0:00:02 > 0:00:06Across the UK, there are nearly a million homes lying unloved,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09ready for someone to give them a bright new future.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Whether it's a tired semi or a rambling mansion,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15we're on a mission to rescue Britain's empty homes.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30It's often amazing how quickly a home can lose its sense of homeliness
0:00:30 > 0:00:32once it's been left empty for some time.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Once the damp and the cobwebs have crept in,
0:00:35 > 0:00:41it often takes real vision to see how it can be turned back into a gorgeous home in the future.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Today, I'm going to pass on my knowledge of renovating an empty property
0:00:45 > 0:00:49to show a couple how to do it themselves and create an inspirational home.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- It's beautiful, isn't it?- I think it's going to age really well.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56We meet experienced home restorers who have done it all before.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Although it was in a terrible state, it was just idyllic,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03and I thought, I don't care what it's like inside, I want it.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Plus we'll be pounding the beat with Empty Property Officers,
0:01:07 > 0:01:11whose job it is to get vacant addresses lived in again.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15It's an achievement each time we bring an empty property back into use.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Textile designer June Swindell and sales manager Keith Marsh have been together for three years.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Deciding it's time to get their first place together,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30they're looking to leave London for Brighton in Sussex.
0:01:30 > 0:01:35It seems like quite a natural move from London to Brighton. There's still loads going on.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36It should be really nice.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41Keith and June each have a flat to sell, giving them a combined budget of £500,000,
0:01:41 > 0:01:47so they're looking for a tired old lady of a house they can turn into a grande dame.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51June's good at interior stuff. If I did it, it would look like a bloke's flat.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Between us, we'd end up with a really nice place.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57The couple have absolutely no renovation experience
0:01:57 > 0:02:01but they've come up with a rather unorthodox approach to financing the process.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05My thought is that we get a place that's beyond our means
0:02:05 > 0:02:07but rent some of it out for holiday lets.
0:02:07 > 0:02:13I'd like somewhere with outbuildings or somewhere else where you could potentially rent out.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17It could be a very clever idea or a total disaster,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20depending on the property they choose and what they do with it.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Hi, June, nice to see you.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28I want to find out how committed June and Keith are to taking on and renovating an empty home.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32So, £500,000 is not just to buy this property
0:02:32 > 0:02:36but also to have some money within that £500,000 to do it up.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40But you're also thinking of something of a holiday let
0:02:40 > 0:02:43to try and offset the cost. How is that going to work?
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Well, hopefully, if we can find somewhere
0:02:45 > 0:02:49that's got either additional quarters or outbuildings,
0:02:49 > 0:02:54maybe we can stretch the budget a little bit more and it can start to pay for itself a little bit.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57We could be leasing them out as offices, studios, B&B.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Wow! And how do you see this working in terms of your careers at the moment?
0:03:01 > 0:03:04For Keith it's definitely got to run alongside,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08erm, but I can be a bit more flexible, so I'm thinking semi-retirement.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Oh, nice. You're going to be a lady that lunches, aren't you?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Yes, perfect.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16It's an attractive package if it can be achieved.
0:03:16 > 0:03:23We hope so. We've met later in life so it would be nice to do something together where we can move forward.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27To give Keith and June an idea of what their project may involve,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31I'll be introducing them to experienced homeowners who have done it all before.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35But, first, I want to see if they can spot the opportunities a vacant house may offer.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40Keith and June clearly have the enthusiasm to take on an empty property,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43but I can't tell whether or not they have the vision,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46so I'm sending them off without me to have a good look
0:03:46 > 0:03:50at a great example of the sort of property that they could buy.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55To the keen-eyed buyer, this four-bedroom end-of-terrace in Brighton,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59on the market for just shy of £450,000, is a real steal.
0:03:59 > 0:04:05Especially as there's a surprise thrown in - a separate one-bedroom basement flat.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07This place was rented out for a while,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09but it's been left empty for months.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The separate flat would make an ideal holiday let,
0:04:12 > 0:04:18while, above, the three floors of seemingly endless empty rooms, all painted white,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20could be turned into a stunning period home.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It's a real blank canvas,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28but will June and Keith be able to see beyond the bland and envisage a unique home?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Oh, my goodness, it's huge!
0:04:31 > 0:04:33A lot of property for £450,000.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Even from out here, it's screaming for an update.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- Perfect.- Loving the net curtains(!) - Let's have a look.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- Hey!- Small kitchen for a big house.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46You're knocking walls out already.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49What's...peering out the kitchen window.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- That's quite exciting. Nice little outdoor bit.- Is it ours?
0:04:53 > 0:04:57The beauty of an empty house is that there are surprises around every corner,
0:04:57 > 0:05:03so, continuing their detective work, June and Keith set off in search of the entrance to the flat.
0:05:03 > 0:05:10It's just a cupboard, but from the kitchen window you can see something downstairs.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13So what's the downstairs and is that here?
0:05:13 > 0:05:17There's definitely a separate downstairs.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It must have a separate entrance,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22which means you can rent it out as a separate flat
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- and create a further income. - Give that man a prize!
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Vacant places are often presented without furniture,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32so you need to use your imagination to work out how you'd use the space.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Strip it and paint it white.
0:05:34 > 0:05:40June does seem slightly overawed by the number of rooms and options available.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- I...erm, bedroom!- Bedroom one. - Obviously.
0:05:43 > 0:05:51- Well, no, lounge...no, lounge. - Lounge now? Office?- I don't know. - Let's go and see what else there is.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54With June and Keith's ambitious approach to funding
0:05:54 > 0:05:57their perfect pad by renting out part of the property,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00the basement is where the real bonus lies.
0:06:00 > 0:06:01Oh!
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Down here there's a galley kitchen,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07a good-sized living room and a double bedroom.
0:06:07 > 0:06:13As far as an extra source of income goes, this place could provide rental revenue.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15It is a self-contained flat. Brilliant.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19We could rent this out in its entirety or we could sell it.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23It's great that Keith's looking at the flat in a business-like way
0:06:23 > 0:06:27and that's what will pay for the renovation upstairs.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30But I'm worried June's creative side is taking over.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Look at the finishes there. It's really badly done.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39- It's all right.- No, it's horrible. - We wouldn't be living in it. We'd rent it or sell it.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It's too horrible to rent to somebody.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43I think it's ready to go.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48It's got the beige carpet, magnolia wall, white ceiling, it's fairly recently done.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50I think it would rent easily.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53This is exactly why you were single when I met you.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57OK, this might not be the place for them,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01but I want to broaden their horizons by inspiring them with examples
0:07:01 > 0:07:05of what other people have done with their empty homes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Let's have a think about that property in Brighton that we sent you to without me.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14- What did you make of it? - It was nicely run down and empty and had potential.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19You have the opportunity to let it, which is why it was worth you looking at it.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23It would have made great student lets. It was more of a business than a home.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28You'd live in the smaller part and the bigger part would be the business - student lets.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32I think the trick now is to get you to look at a couple of properties
0:07:32 > 0:07:34which go more to the heart of what you're after -
0:07:34 > 0:07:39properties which are in the process of being renovated and that have been renovated,
0:07:39 > 0:07:44- but which have incorporate a second income along the way.- Fantastic. - Let's have a look at these.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I'm not convinced that Keith and June have the ambition required
0:07:47 > 0:07:50to tackle the renovation of an empty property.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53They'll need passion to propel them through the tough times -
0:07:53 > 0:07:57something the owners of this formerly derelict house
0:07:57 > 0:07:59in Worcestershire know only too well.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03They took it on in 1996 and began a long journey,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06transforming it into a sensational home.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Although it was in a terrible state, it's a magnificent looking house
0:08:13 > 0:08:16and I think it was the windows that sold it to me,
0:08:16 > 0:08:21and the setting, with the church and down a little quiet lane. It was just idyllic.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I thought, I don't care what it's like inside, I want it?
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Jilly and Cliff's renovation was carried out in several stages
0:08:28 > 0:08:32over five years, but not everything ran smoothly.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35The most difficult part was the first few months here
0:08:35 > 0:08:37when everything was in a terrible state
0:08:37 > 0:08:44and we had teams of builders in doing work all over the place, and yet, several months later,
0:08:44 > 0:08:49having spent goodness knows how many thousands of pounds, it didn't look any better.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Starting with the bare bones of the house, they have been able to incorporate unique features.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56In our daughter's bedroom,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59we thought it would be fun to have a Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe idea.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04So, the original wardrobe frontages which were here when we moved in, we decided to keep,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07so when you open the door, it's a complete surprise.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11It's fun to walk through a wardrobe every time you need the loo(!)
0:09:12 > 0:09:15As a way of bringing in extra income,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Jilly and Cliff converted outbuildings into holiday lets,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20much like June and Keith hope to achieve.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23One of the other attractions of the property
0:09:23 > 0:09:27was that they had these beautiful old coach houses in the grounds.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31We decided to develop them into a range of luxury holiday cottages.
0:09:31 > 0:09:3514 years ago, they paid £235,000 for the house
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and spent £300,000 transforming it,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42as well as turning the outbuildings into holiday cottages.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46If we were to have it valued now, for the whole site, including the cottages,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49it would be in the region of £2 million,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51so hopefully it's been a worthwhile exercise.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55The couple are clear that only by taking on a disused property
0:09:55 > 0:09:59have they been able to create their amazing abode.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04How else were we going to ever live in what most people would consider to be a dream home?
0:10:04 > 0:10:09There's no way we could have afforded it. It would have been beyond our wildest dreams.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14It's not the sort of project that anybody should go into light-heartedly.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20Having said that, if you do have the passion, then absolutely anything is achievable,
0:10:20 > 0:10:25and there's a sense of pride that we have brought something back to life
0:10:25 > 0:10:29that could well have tumbled and gone forever.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32And it will be here for generations to come.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38With property prices now being so high,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43houses are too precious a commodity to leave empty for months on end,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47which is why many local councils now employ Empty Property Officers
0:10:47 > 0:10:50whose job it is to try and get them occupied once again.
0:10:53 > 0:10:58Zainul Pirmohamed is employed by Stoke City Council
0:10:58 > 0:11:03and has saved 141 houses from falling into rack and ruin in the last four years.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06She heads up a team of three empty property officers.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08One of the main reasons I do this job
0:11:08 > 0:11:12is because of the difference that I do make to people's lives.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15It's a real, real sense of satisfaction
0:11:15 > 0:11:20and it's an achievement each time we bring a blighted empty property back into use.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Her team get around ten new houses per month to look into
0:11:24 > 0:11:29and, today, she's checking up on an investigation which has got local residents quite spooked.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34We're heading for a property which is 15 years empty.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39Because it's been empty for so long, the locals have taken to calling it the ghost house.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43This three-bed semi is on a quiet residential street
0:11:43 > 0:11:45and is a nightmare for its neighbours.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51The children, a few years ago, used to call it the spooky house
0:11:51 > 0:11:55because they used to dare each other to come into the back garden
0:11:55 > 0:11:59but I told them about the rat problem and that soon stopped that game.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02I'm on friendly terms now with the rat man. His name's Dave.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07Zainul's dogged determination to contact the owner has been met with silence,
0:12:07 > 0:12:12so the council has taken legal steps to make a compulsory purchase of the house
0:12:12 > 0:12:18and, today, Zainul is making one final check to ensure no-one or no thing is living there.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20We've got an open window up there.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Having said that, I think that's been open for the last three or four years,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27since I've been visiting the property.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Oh, goodness me!
0:12:29 > 0:12:34It's absolutely full and it looks like somebody has ransacked the property.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39This property has been an eyesore, it's been a pain to the neighbours,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43so, for me, the quicker we can get this through the auction,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47the quicker we can get somebody who is keen on bringing it back into use,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51the sooner we can get it back into what it used to be - a lovely family home.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54After satisfying herself the property is empty,
0:12:54 > 0:13:00Zainul is keen to update the lady who lives in the adjoining house and allay any of her fears about it.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I know it's been a bother to you for many years now.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08- He's not responded to any of my correspondence.- Right.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Once it's in our ownership, we'll make sure it's all secure,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15so you will see black metal sheeting to the front and back on the ground floor
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and boarding to the top.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23A temporary measure, so don't be alarmed, purely so we can make sure that it's safe and secure.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28With Zainul on the case, this blot on the landscape will soon be home to a needy local family.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31It's an absolute travesty, really,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34when there are so many people looking for this kind of family home.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37The plan is to get the property secured,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39get it cleared and then market it for sale.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46If you think you've found your dream wreck or doer-upper
0:13:46 > 0:13:49that you could turn into your perfect family home,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52odds are you'll have to act pretty quickly to beat the developers,
0:13:52 > 0:13:58but be sure to do your homework before completing on the sale and parting with your hard-earned cash.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Get a builder round to give you an estimate for alteration costs.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Book a meeting with the Planning Office to discuss how feasible your ideas are.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09And be realistic about what you can afford.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Once you pick up the keys, there's no going back.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Keith Marsh and June Swindell
0:14:19 > 0:14:24plan to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives - investing in a property together.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27They've seen an empty, tired town house in Brighton
0:14:27 > 0:14:32which offered them the opportunity to create a substantial home for themselves
0:14:32 > 0:14:34and a holiday let to bring in extra cash.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38But with no experience of renovating dilapidated houses,
0:14:38 > 0:14:44I want to show them how others have financed their projects to give them more confidence.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49Guys, we're here in Selsey and we're going to start with what I can only describe
0:14:49 > 0:14:54as an extraordinarily ambitious project behind this hoarding.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57If you want extreme, this is it.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02This beautiful Grade II listed 17th century cottage in Selsey, Sussex,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06was one of the town's most important historic buildings.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But, four years ago, something tragic happened.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13A fire ripped through the building, destroying the roof,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16leaving the house empty and open to the elements ever since.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Then, Sylvia Marshall heard local developers wanted to knock it down
0:15:22 > 0:15:24to make way for new housing.
0:15:24 > 0:15:30I always loved Selsey as a child and the idea a beautiful house as Sessions
0:15:30 > 0:15:34could be left just to fall down or be developed,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38I think it would simply be heartbreaking. Someone, somewhere had to do something.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43And Sylvia did do something. She bought this pile of charred timber.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47- Right, in you come.- OK(!)
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Let me introduce you to this lovely lady here, to Sylvia.
0:15:50 > 0:15:56She's now undertaking a mammoth restoration which could cost her an eye-watering £1 million.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01In bringing you here, it's not just to frighten you with this project,
0:16:01 > 0:16:06but the key thing is that Sylvia is considering turning half of this into a holiday let.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09The plan is...it was originally two homes,
0:16:09 > 0:16:14it will go back to being two homes, one I will live in and the other half to be a holiday let
0:16:14 > 0:16:19which will offset some costs in actually doing the project.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23I want Sylvia's enthusiasm to inspire June and Keith.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27- Look at this! - It's like a haunted house.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30This is extraordinary. My goodness...wow!
0:16:30 > 0:16:34- That's what it used to look like. - That is stunning.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- That's chocolate box. - You can see the two doors.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Your choice of homes or lets.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44- When you see that, how could you not restore it?- That's fair enough.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Sylvia's dedication led her to give up a career as a management consultant
0:16:48 > 0:16:50to devote herself to the project.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Any designs June has on being a lady who lunches,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57it could be more like butties with the builders.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01I'd done my day job for 20 years but always had an interest in old buildings
0:17:01 > 0:17:07and when Sessions came up, I burnt the suit and this became the day job.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10I think it's amazing. Absolutely amazing.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13My entire life is now doing this.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16I live it, I breathe it. You have to.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22She's only six months into the transformation and costs are already more than £500,000 and rising.
0:17:22 > 0:17:28It's a lot of money and it's still open-ended as to the final bill.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30But I can see that incorporating the holiday let
0:17:30 > 0:17:33will clearly bring in a tidy sum, one would hope.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38I think that's so important, whether it's a new property, an old property.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43I need the comfort blanket of knowing there will be an income stream coming from somewhere.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's an extraordinary project. Well done.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Seeing it on the chocolate box is all the reward I need.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Good luck. Good luck.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59We often say that many renovations are not for the faint-hearted.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01This is probably a classic example of that.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I'm not suggesting for one minute that it's right for Keith or June,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but the thing I like about this one is that it's not a renovation
0:18:08 > 0:18:11that's just aimed at making extra space or making a few quid.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14This one is driven by a relentless passion
0:18:14 > 0:18:18to see this building returned to the state that it was once in.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I have to say, although Sylvia is about to start the rebuild,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24along the way there will be many doubts and troubles,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28if anybody can see this off and finish it, she can.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Later, I'll be taking them to meet a pair of renovators
0:18:34 > 0:18:38who found another clever way of funding their project.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45But, first, back in Stoke-on-Trent, Empty Property Officer Zainul Pirmohamed
0:18:45 > 0:18:48is heading to a house that will soon be a family home once more.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53I've been involved with a long-term empty property
0:18:53 > 0:18:56since, erm, roughly, October 2008.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01The previous owners of this two-bed terrace tried to renovate the property
0:19:01 > 0:19:05but hit problems with their building work and were forced to abandon it.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08They then failed to carry out work to bring it up to a livable standard
0:19:08 > 0:19:14and when threatened with a compulsory purchase order, they put the house on the market.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19It sold and, today, Zainul's catching up with the new owner.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Hi. Good to see you again.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25The previous owners removed a chimney breast on the ground floor
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- without properly supporting the upper floor.- Goodness me.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31So Zainul's first concern today
0:19:31 > 0:19:35is to check if vital structural work has been carried out to make it safe.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39What is it that your workmen have done so that that scaffolding can be taken away?
0:19:39 > 0:19:42The chimney wasn't supported at the top.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46They've put some supports at the top, have they? Brilliant.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48It's not just Zainul who wants the house lived in.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53Living next to this empty property has been an absolute nightmare for two years.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56It's been a dumping ground in the back garden.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57We've had damp.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59We just want it finished
0:19:59 > 0:20:02and people living in it so it's back to normal
0:20:02 > 0:20:07because everybody up this street seems to take care of their houses.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Goodness me, look at the state of that!
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Your workmen better be quite strong men.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17- All those bricks, where are they from?- The chimney.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18Of course, yeah.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20So it's the full works, isn't it?
0:20:20 > 0:20:25It's literally new windows, kitchen, bathroom, central heating, doors.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30It's absolutely everything. Everything brand new really.
0:20:30 > 0:20:36A grant from the council means he can carry out major works to bring the house back into use.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39With a time-scale of 12 weeks to complete this,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43the house will then be rented to people on the council's waiting list.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47There's a lot of work required here. A lot more than I realised.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I think we need to consider extending the time you would normally be allowed.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Usually, we give 12 weeks.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Having looked at the property, we would be willing to give extra time.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Although Zainul's given the owner more time to complete the work,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06she'll be keeping a close eye on this case to make sure it's back into use as soon as possible.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Thank you very much for your time.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12The main thing here is we have a responsible owner now.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16I don't think we have to do a lot, other than monitor the case.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21And with families in the area in desperate need of homes, this place is a valuable commodity.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26We've got over 9,000 people on our waiting list, with many thousands of families there.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's important we bring a lot of these properties back into use
0:21:29 > 0:21:34to provide families with young children a nice, steady home to grow up in.
0:21:34 > 0:21:40Hopefully, in the next few months, this will be another successful case closed for Zainul.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Keith and June have a clever plan to renovate a disused dwelling
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and turn it into their first home by partially funding the move
0:21:48 > 0:21:52through renting out part of the building as a holiday let.
0:21:52 > 0:21:58They've seen how brave Sylvia is funding an incredibly ambitious restoration in this way.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02I want to show them the final piece of the puzzle
0:22:02 > 0:22:06which I think will give them the confidence to go ahead with their project.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11Now, then, as promised we are going to show you something that's been completed.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15You can see the other end of the process.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Six years ago, carpenter Ben Halsey and his wife Lindsay
0:22:18 > 0:22:22bought a rundown cottage and stable that hadn't been lived in for years.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25We weren't really interested in the cottage.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31As lovely as it is, we saw this place and it just lit us up.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Ben and Lindsay have converted the stables
0:22:34 > 0:22:36into an impressive two-bedroom home
0:22:36 > 0:22:40with a bespoke kitchen and a unique mezzanine level.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42In order to be able to carry out
0:22:42 > 0:22:45this outstanding conversion of the stable block
0:22:45 > 0:22:48they renovated the cottage and sold it off.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49- Fantastic.- Yeah?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I think this is a really nice one, actually.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Let's go and meet them.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I hope this smart financing will convince Keith and June
0:22:57 > 0:23:01they can apply a similar principle to make their dream home affordable.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Come and meet these two clever owners and the dogs.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- This is Keith.- Hi.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12Ben, you've done a lot of the work, helped by the fact you're a very accomplished joiner.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- It's beautiful.- Yeah?
0:23:14 > 0:23:17We are all suitably impressed, guys. It's a terrific job.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20You started with two properties, didn't you?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23We had to buy the two properties.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28This came as an outbuilding to that property next-door. We did that property up.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32We sold that to finance the doing up of this one.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Ben and Lindsay have created a beautiful home
0:23:35 > 0:23:38with every detail finished how they want it.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41I do like my Nigella cupboard which Ben made for me.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44It's good for inspiration.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Like Sylvia earlier, Ben put his day job on hold,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50focusing his carpentry skills on creating their home,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53but it wasn't all plain sailing.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55We did employ builders at one time.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00It was clear to me that they didn't grasp the build very quickly or easily,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03so we got rid of those as soon as we could.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06We had to take the tiles off the roof and start again.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09In November, on my birthday, in a north-easterly,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12we were both up there retiling the roof.
0:24:12 > 0:24:17It seems June's designer eye for detail has got her excited about this place.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It's going to age really well, which is lovely.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24I also found it interesting that you did the other property first.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28We came in this building and we saw the view and this was for us,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31we could vision it straight away... visualise it.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36We bit the bullet. It was more money than we thought we could afford,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40so we got a big mortgage and Ben had to have time off from work
0:24:40 > 0:24:43so we had to finance him not working and working on this.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47A large oak balcony gives them a fantastic outside space
0:24:47 > 0:24:49with beautiful views.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51This is the life, isn't it?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- This works.- This is brilliant.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58When the sun is shining it's great to have a drink here in the evening
0:24:58 > 0:25:00and watch the sun go down over there.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Can we talk about the money? That goes to the heart of whether it's been worth it or not.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09You bought the two together. This building, let's say, was worth about £200,000.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11You've spent £300,000 on it. £500,000 all in.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14We wouldn't sell it for less than £850,000.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18So you're sitting pretty on £350,000.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21That's the effort, I suppose, and six years of no wages.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26As Keith and Jean have seen, it takes passion and dedication
0:25:26 > 0:25:29to take a vacant building from disused to desirable.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32But I hope I've given them the inspiration to go for it.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37Well, guys, here we are at the end of our pretty busy day, I think you will agree.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Have we inspired you or put you off the idea of taking on an empty building?
0:25:41 > 0:25:46You couldn't help but be inspired by Sylvia's place, but be daunted as well.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I'm pretty sure that's way out of our spectrum.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Ben and Lindsay's place is stunning. Perfect. And achievable.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00What were the key things you'll take away from those two properties? Two extreme examples.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Definitely, they both felt passionate about what they were doing.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08The end result was obviously something they want to keep and hold on to.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Now, both of the properties we've seen have cost a lot of money and are going to cost a lot of money.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17Have you taken anything away about the financial implications?
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Ben and Lindsay's opened up a new idea of buying two -
0:26:21 > 0:26:26fixing one up, selling, using that profit to support the other one.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Have we ignited your passion to go forward and find an empty property?
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Absolutely. It's definitely time to start hunting, I think.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- Brilliant, guys. Very best of luck. Let us know how you get on.- We will.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44I learn something new from every renovation I look at.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I've been particularly inspired by Sylvia.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49In that case, fortune will favour the brave.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51But the overriding theme is passion,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55and I'm pretty sure Keith and June will take that away in spades
0:26:55 > 0:27:00and when they find their dream home they're going to set about it with real gusto.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd