 0:27:46safety. Ultimately we're going there for a drug warrant,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48not knowing what's behind that door.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59We weren't really sure to what extent the property was being used
0:27:59 > 0:28:02for cannabis cultivation and that added to the air of mystery.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13By the time the police arrived, the tenant had long since vanished.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15To get inside the flat,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18they first had to deal with an iron gate barring their way.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Yes, so, as you can see, the iron gate is here
0:28:22 > 0:28:24that the police removed from the property.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25Could be a whole array of things,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28but it might imply they want to be locked away from the world for
0:28:28 > 0:28:30whatever reason that may be.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36The big part of it was anticipation in terms of, you know, well, OK,
0:28:36 > 0:28:37we've got the gate off,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40we're about to go in and what are the police going to find?
0:28:44 > 0:28:48Nothing could prepare Zed for the sight that greeted him once police
0:28:48 > 0:28:50finally got into the flat.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54A council property intended for someone in need of social housing
0:28:54 > 0:28:58had been converted into a cannabis manufacturing plant.
0:28:58 > 0:29:03When we initially went in there was lots of what appeared to be cannabis
0:29:03 > 0:29:05residue all over the floor, the smell was dire.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09We could see on the back of the actual front door itself they'd put
0:29:09 > 0:29:13a sort of makeshift black bin bag over the top and Sellotaped it down
0:29:13 > 0:29:17to sort of probably prevent any sort of smell from leaking out.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Going into the living room, that was sort of the moment where we kind of
0:29:23 > 0:29:24knew what we were dealing with.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27All the cannabis had actually been cropped,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29it had actually been removed from the property,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32but definitely not used as someone's regular living room.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36The walls were layered with foil to keep the heat in.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38There were fans and infrared lights.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Holes had been drilled into the walls to access
0:29:40 > 0:29:41the main power supply.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45This was a professional job.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49The damage to the property in terms of being able to facilitate this was
0:29:49 > 0:29:55phenomenal. And here is where you can see the actual electricity that
0:29:55 > 0:29:56was being extracted for that.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59And then finally, the main clincher for us,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and the reason why we were there, is the bedroom.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05And I couldn't actually set foot into the bedroom properly.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09And so the photo I've got just demonstrates well, there's no bed,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12it's being used as a sort of set-up area.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15I would highly doubt someone was sleeping in there.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19When you're going to someone's property, even if it's privately let,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23you're expecting a home to be there, someone's home that they live in.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28And to go in and find a foiled-up room with fans and electricity being
0:30:28 > 0:30:31extracted, it's not what you're expecting.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37The borough of Havering repossessed the flat and restored it to its
0:30:37 > 0:30:40previous condition, costing thousands of pounds.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46Once the keys were handed back and we took full possession of the property,
0:30:46 > 0:30:51we turned it back round, refurbished it and got it back up to a standard that was able
0:30:51 > 0:30:53to be re-let and, you know,
0:30:53 > 0:30:58since it's had a new tenant put in there and, you know, hopefully they're enjoying
0:30:58 > 0:31:01the property for its actual proper use.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05The tenants responsible for converting the flat
0:31:05 > 0:31:07into a cannabis factory have yet to be traced.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Earlier we learnt how Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu
0:31:23 > 0:31:25were awarded a two-bedroom property by
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Wolverhampton Homes, after claiming to be homeless and sleeping on a
0:31:29 > 0:31:30friend's floor.
0:31:32 > 0:31:38They said that they had no bedroom of their own and because of that,
0:31:38 > 0:31:42they were given homeless priority, so they were given emergency banding.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47When a routine data match revealed the couple were already registered
0:31:47 > 0:31:50at an address ten miles away in Walsall,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53tenancy fraud officers needed to investigate further.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56They re-examined documents,
0:31:56 > 0:32:01including a questionnaire the couple filled out when they applied for the house.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04One of the requirements on that questionnaire is to provide
0:32:04 > 0:32:07ten years' worth of addresses, previous addresses.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10We looked at the ten years' worth of addresses they provided
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and there were so many of them, they had to continue on a blank sheet.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19At first glance, it appeared that the couple had comprehensively
0:32:19 > 0:32:22listed every property they'd lived in for the past decade.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26But, tellingly, the address in Walsall was missing.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Either the council's database was inaccurate,
0:32:30 > 0:32:34or Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu had withheld the truth.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38A quick check with the housing association in Walsall confirmed their suspicions.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43They confirmed that they'd actually had the tendency with them for quite
0:32:43 > 0:32:49a while. And they were living there, not in Wolverhampton,
0:32:49 > 0:32:50where they claimed to be living.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54Once we discovered that they'd already had a tenancy in another borough,
0:32:54 > 0:32:59we contacted the housing association who they were the tenants of and
0:32:59 > 0:33:02asked if there was any particular reason as to why they couldn't have
0:33:02 > 0:33:03lived at that property.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09The housing association confirmed that there was no legitimate reason
0:33:09 > 0:33:12why the couple couldn't remain in Walsall.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14This was a clear case of tenancy fraud.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18After claiming their family was homeless,
0:33:18 > 0:33:23Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu had obtained a rare two-bedroomed council house, when,
0:33:23 > 0:33:28in fact, they had somewhere to live, ten miles away in Walsall.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32They obviously knew if they told us they already had a social housing
0:33:32 > 0:33:37property, we wouldn't have looked at them as a priority case.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39So they deliberately withheld the information.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45When investigators dug deeper,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49they began to suspect the couple weren't exactly in need of social housing.
0:33:50 > 0:33:55We investigated their circumstances and we found out that they both worked for the NHS.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00I believe that the one partner also wrote stories for the media.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03So they had decent jobs.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It just reinforces what we've always said -
0:34:05 > 0:34:08there is no such thing as a typical fraudster.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12We've had people from all walks of life that we've investigated for
0:34:12 > 0:34:13housing tenancy fraud.
0:34:13 > 0:34:18We've had older people, professional people,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22people that you just wouldn't expect would do something like that.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27The couple had already withheld vital information on their tenancy
0:34:27 > 0:34:32application. Investigators decided to take a closer look at the Mpofus.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35We started to look at them
0:34:35 > 0:34:39on any social media sites we could find that they were on and just
0:34:39 > 0:34:41generally have a look at their lifestyle.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47And when investigators examined the couple's online profile,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50they were surprised by their lifestyle.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53Looking at their social media profiles, it showed them,
0:34:53 > 0:34:57they seemed to be travelling a lot, had a decent car.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00They didn't seem to be lacking in funds.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04They quite openly posted photographs of themselves abroad,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07sipping champagne,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10travelling to various countries
0:35:10 > 0:35:13and living a jet-set lifestyle.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18A couple who authorities considered homeless, and in dire need of social
0:35:18 > 0:35:22housing, had lied to hide their true circumstances.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25They claimed they were living in a property in Wolverhampton -
0:35:25 > 0:35:27that was a complete lie.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29They claimed they were
0:35:29 > 0:35:33overcrowded, sleeping on the floor with their family -
0:35:33 > 0:35:35that was a complete lie.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39They left off the actual address where they were living.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43The bank statements they provided were false and the wage slips they
0:35:43 > 0:35:45provided were false.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48It's really frustrating when you've got people telling lies about their
0:35:48 > 0:35:51circumstances, especially when you know there were genuine people out
0:35:51 > 0:35:54there that really needed that home,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56and they cheated their way to get it.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03The extreme nature of the couple's fraud was enough for investigators
0:36:03 > 0:36:06to take unprecedented action.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08On November 12th 2013,
0:36:08 > 0:36:13Mkhululi and Vanessa Mpofu appeared before Wolverhampton magistrates,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15accused of tenancy fraud.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16It was very significant for us,
0:36:16 > 0:36:20it was the first prosecution case we had ever dealt with.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23So it was a big learning curve for us about how we had to go about
0:36:23 > 0:36:25obtaining the evidence,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29putting the evidence together and going forward to Magistrates' Court.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32In the face of irrefutable evidence,
0:36:32 > 0:36:37the couple pleaded guilty to offences under the Fraud Act.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38Both were given community orders,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and Mr Mpofu was sentenced to 120 hours' unpaid work.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47The couple have now handed the keys back and moved overseas.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55We felt it was important to deal with it in this case, to make an example
0:36:55 > 0:37:01that we just won't tolerate people committing housing tenancy fraud.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Since the couple's conviction,
0:37:03 > 0:37:08the property has been re-let to another family on the social housing waiting list.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12The family that was rehoused there, they, too, were in an emergency need
0:37:12 > 0:37:14for that property and it was a genuine
0:37:14 > 0:37:17case and we believe that the family are very happy in their new home.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22When I look at the photographs in cases like this one,
0:37:22 > 0:37:28it makes me feel a sense of satisfaction that the job we're doing is
0:37:28 > 0:37:33designed to prevent this from happening and that we will do something and
0:37:33 > 0:37:35we will take tenancy fraud very seriously.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49Wolverhampton Homes have uncovered a total of 320 cases of tenancy fraud,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53including unlawful sublets and false applications.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57How would I describe people that do commit frauds
0:37:57 > 0:37:59to get into council properties?
0:37:59 > 0:38:03I'm afraid I'm just absolutely disgusted, disgusted with them.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06People who are abusing the system by saying they're homeless,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09saying they're sleeping on a friend's couch, it's terrible
0:38:09 > 0:38:13because it is stealing away the properties for the people who do genuinely
0:38:13 > 0:38:15need it, who are genuinely homeless.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20I would shop a friend or a colleague if they were committing fraud.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Because there are people...
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Well, housing fraud in particular,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27because there are people out there who desperately need housing.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29Young families are on the street.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Thanks to the tireless work of fraud investigators,
0:38:35 > 0:38:39precious family homes are being reclaimed from tenancy cheats and re-let
0:38:39 > 0:38:43to people for whom a home will make the world of difference.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48This is Jenny Jones from Wolverhampton and her daughter, Millie.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Again, again!
0:38:51 > 0:38:52Faster, faster!
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Jenny was on the social housing waiting list for six months,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59sleeping on an air bed in her parents' dining room.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05So you were on the housing waiting list for six months.
0:39:05 > 0:39:10Just describe to me what it was like for you and your family in those
0:39:10 > 0:39:11darkest moment.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16I felt ashamed that things had got to that point
0:39:16 > 0:39:18and I hadn't been able to...
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Things were out of my control.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22I felt like I had nothing of my own.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27That I was relying on my parents and it had come to the fact that I was
0:39:27 > 0:39:28sleeping on an air bed.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31How did this property come about in the end?
0:39:31 > 0:39:36Well, I bid on the property, I hadn't come top of the list for it.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40And then about three weeks after the bidding for the property had ended,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44I had a call from the lettings team to say that, for whatever reason,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48the person who was before me didn't want the property.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50And I was next for it.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52How did you feel?
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Oh, I cried... I was so happy, I cried.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59I think I made the guy on the phone feel slightly awkward.
0:39:59 > 0:40:04I was just so happy, just run to my mum and dad, saying, "I've got one, I've got one."
0:40:04 > 0:40:06What does it mean to you now, Jenny,
0:40:06 > 0:40:11to have a place that you and Millie can call your home?
0:40:11 > 0:40:14It means everything, it means everything to me.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18It's ours, it's our little place,
0:40:18 > 0:40:22it's where we can come back to if we've had a hard day at work,
0:40:22 > 0:40:26a hard day at school, somewhere we can be happy,
0:40:26 > 0:40:31where we can make memories and I can watch her grow up.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34And to have my own responsibilities, I enjoy it,
0:40:34 > 0:40:39I enjoy taking responsibility for paying the bills and to know that
0:40:39 > 0:40:44I've paid those bills, that's mine now, I own it, this is mine.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46It just does wonders for your self-esteem, I think,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49to know that you've got that place
0:40:49 > 0:40:51that's nobody else's, just yours.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Well, it's lovely to see someone who obviously did need it, like yourself,
0:40:55 > 0:40:56in a lovely property.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58It would be great to have a little look around.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00OK, yes.
0:41:03 > 0:41:04This is the lounge.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05It's a great space, isn't it?
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Feels like a proper home.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12Yes, I do try to make it nice and homely.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- Would you like to see upstairs? - Let's do it.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19And here is Millie's room.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Oh, now this is lovely.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23It's just lovely and colourful.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27- Yes, it's her space.- That's it, it's her space.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- I bet she has great fun in here. - Oh, she does, she does.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34So, yes, she normally has all her toys everywhere and it's just somewhere
0:41:34 > 0:41:38where she can come after school or when she gets up in the morning and
0:41:38 > 0:41:43just create her own little world and her own little stories in here.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46And it's a good-sized space for her as she gets older.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48I did think that, as well.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53When she does get older and she wants less space for toys and more space for wardrobes, TVs.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56That's it, us girls like a good wardrobe.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59It is a really good size.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05For Jenny, social housing meant more than just a roof over her head.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08It also provided a new direction professionally.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14To gain a council properly has changed my life immensely.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20Not only has it got me and Millie out of a terrible situation,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23and it's meant we've had a place of our own,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27but it's also opened up opportunities of work to me.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31So I was able to gain employment with the council, so I now work for them.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35And I help other tenants get back into work, like they did with me.
0:42:37 > 0:42:42To give me a home, my daughter a home, a roof over our heads,
0:42:42 > 0:42:46and then to give me a job where I can support myself and my daughter,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48I will be eternally grateful.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55It's my fresh start, my new chapter.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01It's everything that a mother would want for her child.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05It symbolises so much more than just somewhere to live.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13Social housing can make a real, tangible difference to people's lives.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17And that's why the work of housing investigators is so vitally important,
0:43:17 > 0:43:20as they track down the tenancy cheats,
0:43:20 > 0:43:23reclaim properties and give them to people who really need them.