23/01/2012 Inside Out West Midlands

Welcome to Inside Out. On tonight's programme, when renting goes wrong.

The private landlords refusing to put things right for their tenants.

Looking around, there is something under that unit. It is wrapped

poison. Rat poison? Running out of food, the charity

that offers emergency help to people going hungry in the Midlands.

Are you starting at times? Definitely. -- staffing at times.

Was like really like this? We paid tribute to the Worcestershire

cricketer who helped change the world. He was remarkable because he

played his first season at 65 and Welcome to Worcester where this

week a memorial service will be held for the cricketer Basil

d'Oliveira. We will be telling his story later in the programme. We

would begin with news that complaints about private rented

accommodation in this region have hit an all-time high. It is the job

of local authorities to help put things right but tracing the rogue

landlords is not always easy. During the hard times, there is one

business that keeps growing, that is the private rental market. The

good times are always have a downside. Over the last three years,

the number of complaints against private landlords in the West

Midlands has gone up by more than 25%. Being one of the thousands of

unhappy tenants is not easy. Looking around, there is something

under that unit? It is actually wrapped poison. Rat poison?! That

is obviously really upsetting. With numbers of people renting are set

to rise by 20% in the next five years, things could get a lot worse.

This couple have been having problems since they moved in in

Birmingham which cost them �400 a month. Kelly it is seven months

pregnant. This is the partition which... It has not been finished.

You can see daylight. We do not know what these wires are for.

should not have wires in a bathroom! We have also got damp in

here. Again, the walls is coming awake. All of the skirting is

coming off. The damp is reaching up to the ceiling. It is an

overwhelming feeling of damp that you feel as you walk around. Kelly

is stuck. Although the letting agent has said they can leave if

they are unhappy, she has not got the money for a deposit and first

month's rent on another property. They said they would let us out

early because we have been complaining. They also said in a

letter that it is not ideal for a child. But they know we do not have

the money. You have got a file thick of letters and documents. You

have been really fighting to try and get this sorted. Yes. But you

are still so -- stuck in this damp flat? You will get there. You feel

confident it will happen? It has been a long fight. It is obviously

It is not dustpan ands in Birmingham have been problems. This

man is an environmental health officer in Stoke-on-Trent. Day-in,

day-out, he sorts out problems with private landlords and tenantss.

have a work load about 45 complaints a month. What does not

help at this moment is the financial situation. Everybody is

feeling the pinch. I do not doubt that landlords are in the same

position and maybe it is the fact that they are not living with in

the property, they do not see the need and the problems directly.

They hope that the problem will may be just go away. But with this man

on the job, the problem will not go away. He is taking me to meet some

of his current cases. On the face of it, there does not look too much

wrong. But the landlord has failed What is the problem with it? A few

things. Sockets, holes in walls. No doors. That is quite an interesting

accessory you have on the side of your cooker. What is that about?

I have got no lighting it in here. You have a socket in the middle of

the ceiling? And there are no internal doors, even on the

bathroom. No handrail on the stairs. Under the sink is broken. What kind

of reaction do you get when you ask him to put these things right?

you do not like it, go. You can find somewhere else to live.

that an option? Not really. not? Because I do not want to move

again. I have moved a few times in the past two years. I just want to

stay where I am. As long as he get the jobs done, it would be a nice

house. We could get decorating. Thank you. Good luck. What will

happen with the landlord now? main problem is that we have got a

large paper trail to catch up on. I have got seven addresses. Seven?!

They are all interlinked. It is time-consuming and painstaking work

to try and track down misbehaving landlords. One of his almost long-

running cases is this house. -- one of his long-running cases. I am at

your property at are arranged appointment time. Please give us a

call back as soon as possible. Thank you very much. It turns out

that the tenant has left. Not surprisingly. It is quite a unique

property and that the alterations inside are so dramatic. It is

beginning to look like a rubbish dump. There is no actual division

between living spaces, kitchen or bedrooms. It is all open plan?

Everything is totally open plan. What was he using as a wall? He has

used and the remnants are here. 25 millimetre Installation Board. --

insulation board. His palette is part of his stairs. Part of his

des?! To get the right level on the stairs he has inserted palates in

order to make a different height on the staircase. It is quite unique.

It has all been tied together with string at the back. Extraordinary

does not even begin to cover it. Have you seen anything like this

before? Never. I do not think I will ever see anything like this

every game. Nor do I want to, to be quite honest. At my estimation,

there is probably a bit -- possibility in excess of 30 dozen

pounds of repairs required just to make the house habitable. --

�30,000 of repairs. Cases like this are rare. Over 50% of rented

accommodation meets the regulations for home standards. The majority of

landlords are doing their job. Bob Kelly in Birmingham, the

situation goes on. Her and her car at -- partner have left their flat

with their three-month old girl and a living in temporary accommodation.

How do you feel about way you are now? Can they do and our old house,

this is good for us! It is a lot of better -- compared to our old house.

We have forgotten about all the problems. What about the

possibility of going back? I will not go back. Simple as. What advice

would you give to people who need somewhere to live and are thinking

about renting from a private landlord? What would we say to them

-- what we do say to them? Go and check it out before. Watched that

people do not take advantage. We had no way to go. We signed the

contract. They took advantage of us. Sound advice from one of the 86,000

tents back complaint last year about their rented accommodation.

If you are looking for a place, Like a rooftop over our heads, food

is something that most of us take for granted. An estimated 4 million

people in the UK are living in what as described as food poverty. The

charities that are trying to feed them are struggling to keep up. A

man who runs a soup kitchen in commentary tells us the story. --

in Coventry. Starving Britain, something you

associate with days long gone. of the time it is some noodles a

day. It is sounds too far-fetched in this day and age. There are some

mothers who go without food so that their children can eat. I cannot

believe it. I know it is true and help from charities can only go so

far. That should last someone two Every week you will find me here

feeding the homeless and the hungry. Get in the queue, please. Recently,

the queues have been getting longer. I want to find out why. Now, I'm am

no angel. But I am working overtime on this with Mike charity. We are

not the only ones who are busy. Food banks like this one in

Coventry are inundated. Volunteers are feeding around 150 miles every

week. These people are really desperate -- 150 mouths. Half of

whom we feed our children. Some people would say that they do not

believe that is happening in this modern-day society in this country?

In the city, we know that 20% of the population, about 59,000 people,

are living on the breadline. After paying for fuel, food and

everything else, they have nothing So who are these hidden hungry? I

meet the team-year-old Alisha. Her �53 a week jobseeker's allowance

was stopped 10 days ago because she forgot to bring an essential

document. So tell me a bit about how you are living? Most of the

time, it is a pack of Super noodles the day, which is 17 p. I just pull

them with the cattle. I don't have a cooker or microwave. And are you

getting any help? My mum is looking after my son, so she can't feed me

as well. So not much. What have you got in your cupboards? If we went

into your kitchen now, what have you got in your cupboards? At the

moment, a few pounds and a tub of margarine. -- a few pounds.

militia has got enough to keep her going for three days. She is one of

the lucky ones today. Clare has got five children, and feeding them is

her priority. How bad is it at its worst? At its worst, it could be I

am thinking, what will last until next week when I get paid again. It

could be three or four days until that happens. I have to find things

to put together. That is how it is. Have you ever found yourself having

to go without food yourself so that the family can eat? Yes, on

occasion. It is hard to say that, but yes. Oxfam says one in seven

poor people and the West Midlands regularly go without food to insure

their families can eat. Food prices are 11% higher in real terms than

five years ago. But most benefits will rise by more than 5% from

April, in line with September's inflation figures. The Chancellor

says that will significantly boost incomes of the poorest. I know we

are seeing real desperation here. What really bugs me is that people

are thinking these lot are spongers, or that they don't exist. People

like the former Conservative minister Edwina Currie, who refuses

to believe that there is anyone going hungry in this country. I had

a run-in with her not so long ago on a five live debate about poverty.

People are so desperate that their children eat the food before it

comes out of the packets. I'm sorry, but it can't... It this is real!

Don't get hysterical. But do others except this is happening? Yes, I

believe it. I think it is disgusting that people in this day

engaged should be starving, and families that can't afford to feed

the kids, that is disgusting. told you there were some others who

had to force themselves not to eat in order to give their children

something to eat, would you believe it? I wouldn't think it is

necessary. There is a safety net for them. I am telling you there

are some mothers who go without food so that their children can eat.

I can't believe it. So, some need to see more evidence. I don't have

to look far. Sam's turned up at my soup kitchen with his girlfriend.

He says he has recently become homeless. Are you starting at

times? Definitely. Are you eating a lot less than you are used to?

Definitely. I have a healthy appetite normally, but I'm cutting

down because we haven't got any money. I you're looking for work?

Definitely. I want the job. A daily? If somebody gave you a job

today, would you bite their hand- off for it? Easily. Although leg,

or whatever. Everything I see tells me there are more hungry people out

there. Surely there is someone in charge keeping count. It is quite

hard to be clear about it, to say yes, there are 20% more, or

whatever, and that is because in Britain we don't have irregular

system for monitoring who is going hungry or whether people are living

in food poverty. And Professor Darra is not convinced that the

government is doing enough. My fear is that it gets left to food banks.

I am not against what you do in giving out free food to people who

need it. People are hungry. They need to be fed, of course. But if

that becomes the answer, that is a totally inadequate sticking-plaster

that will not solve the problem. can't believe that there is no

official measure. I want to talk to someone in Government about this,

but it appears that everyone is too busy. So instead, I have got a

statement from Defra. A So, the Government is keeping an

eye on things. But is it going far enough? I think, without charity, a

lot of people would start. After the intervention of the food bank,

and Leisha's cupboards are full. Her jobseeker's allowance has been

reinstated. But she is still living hand to mouth. I would normally

have a lot more food and less snacks. If you could afford to eat,

would that be what you would buy? Definitely not. I would buy a lot

better stuff that would fill me up. What would you prefer to eat?

would rather be able to come good dinner -- Cook a dinner. But I

can't afford to buy all the stuff. The sad case is that there is not

just one of her. There are hundreds and thousands of people living that

sort of existence. That is what it is, an existence. There is no

purpose or meaning to it. They go from day to day, hand to mouth. I

don't know what the answer is, but it is good to a lot more ordinary

people to step into that gap for the meantime. We have to do what we

can. And there has to be hope. So, what do you think? Should

people be more self-reliant? His hunger a reality here in the

Midlands, and if so, why? You can join in the discussion on our

It wasn't that long ago that apartheid was an all too familiar

word. People were kept separate because of the colour of their skin,

unable to use the same shops, buses, homes. But one Worcestershire

critic -- Worcestershire cricketer is credited with helping to change

that. And a memorial service is going to be held at Worcester

Cathedral as a tribute to him. Apartheid South Africa was a

country segregated by race, where the white man ruled supreme. And

for Basil de Oliveira, every aspect of his life was controlled. You are

born in a certain area, and you are told you have got to live there.

You are told where to go. It becomes part of you, and you just

live in that system, so you don't realise, you can't measure it

against anything. But despite being celebrated cricket in the non-white

community, he would never be allowed to play first-class cricket.

Ceri turned his attention to England. -- so he turned his

attention. He began writing to John Arnold, a fierce anti-apartheid

campaigner. He wrote in four years in green ink, saying please, give

me a chance. Arlett made it his mission to give him a chance, a

contract for one season, and the princely sum of �450. But the

timing was terrible. Basil was a newly-wed with a pregnant wife.

Behind every man -- behind every great man, there is a great woman.

She would never have stopped my dad doing anything. If it was to better

the life of our family, he would go with her blessing. Whither the

decision made, Basil left to his pregnant wife in the care of his

family and arrived in London in 1962. From now on, it was his

cricket that would do the talking, not the colour of his skin. After a

slow start at Middleton, Basil's soon proved to be every good --

every bit as good as Arlett had claimed. He was remarkable, because

he came over here, played his first season in 65, and played for

England in 66. Amazing. Basil was overwhelmed to be making his

England debut at Lord's. I stood there and I looked out. I am here.

I have done it. Basil's career was flying. He had successfully

outwitted the apartheid regime. Off the field, he was taken to the

hearts of the British public. He was a celebrated figure in British

culture. He made 100! Did he really? And he was revered around

the world for his performance at the crease. He was a superb player,

constantly striving to be the best. Yet always painfully aware that his

greatest cricketing years had been laid to waste in South Africa.

Basil knew he was a formidable player, but he told me on more than

one occasion, if you think I was good then, you should have seen me

in South Africa. I was a far better player. I was over the hill when I

came to England. That is remarkable. In 1968, he was selected to play in

a Test match against Australia. Success here could be -- could mean

he would be selected for a team to tours have Africa. Basil would go

on to score his highest ever innings in Test cricket. Was there

the greatest innings played under more pressure than that 158 against

Australia? He knew he had to make it happen. He told Naomi, put the

feet up, watch the television, because I will be there all day.

There was no doubt that Basil had done enough to make the team

heading to Sat Africa. But in a move that stunned the nation, Basil

was not selected. When the team was announced, he fell apart. He went

off the field and went home. It was so unfair. Cricketers who played

with him and knew his talent, there was no way we thought that the 16

players should be picked without him. No way. Days later, when a

team-mate pulled out injured, Basil was finally included in the squad.

I don't think the cricketing body made that decision without any

influence. But the South African government refused to accept the

selection of a non-white cricketer on the tour. It is not the team of

the MCC. It is the team of the apartheid Movement. We are not

prepared to receive a team thrust upon us. Refusal by the England

selectors to withdraw basil from the squad resulted in the two are

being cancelled. The committee were informed that the side selected to

represent MCC in South Africa is not acceptable for reasons beyond

the control of the South African Cricket Association. The MCC

committee, therefore, decided unanimously that the tour would not

take place. They just demonstrated, quietly and unobtrusively, what was

so fundamentally wrong with apartheid in cricket. He was a top-

class cricketer playing Test cricket for the country of his

adoption who could not play for the country of his birth. Yet the MCC

went on to invite South Africa to tour England in 1970, sparking

public outrage and the formation of Peter Hain's stop the 70 to a

campaign. Because he was a cricketer, and because he was just

a cricketer from the beginning to the end, he crossed boundaries that

the anti- apartheid campaign could never do. He reached writer out

into middle opinion in Britain. Basil de Oliveira found himself at

the centre of international political storm, but he refused

himself -- refused to be drawn on the subject, remaining entirely

focused on cricket. It involves you in many ways, you have questions

fired at you the she cannot answer, as much as you would like to. I

would rather just continue playing for Worcestershire. But Basil was

privately supportive of the movement in his name. I think it

spurred him on, and it gave him another thing to strive for. If I

do well in my cricket, everyone in sad Africa can see. South Africa

was banned from international cricket, and that ban spread around

the world, including all sports from rugby to the Olympics. The

next time that England and South Africa would meet on the pitch was

in 1994, and South Africa was a nation on its way to equality. And

Basil? He played 44 Test matches for England, and later joined the

coaching staff at Worcestershire, overseeing the most successful

That's all we've got for you this week. We will be back again next

Monday at 7:30pm. On next week's show: We investigate the illegal

alcohol being sold on a street near you. Also in the programme, digging

through the Cotswolds - the volunteers trying to restore a