Healthy homes for all

[Leanne Ratcliffe, Housing Enforcement Officer, Bolton Council]

Leanne: Hi, I'm Leanne, I'm a Housing Standards Enforcement Officer and we're here in Bolton to talk about the importance of good quality housing.

Our role is to go out to properties that are in the private rented sector and the complaint usually comes from a tenant who is experiencing housing disrepair.

One of the main issues is damp and mould. We deal with cockroaches, bed bugs rat infestations no heating or hot water provision.

It goes way more about fixing the house. These people, it should be their place of solace. They should be able to go into their home and feel safe.

The Good Landlord Charter is really, really important as it is looking to improve standards within the private rented sector.

There are good landlords out there and it's all about having an accreditation in place where they can be part of and show that they are a good landlord within the borough.

[Leigh, Wigan]

[Adetoun Olubori, Wigan tenant]

Adetoun: When I moved into the house, the house was okay. But fast forward to six months. I started noticing damp coming up. My daughter started feeling sick. She was very in a bad shape. They had to take her to A&E.

I challenged the landlord. He wouldn't do anything. There was no way he was taking accountability for it. It caused me a lot of anxiety.

Wigan Council came out and listened to me. My voice was heard. So they took us out of the property and took us straight in temporary accommodation for now.

Having a house in a conducive and healthy environment is a relief to me. I know that I'm not alone in this battle.

[Chris Norris, Director of Policy, National Residential Landlords Association]

Chris: What's different about the Good Landlord Charter in Manchester is that it is trying to focus on the good. I think far too often when we get involved with local schemes or initiatives, they are completely understandably, really focused on enforcement.

And what we saw here is that balance really. You know, it wants to allow local authorities to enforce against the bad, against the criminals, but also to highlight the work that's being done by good landlords in the social and the private sector. And it's something we'd love to see replicated across the country.

Leanne: So there you go, the Good Landlord Charter, raising standards for rented properties across Greater Manchester.

[Together we are Greater Manchester]

[Toby, Resident, Sale West]

Toby: I had a couple of difficult years. I ended up becoming homeless.

Through the help of the homeless support, I ended up getting into supported accommodation.

And I was there for a year, and then this golden goose showed up out of nowhere. And I've been here now two years this December.

I have knee and nerve damage. My mobility is probably not going to get better as I get older.

As someone with a lot of anxiety, I have stress induced psychosis and I have recently been officially diagnosed with autism.

So, it's been a godsend this flat. The stability that brings is phenomenal.

[Sasha Deepwell, Chief Executive, Irwell Valley Homes]

Sasha: So, we believe that everyone deserves a good quality home and that's what Irwell Valley is determined to provide here.

Sale West regeneration has been really focused on meeting diverse needs of all the community.

Anything you build at social housing has a massive demand, but we think it's really important to make sure that that demand reaches all parts of the community.

In Phase Two, we made sure that 40% of the homes built were readily adaptable for people's physical needs.

There's level access, turning circles for moving around in a wheelchair, wider doorways, lower light switches.

Now in Phase Three, we've got truly affordable net zero homes, which is really the crème de la crème in terms of sustainability.

We've also been investing in the existing homes on the estate. We've invested around five million so far and there's a plan for future investment.

[Ralph Rudden, Chair, Our Sale West]

Ralph: My family have been in this area for 50 odd years. This was a thriving estate. It was a slow decline from being the jewel in the crown to being described in the local press as "the crime-ridden Racecourse Estate."

The catalyst for everything that has happened to improve the estate was 25 years ago when Irwell Valley bought the estate from the council.

That has been a continuous rolling programme over the last 25 years.

We've now got the next stage of the regeneration programme. We've got three phases to be complete.

I speak to residents that were in last year's phase that are now in fantastic eco-efficient housing, and they love it. And they are now part of our estate.

Toby: I don't have to be in survival mode any more, which means I can put that energy back into my friends, my family, my community, which is awesome.

[Together we are Greater Manchester]

[Denise Peel, Local Resident]

Denise: I'm born and bred in Farnworth, still live here, went to school here, worked here.

It was a lovely town to grow up in. Everybody knew everybody. Personally, I think Farnworth people are salt of the earth.

I started working in 1978 in the Garrick Salon. I worked there until 1982 when Pat retired, and I bought the salon off her.

In those days, the clients came in on a regular basis, they all knew each other - just a happy community.

We live a faster pace of life than perhaps we did in the early '80s, '90s. Once the supermarkets arrived, people changed the shopping habits, and then one by one, you saw the smaller shops close.

I don't think you want to come down to a street that doesn't look nice and there are no shops on.

There's a massive difference with all the regeneration of the Green. It looks great, especially on a sunny day like this.

[Jack, Farnworth Green resident]

Jack: We were looking and was on the market for either rented or buying. We started crunching the numbers of what it would actually cost to own and live independently.

You're either getting a renovation project and you then need a lot more money to get it modern and like this.

Or you rent and you rent within budget where everything's been done and fresh for you.

We found Capital & Centric's new build which was here in Farnworth.

It's very homely. There's a massive sense of community here.

So, all you have to do now is pop on the roof terrace and there are a few friends up there and people go and sit together.

There are a lot of pets here. There are children here. And we've built up our favourite food places, where we can go on a little stroll to get out the apartment.

[Kane Coleman, Manager, The Coffee House]

Kane: The regeneration around here has been fantastic. I've been the manager of The Coffee House for about three years now.

There are more jobs opening in the area for people, so everyone seems to be overwhelmingly positive about it.

We've got new businesses opening in the area. So hopefully, all that will bring everyone together. This should become like an epicentre of community.

Denise: I think as a community, we deserve something good. And to see something nice like Farnworth Green - I feel very positive about it, and I know a lot of other people do. And just to see it so busy, it's great. Really, really good.

[Together we are Greater Manchester]