I'm sorry but 2 decades & no one checked or did an inspection? Seriously? That just shows that that council was lazy. It's no surprise that these councils get conned.

@TheMangoMussolini

2 жыл бұрын

I'm confused as to what her motive was... she wasn't subletting, so she wasn't making any money from it. Was it simply a kitty shelter? Just weird. And not tumbling to the fact that it was basically empty for 19 YEARS is even more astounding.

@janebrown3587

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMangoMussolini Man, I'd have some respect for her scamming the council (not really, scamming not good!), if she HAD been using it as a kitty shelter and taking care of them. Tragically, that wasn't the case, those poor animals trapped in that hellhole being tortured for their entire lives. She should be housed free of charge IN JAIL.

@TheMangoMussolini

Жыл бұрын

@@janebrown3587 Agree completely, Jane. Maybe I like animals more than I like humans, but her atrocious conduct causing untold misery for those poor kitties is enough in my book to throw her overboard.

@lj3482

Жыл бұрын

Totally crazy. Absolutely scandalous! Shame on her!

@xtilliexx

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMangoMussolini I’m

The only thing this series has highlighted, is not people's deceptivness, but council housings total ineptness! How could houses not be checked or inspected for 20 years! Even private rented houses were we are have 6 weekly inspections.

@lygiabird6988

Жыл бұрын

Agreed! Absolutely insane

@mllee2008

Жыл бұрын

Come on now...yes it does show council laziness but it also ABSOLUTELY shows scheming, dishonest renters as well!

@resnonverba137

Жыл бұрын

@@mllee2008 Not if you listen to the council, only if you listen to reason.

WoW, that young family made that place looking like a little palace! So proud of them….Congrats on getting that nasty place and turning around and making it beautiful for your children! People can look at you both as an inspiration and an example….Greetings from Canada🙏🏼🍀👋🏼🇨🇦

19 years with a once a week visit. Shame on the council yes but shame on the NEIGHBOURS! They knew it was abandoned and that there were animals in there but they would rather a quiet/gone neighbour than a potential louder family. Were they not concerned about rotting walls and mould spreading?? Dilapidation spreads. Plus that garden was an eyesore. Yes, the council has a responsibility but so do neighbours. This is why people die alone in their homes and get found 5 years later, people don't care about neighbours/neighbourhoods anymore.

This council seem to be unbelievably dim from top to bottom. They talk about this disgraceful situation that was allowed to go on for nearly 20 years as if it's a reflection of the type of tenants they have. What it actually reveals is how unbelievably inept they are. Procedures need to change straight away and heads need to roll. This cannot be repeated in any shape or form.

@AstrosElectronicsLab

Жыл бұрын

Bottom 🤣

@resnonverba137

Жыл бұрын

@@AstrosElectronicsLab Yes. Probably more familiar to you when followed by, 'of the class'. 🙂

@AstrosElectronicsLab

Жыл бұрын

@@resnonverba137 lol, sorry. Just being silly.

@resnonverba137

Жыл бұрын

@@AstrosElectronicsLab Likewise 🙂

@miriam2909

10 ай бұрын

So proud of that last beautiful family. Their attitude is commendable and they’ve made their little house gorgeous! ❤

Amy and her partner have made a lovely home from that neglected house!

19 years of empty property. Wtf! Council pick up your game and regulary check your properties. This is shameful. People out there are living on streets because of this and not because there isn’t enough housing! And seems like councils should be doing much more checks than they are doing before offering housing.

@lj3482

Жыл бұрын

Shameful Council! 19 years is obscene!

Every privately rented property is checked every 6 months by the agent managing it, who the hell is running the council properties, obviously a regular check on the tenants would stop all this!! What an absolute joke, a system wide open for abuse!!!!!

The cat lady got away with a tiny slap on the wrist. 4 months prison and she likely served about 6 weeks.

@nickycotton6137

Жыл бұрын

Aye, utter disgrace!😳 (Probs played the 'Mental Health cardS')

Somebody is not doing their job if a council house can remain dormant for 19 years. Yikes!!!

Enjoyed this episode as it included a case where the fraud didn;t go on too long and the unawful sub-tenant quickly left and enabled you to get property back on the market

The parents who fixed up thier home at the end is such a blessing to see

@fionagregory9376

2 жыл бұрын

Their*

@ArtsyStudios

2 жыл бұрын

@@fionagregory9376 grow up

@christophery8927

Жыл бұрын

I thought housing is for those who are poor? Looks like they had money to make it look amazing!

@Polmaise1

4 ай бұрын

@@christophery8927I don’t know how it works in England but in Scotland every adult in Scotland (over16) is entitled to a council house if they do not own land - it would be illegal to house people based on their income, race or sex here, but from what I’ve Read it may be different down south

Are there not annual inspections to ensure taxpayer property is up to codes and taken care of properly?

Jesus Christ, 19 years?!? I still think, that the council should do a suprise walk throughs once a year, to make sure that the tenants are still there and keeping the property in liveable, same with y'all and your benefit money's too, just like here in the USA, they have to reapply every 6 months to a year for food stamps and if you get housing, they come do a walk through once a year, to check and make sure the house isn't falling apart and stuff like that

@elseabe6561

2 жыл бұрын

That’s a far too sensible suggestion for us English folk

@karynpate800

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree

@julie.1081

2 жыл бұрын

Lynn Leigha - I don't think they could do that w/o someone spouting off that the council people were being racist or bigots or some other damn thing! It doesn't seem to matter anymore. All one needs to do is play the race card & gov't agencies roll over & apologize.

@blueneptune825

Жыл бұрын

There are over two million council houses in Britain and funds undergo deeper and deeper cuts on a regular basis.

@paulbuck7356

Жыл бұрын

Surprise visits should be every other month. When we had homes for rent it was written in the lease and by signing it they absolutely knew it was going to happen. Yes we understand that not everyone is a spotless housekeeper but filth was not going to be tolerated and we will have you evicted

I don’t understand why that crazy cat lady would just leave the home without the cats it doesn’t make sense

@deezildee4556

2 жыл бұрын

I hope she goes to prison for cruelty to animals & not just fraud 🤬🤬🤬

Thanks for these episodes much appreciated ❤️

Makes it tough for the genuine needy in our community cheers Stevo 🍀🍀🍀🍀

I waited 3 days for the council to repair a leak that flooded my kitchen. I had 2 dogs. They remained at my house, in the living room and hallway. I came round 3 times a day to feed, water and walk them. Someone (possibly from the local authority) reported my house as abandoned... Housing officer and rspca on my doorstep to check! No problem, look at my pets, I love them. The cat house makes me sick! How can it have been left like that for so long with no abandonment reports?!

@julie.1081

Жыл бұрын

3 days & someone called to say your house was abandoned? Sounds like you have busy-body in your neighborhood with an eye on your place to move someone else in. Glad your furbabies weren't taken away. That would be heartbreaking.

The story starting at 3:20 seems to be that the sub-letting tenants actually did know the original tenant was supposed to have had lived there and not sub-lett. 5:05 comes the story in which the people that opened the door said they were “friends” of the original tenant and was just “visiting”. Also, his mail was still arriving there…. There is no way the sun-letters did not know what they were doing was fraudulent. Also, they didn’t answer the door 3 times and then on the fourth visit they claimed they were victims…. I’m not sure… seems suspect

She was kidding right, she has a lawyer. And how much money did she have to pay back

4 months of rent nonpayment? And nobody contacted the tenant? Kind of explains why the bloke could live there rent free after the tenant died.

@borderlord

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly,must be a very inefficient Housing Association...I get a call if I'm more than a week behind with rent!

Why don't the Councils perform routine inspections like any privately let property?

@brucemackinnon6707

Жыл бұрын

Looks like its not their personal assets so they don't really care.

Thank you for a new episode

What bothers me is that these social housing fraudsters are walking out of court with a slap on the wrist.

I'm not from the UK, if someone sublets illegally does the council help the subtenant find accommodation if they were truly unaware of the situation

@mranonymous7214

2 жыл бұрын

No they just give the sub tenants time to find alternative accommodation

@sarahcraver6513

2 жыл бұрын

@@mranonymous7214 ok, I just know from watching that if you are found to be "intentionally homeless" they won't help you

This is why they should bring squatting laws back. When I was younger I lived in several squats in southeast, southwest and west London many of which were neglected unused council spaces and the deal was that when you entered peacefully kept the place in good nick and paid the bills you could stay until said property was needed. I would not have been able to complete university as even in the eighties rent was expensive in London had a court not ruled that we could stay until university was finished as the flat was not being used until then so they could not just kick us out without fair and just notice. Plus, if a property was maintained by squatters for 10 years it could be acquired and used as a housing coop / association. There were many housing assosciations and coops too and now hardly any . The Greed of the real estate industry and the American ueber-capitalism in the UK has and still is destroying our communities and must be stopped !!!

19 years uninhabited, just shows the incompetence of the local council, ridiculous!

The fundamental problem is one of too many people chasing too few homes. With high net immigration now running at 10% of the population each decade, the housing crisis can only get worse.

It’s just embarrassing that they’re trying to put a positive spin on the end of these fiascos. How are they not too ashamed to show their faces??

I'm curious to know how an Italian citizen got council housing over a British citizen? I'm guessing this would not happen if the situation was reversed. Also why are local councils not carrying out regular inspections on taxpayer funded properties.

@oilliecelt

2 жыл бұрын

She is from Marocco or from somewhere around, loubna hamidouch is not an Italian name.

@therealistafrican6567

2 жыл бұрын

There must be a rule that British born take priority over and above everyone else

@fionagregory9376

2 жыл бұрын

@@therealistafrican6567 I wish that was the case.

@granty6125

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I totally agree with you and put a comment up about it as well,it’s a bit rude going over the top of your own Country Man,shouldn’t happen!

@Foxbandicoot9

Жыл бұрын

Neither nationality nor skin colour are relevant to housing need. You need to prove you have the right to live and work here to be granted benefits such as housing. Then it is prioritised by need, and within that, by how long you’ve been waiting. Obviously fraud happens within any system and needs to be continually combatted.

Mrs. Hammadouche.....says it all! No wonder there aren't enough homes when they're giving them to foreigners with properties already. Imagine being sat next to her in drs waiting room and hearing the nurse shout " MRS HAMMADOUCHE" I think everyone would fall off their chairs laughing

The irony of people being paid tens of thousands of dollars a year to profit off the housing needs of other's, while they talk about how amoral it is to profit off other's needs...

@davidb9806

Жыл бұрын

The council workers?

Wait, so you can be employed and partnered and still be entitled to a council house? In Australia, public housing is only for those on a pension (disability, single parents, unemployed etc). If you get a job, they increase your rent to that of the private market.

@Mcfads999

11 ай бұрын

We have people on low wages who qualify for Universal Credit to top up their income Or, some people are still claiming housing benefit - which is being phased out Working people are often not able to afford private landlords It's just a hell of a mess The working poor Look at working and homeless on here , real eye opener Hope things are better in Australia x

@jessam4875

11 ай бұрын

@@Mcfads999 unfortunately it’s no better here. My husband and I pay $2275 AU (or $1168 GBP) each month to rent our house. People are struggling. The banks keep increasing interest rates and in turn landlords increase the rent. I had our 4th baby a year ago and have had to return to work 1 day a week to cover the higher rent. Luckily I can work on a Saturday while hubby is home to watch the children so we don’t have to pay for childcare. I was sending our 2 year old to nursery 2 days a week for socialisation but have had to pull her out because our food bills have gone up 15% this year.

I don't know why some evil people want to hold on to a property they don't need, whether it's being selfish or greed i really don't know. But here's a good idea i just come up with. If they are refusing to own up to owning a secret property somewhere else, then just take it away from them, seize it! until they crack. You will see they will crack and say "yes i do own that property, it's mine"

Same old story taken to court got a slap on the wrist. Should of got a massive fine

This is a joke, the council should do an annual gas check and every 5 yrs they should do an electric check, this is law so why is it not checked?????

It's wonderful that the young family is living in the home and are working so hard on it. Should be mandatory for people to work in some way to help cover the cost for the help they have been given. I wish that we could do it in the States instead of sitting on their back side. The City can have people picking up trash on the side of the road, do anything. Sad that I knew a family that everyone was on welfare for generations but was perfectly able to work

It’s disgusting how greedy people are all over the world! We have these low lives in the United States. I was renting out a house and the tenant sublet the house to another family for $500 more than rent I was charging him. I charged him less rent because he made himself seem very poor and I felt sorry for him and his family. I later found out that he “owned” several properties around town. He was pulling this scam on six other properties! Unfortunately he got away with it!

Suspended sentence, I am sad, of course investigators have to keep their job, but I think even more than enough things to do if decreasing misuse because of social housing. Crimes must be punished (severely).

How in the hell does someone not live in a property for 20 yrs and council housing does not know this? This is pure laziness on there part. The people that were in charge of these homes from Council Housing need to be held accountable as well. This is bull shit and ignorance.

The evidence was clear that Council staff failed to do their work😮. The whole team should also be held accountable.

So a home empty for nearly 20 years? Who was paying the rent. The cat lady?

three week curfew! pms laughing

They dont do anything to the people that do this.

Where I live it's no one's duty but your own to find housing for you

Mrs. Hammaduche sounds like a made up name😂

What’s the point of having counsel housing if the counsel doesn’t do their jobs. They are so pleased to help people they don’t check the agencies directly to verify the documents aren’t fake before giving them the keys.

What I can’t really understand is the fact that the Council’s are even giving houses to foreigners before they give them to their own people,locals,that need housing in such sort after areas,just not on really,that’s taking some sort of racism for foreigners to far,especially that cat house and it took the council 20 years to catch on,that’s not very good for the locals!

@xTerminatorAndy

2 жыл бұрын

they don't. there are waiting list and there are priorities. The more children in the family the more priority generally speaking

@granty6125

Жыл бұрын

@@xTerminatorAndy so that’s why you get people that are unemployed from eastern block countries that are in the EU coming over with all their family from grandma down to the grand kids coming over and walking straight into a house that’s better living conditions than where they’re from and hoping for a job because they don’t have one when they arrive and they’re the ones taking away housing from home British families isn’t it?,I think,personally if they fine tune Brexit it’ll be a lot fairer to the original local people,plus I watched one program where this family was doing just that and saving enough from benefits to send British money back home to build a flash new house in his home country,there should be a law against that or something to discourage or at least not to allow them to do that,that’s really taking the piss out of the generosity of the British taxpayer!.

@alishaamber5

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. In my council house I live in we have an autistic 16 year old sharing a room with an 11 year old, and a 17 year old but it's not seen as necessary to move. Really aggravates me. The room is tiny.

@granty6125

Жыл бұрын

@@alishaamber5 yeah that’s the type of thing I’m getting at,it would be hard for them to even look after themselves let alone share a place with others!,but I don’t give out free keys to people who probably need more care or even hygiene!.

I am sorry, but being fully aware of how expensive the cost of the living is in London, why do these people continue to have children which they are unable to house without the help from the government ?

Clueless human here, what does a 6 month in jail time with one year suspended mean? Does that mean she initially got sentenced for 18 months but was freed after serving 6 months? Also, what’s the point of a curfew?

@teainortakoy

Жыл бұрын

I had to look it up "A suspended sentence is a custodial sentence given by the court that is then ‘suspended’ or ‘delayed’ for a certain period of time. This means that the person convicted does not need to attend prison straightaway, but that during the period of their suspension (which can be anywhere from 14 days to 2 years) they will be subject to conditions which, if breached, will mean that they are taken to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence" A curfew is usually given to younger people, for example teenagers who cause trouble so the curfew means they have to be in between certain times which lowers the risk of offending.

@hopeliveshere1121

Жыл бұрын

@@teainortakoy thank you so much.

I’ll never understand people who continue to have children when they can’t even afford rent. You should be able to cover the basics before you bring children into the world.

@jogermaine8600

Жыл бұрын

You’re clearly not English and have not a clue what the fucking housing situation is in London. Being able to afford children has nothing to do with being able to afford the astronomical rents that are pricing the middle class out of anywhere they can have a career. I also suspect, given your lack of education, that you are fewer that 3 paycheques (or one spouse leaving you) away from homelessness, you condescending twat. Sit down, Trump trash.

Are Council Houses FREE? Seriously, a 3 bedroom HOUSE with a generous yard with no one living there and being used as an animal torture chamber for 19 years... how does this happen? If the homes are not free, how much was that thing paying every month for 19 years?

@davidb9806

Жыл бұрын

Not free, usually about 50% of private rent rates.

@janebrown3587

Жыл бұрын

@@davidb9806 Thank you. Still, paying money to keep a pet torture house. It just freaks me out that someone would do this to not only humans who GENUINELY need the housing, but the torture of the animals having to live in that condition without even the comfort of a loving human being for company. :/. Bad people.

@Felicity2121

9 ай бұрын

@@janebrown3587the only time a council is “free” is if a person is claiming full benefits, then the rent will be paid for them.

Morocco/Italy/England. Come one come all.

Govt housing in USA is wonderful and helps many low income workers

@cdrone4066

Жыл бұрын

No it’s not, government is a slumlord, look at NYCHA housing. I’m a landlord would never rent to section 8, would take less rent from a tenant I can do a credit check on.

@MeowZer_ing

Жыл бұрын

No. The more each state is willingly to pay out for section 8 means everyone else who pay their own rent have it raised to meet or exceed it.

Seriously? If you cannot tell the difference between an Italian name and an Arab one then the Lord help us all ! North African on the fiddle in Italy and getting no help in Italy, the woman thought theat England would be a fine place to fiddle. " Cela est déjà vu n'est-ce pas" !!

For people in the UK... why is a weekend or nightly curfew part of the legal penalties? I understand having people pay fines or do jail time... but curfew? What does that accomplish?

@teainortakoy

Жыл бұрын

Curfews are normally handed out to teenagers/young adults so for example if a teenager is known for hanging out with the wrong crowd and causing trouble late at night, then they would have a curfew to keep them in at times that they are most likely to cause commit offences.

@Gingerrrrsnapps

Жыл бұрын

They have all sorts of crazy things, they can even prevent you from having visitors and the cops walk around handing out fliers in the neighborhood to notify members to report on each other. If they cant check a house in 19 years what makes you think they are making sure curfews are met? I doubt they get ankle bracelets.

19 years? Nothing surprises me with Sandwell Council! However why are they reluctant to say that Friar Park is in the town of Wednesbury? Yes it's in the Borough of Sandwell & boarders Walsall, but why not say it's in Wednesbury? In a previous episode they mentioned the town of Smethwick (which is a really rough area to live), but why not Wednesbury? The mind boggles Lol 😆

@Felicity2121

9 ай бұрын

My late mother and siblings were born in smethwick and back in the 30’s-50’s parts were a very affluent area. I have not been in years but I know it’s gone downhill.

How many public tenants have high incomes now but continue to rent public housing because its cheaper?

Council are slacking

I wonder why people commit fraud, when the penalty for scamming £20k, you get a nine month suspended sentence and not allowed to go out for 12 weekends :-)

We really need to bring back some fairness to social housing. At the moment it would be more accurate to call it a single mother/immigrant housing as they seem to be the only people who get offered homes. Records show that only approx 13% of the UK population is from an ethnic background. If this is so, why are they so over represented when it comes to social housing? They are very clever at bypassing our regulations by claiming to have children and are homeless at Heathrow. All too often they have big houses where they came from and the kids are borrowed. We then have the problem of councils employing many of these immigrants when they have no right to work here. Again sloppy background checks by councils. Many of these immigrants see their jobs as a way to make money from the British taxpayer by selling rent books, putting friend's and familat the top of housing lists and even the Right to Buy scheme. What needs to be done is to take away their priority. Both single mothers and the immigrant. If you haven't lived lawfully in the UK and paid taxes via working, then you are ineligible for social housing. Some for single mothers, having babies does not guarantee you a home. This will have the added bonus of teenage girls becoming mothers. Defund the single mother¬¬¬

they should pay back all monies they have saved with interest this will make other have second thoughts

I find it funny 😂that they call those flats swanky in a Brent UK 🇬🇧! In Australia we would call those slums 😊

@racheal2036

7 ай бұрын

I think they called it swanky because it is in London.

Some people are selfish 😒

@oddvegan9797

Жыл бұрын

Well, almost every person I know are willing to pay for torture to satisfy their tastebuds, and support and defend the torture. I agree with you. A lot of people are selfish.

@lee6023

Жыл бұрын

@@oddvegan9797 you need new friends then

Plus a minimum custodial sentence of 5 whole years, for money fines can be tailored to the criminal, in this case Lambert and curfews are easily accepted. The criminal is still free and it is that more than any of the other 'punishments' that would deter criminals from being involved in the greed of fraud against the taxpayer. It is the court costs and the admin costs that need to be taken into consideration when fines are issued and the fact that many use benefits to pay off the fines and find other ways of getting money. The only way to 'punish and deter', which is what justice is supposed to do is to take away the liberty of the criminals and a 5 year whole sentence at the minimum would make some think 'I am not going to risk losing 5 years of freedom' How much would some be willing to risk for making more money by sub-letting I think there are so many cases of sub-letting and more being added, that this ridiculously soft justice system of ours should be overhauled beyond belief, so that criminals across the board think twice about the power of a more retributive system being used against them. No wonder so many want to come to the UK, they know how soft all our systems are. I am sure there are some major criminals who came here just to 'rip off' our systems and they are getting away with it all. Between them and the government the taxpayer is the victim every time. The cost of keeping criminals in prison would be offset by the benefits saved and the crimes they would possibly commit. Standard, no frill prisons with no privileges, would be economically cheap to run, it the right criminals are targeted.

@cathy7861

Жыл бұрын

I totally agree. Canada is the same. It's time our judicial system was overhauled and the sentences made stricter. My parents told me of a jail in Arizona that its system should be copied in our so called modern countries. The inmates are given a bologna sandwich for lunch, bowl of cereal for breakfast, and a more substantial meal at dinner. The jail is self-sustaining. They grow all their own vegetables and fruit. Raise cows, pigs, and goats. There are things like a library, a computer room, and a huge room with nice furniture and TVs. In order to be able to use these things the inmates have to earn the privilege. They work in the gardens or with the animals or maintain the grounds. Some actually go out and pick up garbage along the highways. Inside they do laundry, cleaning, or working in the kitchen. The end result of all this is no one has ever come back for a second "visit". A win-win situation all round.

I can't believe how many people live in social housing. I expect the same thing may happen in the US soon. Housing prices have priced out middle income

Loubna Hamidouch hardly sounds Italian.

@TheMangoMussolini

2 жыл бұрын

You're joking, right? You think all Brits have surnames like Jones, Smith, Carpenter, Green? All Italians have surnames like Lugo, Russo, Ricci, Colombo?

@folklorestuff1743

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMangoMussolini Of course not. Read my comment. So tell me then, is Loubna Hamidouch Italian?

@TheMangoMussolini

2 жыл бұрын

@@folklorestuff1743 You mean the NAME doesn't sound Italian? Kinda Captain Obvious. It's Moroccan.

Quick enough to give housing and benefits to the boat people that keep coming to the U.K in their droves, and yet people that were born and bred here have to wait years for accommodation.

@chickenlittle5095

Жыл бұрын

Same in Australia….

@angelawoodlief7242

Жыл бұрын

Same in the USA.

this woman isnt meant to do this show......

That's the trouble with this country. They house foreigners quickly. And leave Brits in temp accommodation. And quite often it turns out that these foreigners are home owners abroad. Soft touch Britain has had a reputation abroad for years.

Their no better hear

@Felicity2121

9 ай бұрын

Do you mean..There no better here? Also where is here?

Abuse is rife, look at the Grenfell situation

Can’t watch this series any m ore

I thank goodness I do not live in London or USA.

@ArtsyStudios

2 жыл бұрын

You correct other people and their grammar, yet look at yours. You clown 🤣🤣🤣

@ArtsyStudios

2 жыл бұрын

I thank goodness?? You might want to take out the "I" and then put "the" before USA. You joker 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Was she paying rent for those 19 years? If not, why wasn’t it picked up on?

This show is starting to get repetitive and boring with stories about tenants abusing the system after the fact. Not at the time.

Weekend curview what a laugh. Should be banned for life from social housing and repay it all back.

Why are UK kitchens so ugly?

@sebastianmorell2012

Жыл бұрын

What you see here, is one, specific type of houses shown ...

Poor cats, 2 decade is long time, sad case.The woman is not Italian, neither european is typical Morroco name , why they do not research first before giving a flat she is not EU neither .

This presenter is thick as mince

@lynneanthony168

Жыл бұрын

and annoying af