Episode 1 Neighbourhood Watched

This programme contains some strong language.

One in six people in Britain live in social housing

and in the current climate, waiting lists are growing every week.

For every person you make happy,

there are probably three or four times as many who are disappointed.

-Britain's housing officers are on the frontline.

-Jeanette, let me in.

It is like nothing you have ever smelled before.

They deal with over 11 million tenants, day in, day out.

Oh, I do not believe you have let him out!

Most are good tenants,

but a few risk everything with their antisocial behaviour.

His tenancy is on a knife edge.

If they want to try taking it, they will have to take it with me on it.

Eviction is the last thing we want, but we have got to do it for the sake of the community.

Every week, there is a different set of problems.

Any further complaints come through,

then you are at risk of losing your tenancy.

If she wants a fight, I'll fight.

We have got an infestation of flies in your property

and that has probably been caused by the fact that the rubbish

is festering in your kitchen and your living room.

Right, I am going to take the chip pan, Mary. We will double-bag it.

COCKEREL CROWS

Then it come down here and it pooed in the house.

I have got to issue you with a tenancy warning

to control the chickens. It is a difficult one, but it needs sorting.

In Salford, Greater Manchester,

City West Housing provide homes for almost 30,000 people.

Most of their time is spent dealing with the 5% of tenants

who cause problems for everyone else.

And the number one problem in social housing is noise nuisance.

MUSIC: "Babe" by Styx

In this flat in Eccles, 55-year-old John is causing neighbours distress

with his blast from music's past.

# ..Babe, I love you... #

Chi-Lites, Stylistics,

Gilbert O'Sullivan. He was a great inspiration for me.

Even classical sometimes.

I have even got classical as well.

The complaints about noise,

do you think that maybe your music is too loud sometimes?

Maybe sometimes a little bit louder, you know.

Not overbearing loud. That is more or less it. At times, yes, it has.

Living directly below John

are Jess and her 18-month-old daughter Elizabeth.

The music is normally right above this room.

She does get frightened when it's loud music.

That is when she wakes up and she is really upset

and obviously it takes a while to calm down.

The neighbours have commented and said that with a 20-year-old here,

they'd expect me to be the one

that's music blaring and everyone coming through my front door,

dead noisy, but obviously, it's not. I'm really quiet!

Jess moved in six months ago.

When I first moved in, the neighbour upstairs, John,

he used to come in for a coffee and stuff like that

and tried to introduce himself as this person to go to for help.

He knew a lot about the area and seemed really nice.

He bought Elizabeth a nice toy

when she first moved in, and stuff like that.

I was a bit wary of him anyway cos of the way he is.

He's very eccentric and in your face.

Since then, it has just been music every weekend.

On a Sunday, when he goes out... He goes to church, comes back

and he just plays his music

until seven or eight o'clock in the morning.

If it's during the week day, he will just play it no matter what.

Whether it's Smooth FM or anything, really. It is so loud.

The reason I've decided that I am going to complain now

and I am going to get something done is I can't live with Elizabeth

being up every night, three or four times a night. She needs her sleep.

John has been called into the office

and he has dressed up for the occasion.

27-year-old Cat Tow has been looking after John's block for two years.

It's not the first time he's caused problems for his neighbours.

In 2005, a complaint related to intimidating behaviour.

In 2006, a complaint about loud music.

And in 2007, a secondary complaint about loud music.

All of these cases have been different complainants,

so it has not been the same complainant throughout.

But none of the complainants have continued with the case.

Since 2007, there has not been any complaints

on our system until, obviously,

we've dealt with Jess being a new tenant that's moved in there.

John is a very eccentric character.

He is very flamboyant and he is very well-known on the estate.

He comes into our office wearing crowns, pirate hats,

lots of different styles of clothing that he chooses to wear.

I think what I have to be aware of

is he is making somebody feel particularly uncomfortable in their property

and, regardless of who he is or how he dresses, or how extreme he is,

that's the issue I need to deal with.

Cat works closely with the police community support team

that patrol her estates.

John is well-known to them,

so she's asked one of their officers to attend the interview.

John Aldred?

Can I ask you to take a seat for me? Thanks, John.

We are receiving complaints about noise from your property.

The complaints are to do with music coming from your property

and also with relation to your visitors.

As regards the music,

I do have it on, basically, all night.

I think the girl underneath, that is one of the complaints.

Now and again, you know, a good one comes on and you put it up a bit.

I wouldn't say it was excessively loud.

I think the only way to resolve it is to wear cordless headphones and walk around.

If that is something you are happy to do

-and see as a measure to prevent further complaints...

-You know...

Another allegation is that visitors

were up and down the communal areas, slamming doors,

and this went on all night to your address.

-I can only put the allegations to you.

-Fair enough. Yes.

-But, you know, I strongly deny the allegations.

-OK.

That will be noted that you are denying the allegations.

Maybe the odd banging now and again, moving stuff.

But not at unsociable hours.

What we are saying to you is that you need to be mindful that

you are living in a communal block.

Yes, I understand that. You know, why are you making a beeline for me?

Why am I being stigmatised by these people?

Because I have had several complaints that all come back to your address.

JOHN SIGHS

-OK?

-There are some weirdos about.

In this tower block in Ashton-Under-Lyme, east of Manchester,

Housing Officer Lyndon Pugh looks after one flat

that is a potential health hazard.

I've been in worse properties,

so I've got quite a strong tolerance for smells and things,

but I don't think there's any preparation that you can do, really,

it's just going in and hope for the best, really,

and hope that it's smelling OK, so...

Lyndon manages over 500 properties.

Because of the serious issues at this flat,

it's one of the few homes he has to visit almost every week.

-How you doing?

-Can you come one day next week?

I need to come in and have a look, and I know...

-I have been shifting 'em, you know.

-Yeah.

Lyndon has worked with 68-year-old Mary for the past three years,

and her problem with rubbish is an ongoing battle.

-So, you know you can take these bottles down to the recycle bins outside?

-Yeah.

Two months ago, the waste started to pile up again,

and Mary was asked to get her home clean.

-I'm going to get a bin for in here, anyway.

-Yeah, yeah.

So, you're getting it all together, aren't you? I can see you're doing that.

Let me just have a look in your kitchen.

-Just while I'm here, your cooker...

-I'm having a new one, actually.

Are you having a new one? Cos... Ooh!

-Cos I've noticed you're going to be making some chips, aren't you?

-Yeah.

It is a fire risk, and if you use that,

all that oil on there will ignite.

So maybe get some oven chips or something, just to be going on with.

If Mary doesn't follow Lyndon's suggestions,

her flat could be a serious fire risk.

-Right, I'm just going to test your smoke detector, Mary.

-All right.

Make sure that's working.

SMOKE DETECTOR BLEEPS

Right. The reason I'm just testing that, obviously, with all this rubbish,

and I know you smoke, in the event there's a fire,

we need to make sure this detector will go off.

I'll just check your bedroom, if you don't mind?

-I've got to clean that in the morning.

-Oops. Got a bag stuck to me.

I'm aware there's quite a number of cigarette packets down here, and tissues.

-Yeah, I'll shift 'em.

-Yeah? Are you smoking in bed?

-No.

I'm just saying, if you're smoking in bed,

cos you've got an ash tray there, and you fall asleep,

you've got all these tissues at the side, haven't you? That's an ignition source.

-Yeah, I'll move it after.

-Move all that, get it all bagged up.

I'm pleased with what you've done, Mary.

Obviously, there's a lot of rubbish that you know you've got to get rid of.

I'll give you another week. I'll come next Friday, yeah?

-Just to make sure that things are progressing, in terms of getting the rubbish removed.

-All right.

-Yeah, get the mop on these.

-Get the mop on the floor.

-Right.

-All right, Mary?

-Yeah.

-See you next week, Mary.

-All right.

-All right.

DOOR CLOSES

I'll get a bin there, bin there, one for the kitchen,

them bins what you put bags in.

When all this is cleared,

I'll move the settee from here right to the middle.

So I can lie on it watching telly.

It's a lifestyle, just a lifestyle issue. It's something...

Some people live like that,

and they think that that's an acceptable way of living.

However, in our tenancy conditions, it states,

"You must keep the property clean, tidy, free from rubbish."

Mary's aware of that,

but it's been going on for a number of years, on and off.

I bet he's not been to any others in the flats that's untidy.

Don't tell him, I do have a smoke in the bedroom.

There will be a very small minority of cases

where we have go in all guns blazing and enforce a clear-up

and a tidy-up of that property, because it is too unsafe.

But it is always difficult,

because ultimately, I don't have somebody

to come into my house and saying,

"You need to tidy up, you need to clear up."

So for us to go into someone else's house and tell them

how we think they should be living is very difficult,

because, you know, there isn't a right way or a wrong way,

there's just probably a safer way.

Are you happy for your friend to be here? Obviously, we'll disclose...

In Eccles, John has not responded well

to Jess's complaints about him, and the situation has become more serious.

Can you tell me, then, what happened on Friday, at what time it started?

-I've got it all written down.

-Is it all in there?

It's all written down. It started at 7:30pm, loud music,

drum and guitar beats, very heavy bass.

It woke the baby up at 11:40pm,

and at 12:20am, the music got even louder, and at 2:05am,

he was shouting outside, all that stuff, "Lies, all lies," excuse my French,

"Fucking liar! Why can't anyone tell the truth?"

He was making a puking noise outside my door,

shouting at his dog, slamming the doors.

He went upstairs, continued banging furniture around, shouting,

like, loads of stuff,

and that carried on till 2:40am in the morning.

-Did you see him outside the door, or was it...?

-Yes.

-OK, did you look through a spyhole?

I looked through the spyhole, cos I had to go and get her, cos she was screaming.

-And was he alone?

-He was with his dog, but that's about it.

-What did you do? Did you feel unsafe at the property?

-I just left.

-You left? What time did you leave the property?

-5:30am.

-OK.

-Did anyone come to get you, or did you ring your dad?

-My mum.

Your mum came to get you. OK.

With the information that you've put in here about his actions

on Friday, I would be looking to speak to him about his behaviour,

and it being classed as intimidating behaviour.

Are you happy for me to discuss that with him?

If it'll hopefully improve the situation,

I'm willing to do ANYTHING that you ask me.

The housing association hold limited information on tenants,

and they have no access to criminal records.

Because of concerns about John's latest behaviour,

Cat has been in touch with the police.

In order to deal with the case against John Aldred effectively,

I've had to do a bit of digging.

My role involves me being out in the community a lot of the time.

Often, we hear things that we don't have any concrete evidence for,

but people quite often tell us snippets of information.

The police have been able to confirm with me that there has been

an assault that he's been a perpetrator of,

and also a conviction of witness intimidation.

In the case with Jess,

this is something that rings alarm bells for me.

HE SHOUTS

John's latest behaviour is a breach of his tenancy,

and today, Cat has to issue him with an official warning.

On returning to your property on Friday, from 2am,

you were in the communal areas, shouting, "Lies, it's all lies.

"Fucking lies! Why can't anyone tell the truth?"

You then began to make sounds of heaving noises,

and continued to shout about "Fucking lawyers,"

and "What have you done, what have you done?"

OK? At this point,

I need to make you aware that you are being issued with a tenancy warning.

Are you denying all of these allegations?

To be quite honest with you, I can't remember.

I do remember now, you've jogged my memory, er,

but I can't remember the words, but with what you have just said,

it does sound something like I would say.

And do you agree, for other residents that live at Brindley Close,

that would be quite alarming,

for somebody to be engaging in intimidating behaviour?

Oh, Cat, I think I've been the one that's been intimidated.

They tried to take my dignity away, my pride. They stripped me...

You know, what more can they do to me?

-OK. Thank you.

-All right, Cat. Thanks.

Cat hopes this warning will prevent any further incidents

between Jess and John.

If housing associations don't tackle neighbour disputes early on,

they can quickly get out of hand.

I've dealt with cases where

there's been violence,

there's been threats of violence, there's been assaults,

there's been threats to burn down properties,

threats against people's lives.

It's a small minority, but those tenants that do need to know

that we're not going to stand for it, and it will be dealt with.

Despite Cat's warning, less than a week later,

John is still causing trouble for Jess.

LOUD BASS BLARES OUT

It's 7pm on Sunday night,

and I got back about 6pm,

and the music's been playing since then - really loud, heavy bass.

Obviously, it's the time... It might not seem that late,

but it's the time now that I'll be getting Elizabeth settled for bed,

so it's really not good at the moment.

I need to get her in bed, and this is still playing, so...

It keeps going louder, quiet, louder, quiet, so I don't know.

Let's hope it stops.

MUSIC CONTINUES TO BLARE OUT

MUSIC RESUMES

While John continues playing his music,

there is no sign of his cordless headphones.

I said to Jessica, "I play music.

"If it's ever too loud, just come and knock on my door,

"and I'll turn it down."

But Jess is unlikely to come knocking,

with the fanciful ideas John has about her.

Now, every time I went out, she was always at the window.

You know, I know what it was. Probably fancied me or something.

It's happened before, you know what I mean?

I'm not blowing my own trumpet, she's not my friggin' type anyway.

But, er...

-Are you an intimidating man, do you think?

-Now, in...

When you say intimidating, in what aspects, or what way?

Do you think people would be frightened of complaining about you?

Frightened OF complaining?

-For what? Complaining of what?

-Like, about the noise, or...

HE SIGHS

In all honesty, I think the people that are complaining are blind.

Every year, one million people in Britain move house

because of noisy neighbours.

But it's not that easy for social housing tenants to up sticks and go,

which is why noise nuisance remains their biggest complaint.

In Dukinfield, east of Manchester,

tenants on one estate are regularly disturbed by a pair of noisy neighbours.

COCKEREL CROWS

THEY ALL CROW

Housing Officer Paul Spencer has been called in

to smooth out any ruffled feathers.

There's four chickens and two cockerels,

and it's the cockerels what have attacked a neighbour's dog.

They're just not caged or anything, and attacking dogs.

I mean, what's next, are they going to attack children?

It's just completely unacceptable.

COCKEREL CROWS

Mother of two Jeannette lives next door to the unruly birds.

COCKEREL CROWS

It can start at 4am in the morning, and it wakes me up.

And he won't come out. I have to shove him out. He's scared of them.

He runs back in the house!

COCKEREL CROWS

My daughters are in the back bedroom, and they hear it, and it wakes them up.

I really want to go out on my trampoline sometimes,

but if there's chickens in the garden,

I won't go out cos they're vicious.

The cockerels are a pest.

Where do the chickens...? Let's just have a look.

Next-door neighbour Graham has been rearing chickens for the last 12 months.

-He can get a bit funny.

-Yeah, he's just gone for me.

-Has he?

They are funny, they're funny creatures.

Some sleep in there, and some sleep in here. In there.

Although it's not a breach against your tenancy for keeping livestock,

when it starts causing anti-social behaviour,

that's when it can be a problem.

I've got the two cockerels on a site within Facebook,

called Cockerel Trader, to try and get rid of them.

I've had no luck just yet, but I am trying to get rid of the cockerels.

COCKEREL CROWS

You can see my concerns when I see it.

I understand it, but I've had no complaints up until just now.

It's just that when they start doing that,

the dogs and stuff are barking as well, aren't they?

I appreciate what you're saying is, if not many people have complained...

No, I don't have next door's dog barking.

I don't have her dog barking, next door.

I've seen my cockerels and chickens in their garden with the dog.

Not a problem.

Whether anybody's complained or not, I've seen that,

and I just can't allow that to carry on,

where they're just roaming about the whole of the garden.

COCKEREL CROWS IN BACKGROUND

And, as you can hear,

you can still hear the cockerel doing its little scream now.

COCKEREL CROWS

I just found it really bizarre. This is a garden, it's not a farm!

It's a difficult one, but it needs sorting.

In Ashton-under-Lyne, it's two weeks since Lyndon last visited Mary,

and he's back to see how the clear-up is going.

Lyndon's biggest worry is Mary's kitchen and her chip pan.

-Hello, Mary.

-Hello!

-I've come bearing gifts.

-I've been tidying up.

-In the bedroom. You've got to go in the kitchen.

-Right.

-There is a big improvement.

-Yeah.

-Look at that! I knew you could do it.

-Yeah.

-Get it all clean and clear.

I can see you've cleared all the rubbish out of here now,

you've bagged it up and cleaned the work surfaces,

so that's good progress that you've done that.

At the moment, we've got a scheme where we're, if tenants give us

their chip pans, we'll give them a brand spanking new deep-fat fryer.

Right, I'll take the chip pan, Mary. That'll do.

We'll double-bag it.

We'll pop that on there.

Lyndon has already seen just how far Mary can get with her cleaning.

Not that long ago, the flat was almost unrecognisable.

This was back in May 2010.

Now, you can see how clean the property is following Mary

cleaning it herself.

Kitchen's really tidy, you can see there,

all the surfaces are wiped down and they've been cleaned.

And then following that, the property deteriorated again,

and we were back to square one.

My personal opinion of it is when we've been into the property,

there's been a lot of bottles strewn on the floor.

Bottles of spirit, bottles of alcohol,

so there could be underlying alcohol issues, and that could be

one of the underlying causes of why she lets things get on top of her.

30 years ago, Mary had to deal with the loss of her only child.

He died in Lancaster Hospital. The Lake District.

John Paul.

I called him after my Uncle John.

He's the only one I had, you know.

He used to call my dad "Dad," you know.

16 and a half, when he got killed.

Camping with school, and skidded off the road, the minibus.

On the Saturday night, I had...

I'd put my hair in rollers, you know, for going out,

like, Sunday, with my dad.

Knock, knock, knock... They banged on the front door.

I said, "There's police cars outside."

All they told us was there'd been an accident.

The minibus skidded off the road and hit a brick wall.

One thing I got back was his watch, the farmer sent it.

Found it in the field.

I wish he were still here.

I don't think I've ever been right since he got killed in 1981.

Then, losing...

me dad, then losing me mum in a fire in Droylsden...

In Eccles, Jess is dealing with yet another problem caused by John.

There's just water all in here as you come through,

and all here by my door.

And through the ceiling, at the top,

where there's already damp from the previous times it's happened.

I know it's from his washer, cos I've had him down and he's said,

"Oh, I've just not plumbed it in."

It's been quite a while since he's done it,

but obviously he's chosen to do it today, and it's a mess.

I just think it's his way of showing that he just does not care.

He knows this happens, I've spoken to him on numerous occasions.

He knows this happens, but he just doesn't care.

He doesn't care what damage he's doing.

Two weeks later, tensions reach breaking point.

After a confrontation with John last night,

Jess and her mum have asked for a meeting with Cat and neighbourhood manager Lee.

OK, and what was his manner like during this?

He was just trying to make himself really big,

standing with his arms out, with this stick in his hand.

It was threatening, it was making himself seem big in front of me.

And he was laughing, and just so sinister.

He put his stick in front of the doorway,

so I couldn't get in anyway.

When you were both outside,

he'd blocked the doorway with his stick so you couldn't get back in?

-Yeah.

-During this conversation? So he was between you and the door?

Yeah, I couldn't get away from the confrontation anyway.

To be honest, I think he actually did want me to lose my temper,

and unfortunately, I did.

I shouted at him, and I was like, "Go on, I'm right here, John, I'm right here.

"Go on, if you want to do something, do it."

To which he just stood there, arms up, with his stupid stick

in his hand, saying to me, "Just watch this space, just watch this space."

So I said to him,

"I'm not frightened of you, John,

"I'm not like the last lot of neighbours and I'm not frightened of you and I'm going nowhere."

To which he turned round and said, I will be and to watch this space.

She's 20. She's still my little girl,

and you're supposed to provide her with adequate housing.

-This is not adequate for her or my granddaughter.

-Yeah.

Before I moved in there,

there was a court case I wasn't even aware of.

A court case with John.

For data protection reasons, we wouldn't disclose everybody's

-criminal record to people that are moving into a tenancy.

-Nobody gets that.

Don't list it as a family property, cos it's clearly not.

-Is there somewhere safe you can stay?

-Home. I'm going home with my mum!

-OK.

-Like every weekend.

-Like every weekend, I'm going home.

With one tenancy caution already, John is immediately summoned

for a meeting with Cat and Antisocial Behaviour Officer Jill Fenlon.

-Did you make a threat to her that she would be fearful of you?

-No.

What do you mean by "watch this space"?

-What did you intend for her to take from that?

-She's making threats.

I didn't make no allegation, no threat, I just said, watch this space. That's all I said.

This conversation continued to the communal doors,

-where both of you were outside of the front of Brinley Close.

-No.

At this stage, you blocked the access back into the communal door

using the long white stick that you often carry,

so you could continue the conversation with her.

I did hold the door open with my stick at the time.

I was carrying it. It's not white.

It's made out of willow and it's painted in different colours.

She said to you, "I am not frightened like the people that lived here before were."

-To which you said, "You will be."

-I may have done. I can't recollect.

It's something that... If she wants to fight, I'll fight.

At this point, we are going to be issuing you with a final warning.

And what it means is that if any further complaints come through,

then you are at risk of losing your tenancy.

And we will be taking the case further and going to court.

Despite improvements in the condition of Mary's flat,

Lyndon is still keeping her under close supervision.

Good afternoon, Mary. It's Lyndon. How are you doing?

INAUDIBLE

Been a bit of a mess.

-You've been in a bit of a mess?

-I've been in bed for a fortnight with flu.

-Oh, you've not been too good?

-No.

-All right.

You cleaned the kitchen last time, didn't you, Mary?

Yeah, it needs doing again.

Right.

Yeah, it's...

-So things have been getting on top of you at the moment?

-They have.

-With your health.

-Yeah.

You made progress in getting the kitchen cleared,

but we're now going back to a stage where

you're not able to keep on top of things.

What waste is in your property is classed as hazardous waste.

We've got an infestation of flies in your property.

And that's probably been caused by the fact that the rubbish

-is festering in your kitchen and in your living room.

-Yeah.

It is an environmental health hazard to you and to your neighbours.

We need to get this resolved.

So I'll come and see you next week, and in the meantime,

if you can start clearing your kitchen again.

All right, you take care of yourself and I'll see you next week, Mary.

All right.

There's a bin under where it goes down the chute.

The first one before the left. It's lazy not taking them.

'The majority of our tenants won't need to see us from year to year,

'but there are a small number of tenants that we need to provide more intensive support to.

'You're never going to be able to resolve their issues fully. We don't have a magic wand.

'We have to accept some people will always need a higher level of help and support.'

And we have to then factor that into our workload.

We know we can't leave them more than four weeks

before they're going to need a visit, just to make sure

they're keeping on top of the house, not going back to their old ways.

That's going to be for life, for the life of that tenancy.

They might attack you.

Has your dad got a box? Yeah?

In Duckenfield, Graham has managed to find

a new owner for one of his cockerels.

But the other bird has made itself at home elsewhere.

It came in here, stood here, and then it came down here and it stood here.

And it pooed in the house

and it went on my bathroom and it sat on the toilet for ages.

It went in here, jumped on my telly.

I had to ring my dad to get it out of the house.

She's scared of them, so I had to come round and get in and get rid of it. I'm used to them.

It shouldn't have been in her house in the first place.

We're going in the garden, as you can see,

they're just wandering round. Something needs to be done.

With the cockerel going in the house, I have got to issue you with a tenancy warning

to control the chickens.

-OK.

-And then obviously, if it's still carrying on,

we would have to refer it to our legal section.

COCKEREL CROWS

Part of the terms of your tenancy, it mentions animals.

If them animals are causing a nuisance, then obviously...

-Like a barking dog all day.

-Or a cockerel doing its...

-Once or twice a day.

I've heard it several more times than that.

-That's because people are about.

-COCKEREL CROWS

I've heard the dog barking all day long. That's all right?

-Is that OK, that?

-What I'm trying to say...

-I'm asking you a question, like you've been asking me.

What I'm trying to say to you is that she's worried about

when chickens come flying over the fence.

I've been in there and the chickens don't hurt you, it's just the cockerel.

All they're doing at the moment is looking for somewhere to lay eggs.

But my concern now is there's two chickens clearly in somebody else's garden.

You walk up to them and they'll walk away.

Paul is taking matters into his own hands.

Is that Alison?

It's Paul Spencer here, from New Charter Housing.

01925...

Yeah?

They've just given me a telephone number of Lucky Hens.

To prevent any further unwanted cockerel visits...

Are you still there?

-..he's trying to find a home for the remaining bird.

-Hello?

It's not in your job description, or anything like that.

But if that's what it takes to resolve it, then that's what we do.

I was wondering if you could assist in any way?

So you've got six cockerels.

She said, any more, and they'll be fighting.

You just don't expect it to be this difficult to get a bird re-homed.

Obviously, it must be more of a widespread problem than what we realise.

For the past three months, Lyndon has been working intensively

with Mary to try and motivate her to get her flat clean.

It's been a slow process.

Good afternoon. How are you doing?

All right. I've just been out.

You've cleared the flies up off the windowsill, which is great.

Let me just have a look in your kitchen.

Your kitchen is pretty tidy. You've kept on top of that, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-You've kept it tidy and clean, so I'm very pleased with that.

-Your bathroom is fine, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Over the past few months, you have made very good progress.

You've got rid of all your rubbish, you've bagged the rest of it up,

and there's just a few odd jobs you need to do.

But I'm quite happy with the progress you've made. All right, Mary?

-Thanks a lot. I'll see you again.

-Right.

Bye-bye!

Bye!

With definite signs of improvement,

the challenge now is for Lyndon to stop Mary falling off the cleaning wagon.

So he's come up with a plan.

I've had this idea that we could have a look at the idea of decorating

one of the rooms in Mary's property.

I think this would give Mary a fresh start, really.

Once she sees what can be achieved in one room,

that might empower her to then do other rooms in the property.

The choo-choo is just going away.

Choo-choo.

He's getting ready to go, isn't he? Like you, putting your shoes on.

After the intimidating behaviour from John last week,

the housing association have taken the unusual decision

to move Jess to another estate.

It's just absolutely strange behaviour.

It's come to the point where he goes or I go.

It's unsafe for us both to be here.

It's unsafe for me to be here with her if he doesn't go.

Put them in the box.

I can't risk it getting to that stage where someone is going to get hurt.

We'll put choo-choo away just for a little bit.

It's very rare that we would remove a complainant in an ASB case.

What we would rather do is tackle the problem

and deal with the perpetrator.

As much as it would benefit us to have a complainant stay

where they are in a case, providing us with evidence,

we understand that that isn't always right

for the complainant.

And in some cases,

we feel it necessary for somebody to be moved out

of a situation which could endanger

their or their family's safety.

Feels really daft... being driven out by someone.

I just feel really weak and daft, but hopefully...

end of one chapter, start of a new one.

Jess has left the building because she's scared of you, isn't she?

What's she scared of me for?

What's she got to be scared of?

All I did was try and help her.

Can't be fairer than that, can you?

I help all the neighbours.

Anyone. If they ask for help and I can do it, I'll do it.

So I don't know what her problem was with me.

Well, I do. I've got an idea, but, you know, her loss, my gain.

'I think that he's realising now the seriousness'

and that we're not taking what he's saying at face value,

that we are looking further into it,

and that will have serious consequences.

I am in no doubt that further action will be taken against him

and against his tenancy with City West.

Paul's plea to local cockerel lovers has paid off.

He's found someone willing to take Graham's remaining bird.

Today, he's giving it a lift to its new home.

If he wants me to do it, then maybe I will, maybe I won't.

It just depends what kind of mood the cockerel's in.

It might be fun to watch Paul try and catch him.

-You all right?

-Yeah, yeah.

I'm hoping it's big enough.

-You're hoping he's going to walk in an' all, aren't you?

-Yeah! It's that little one there, isn't it?

-That one with the green tail, yeah.

-Come on, in you go.

It's not going to have that, is it?

You can't just grab hold of it, can you? Oh, please go in.

Argh! I don't believe you let him out! Sorry about that.

You grab him from behind, if I get his attention.

Just grab his tail.

-Won't the tail come off, though?

-No.

Right, let's get this sorted.

-He'll be all right in there now, won't he?

-He'll be all right.

-See you again.

-Thanks. See you.

He's gone to a better place, more girls.

He'll be happy.

It's taken seven months of supervision,

but Mary finally has a living room free of rubbish and ready for a facelift.

So these two gentlemen here are going to be decorating your living room over the next few days.

Yeah.

-So are you happy about that?

-Yeah.

-Two.

-Two.

-And two. Thank you very much. Can't go wrong.

They're doing the walls magnolia, and the ceiling's going to be white.

-So nice, neutral, light colours.

-Yeah.

-Come in.

-How you doing?

All right.

-Are they done now?

-Yeah, finished.

Oh, let's have a look.

-Do you like it?

-Yeah.

-They've done a really, really good job.

-Yeah.

-It's like a new room now, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

I'll come back in a few weeks to see how you've progressed.

It'll be like a palace, won't it?

It'll be like the Queen.

-Sit there with a crown on!

-Yeah!

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