The Great British Property Scandal campaign kicks off on Channel 4 (VIDEO)
The UK is in the middle of a housing crisis and this December Channel 4 will air a season of special programmes to investigate why and demonstrate possible solutions.
Almost two million British families are currently on the waiting lists for social housing, and thousands live in unsuitable temporary accommodation or are struggling with soaring rent payments. Cutbacks and the recession also mean that homelessness has become a very real threat to thousands across the whole social spectrum who are increasingly struggling to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, one million properties lie empty across the UK – 350,000 of these for over 6 months – even though many cost huge amounts to keep secure – a bill often footed by taxpayers. In some areas whole streets of houses stand deserted, damaging the local community as well as local businesses. In others, empty stranded houses are a blight on the local landscape attracting vermin and depressing surrounding property prices further.
For The Great British Property Scandal season, Channel 4 will investigate some of the complex and varied issues that have contributed to the housing crisis and speak to some of the people affected by it. Fronted by some of Channel 4′s best known property faces, each passionate about their own area of expertise, the programmes aim to raise awareness and showcase some possible solutions.
Dispatches: Landlords from Hell
Monday 5th December, 8.30pm, Channel 4
As homelessness figures rise and the Housing Minister calls upon local councils to tackle the problem by forging closer links with private landlords, Jon Snow returns to investigate for Dispatches the reality of life for families who turn to the authorities when they find themselves without a roof over their heads – and end up being left at the mercy of private landlords.
The Great British Property Scandal
Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th December, 9pm, Channel 4
George Clarke is on a crusade to tackle Britain’s housing crisis. Nearly two million British families don’t have adequate housing, and yet one million homes lie empty across the country. Appalled at this senseless waste, George will be examining the underlying causes and investigate possible ways to bring these properties back into use. He will lobby the government and local councils to support him in his campaign to make a real dent into the number of long term empty properties, and show the public how they can get more involved and change their community for the better.
Phil’s Empty Homes Giveaway
Wednesday 7th December, 9pm, Channel 4
In the current economic downturn, the UK’s “squeezed middle” is finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Homelessness is no longer something that only happens to other people – some experts say that many find themselves only 3 steps removed from ending up without a roof over their head: those who lose their job and separate from their partners can come perilously close and it often only takes one more thing to go wrong – such as getting ill – and they end up on the street. In this programme, Phil will meet some of those who have ended up on the streets, and will help them find a roof over their head and the opportunity to get their lives back.
Kevin’s Grand Design
Thursday 8th and Thursday 15th December, 8pm, Channel 4
Having spent over a decade observing other people build their dream homes, Kevin McCloud has embarked on his very own Grand Design. Britain does need to build more homes as part of a way of overcoming the housing crisis, but Kevin passionately believes we need to do it better. It has taken him five long years to bring his own project to fruition and this two part series follows Kevin as he embarks on his dream to build beautiful, affordable, environmentally sound and community-friendly social housing that people actually want to live in.
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At last somebody with some common sense…houses built a thousand times better than anything built today, beautiful old houses that I’m sure could be brought back into their habitable former glory for people who need decent housing!!!
Well done channel 4, shame the leaders cant see what to do!
Lets hope someone sits up and takes notice after this. What a country we live in!
Dont give up keep pushing to get those houses bought back to life and giving children a safe, secure, permanent home to enable them to live normal lives. You get my support !!! Good luck xx
Well done Channel 4, this sort of programme is long overdue, finally a voice for the people.
Great idea. Keep up the good work.
Thank goodness for George Clarke, for the vision and common sense that our governments,alas, have long lost. This is the best idea to house our homeless in well built homes that just need some renovation instead of leaving these homes empty for years and years. Wake up Britain! Too much bureaucracy and too little vision is crippling you.
Finally somebody is doing something about the disgusting state of housing in this country! Lets hope its not too long before something is actually done. Good Luck and well done!
It’s about time some had the bullocks to stand up to the Council and the private lenders. Well done Channel 4 let’s hope we get a positive reaction with this campaign.
Permission has been granted by the government for builders to build on green belt, in gardens,small villages etc whilst solid well built houses in towns (where housing needs are at a premium) are just left empty. This is a disgrace and particularly when the government keeps telling us we are desperate for housing so thousands more homes must be built.
Let’s hope this television programme shames them into providing funds to renovate these abandoned houses.
It truely is scandalous at the waste and decline the local councils and government allow in this country. They have no qualms about the way in which poeple are forced to live. Well done Channel 4/George Clarke for publicising this matter and here’s hoping that they will finally see some sense and regenerate those houses that can be saved for the benefit of the public, not just because of the Olympics!!
This is fantastic…lets hope that all the Councils take on board this wonderful campaign.Well done Channnel 4 every one is behind you in saving these lovely houses.
Brilliant. Well done George Clarke and Channel 4. Let’s see results!
At last someone with common sense who can see a way to help solve the homeless problem. Ever thought of becoming a policitian George?!!!!
Well done George and Channel 4 – let’s hope the powers that be sit up and take notice. I look forward to Phil’s programme too.
Could someone please explain to me why our Government spend billions of pounds on Foreign Aid to countries who indulge themselves in making nuclear bombs or entering the Space Age, when they have so many of the people in our country homeless with so much of our residential properties empty and neglected?
It is so great that this programme is happening. I would also like to see a rental cap on private properties. No one should be homeless in this country unless they choose it themselves. What else can we do to further this cause?
Young people do want to live in victorian terraced properties. My son has just bought one in Cardiff. The Liverpool Councillor was talking rubbish. Makes a nonsense of new government planning policies too. If these houses were brought back into the housing market there would be plenty of work for building firms, job opportunities for young people to learn a skill, and no need to build on green belt land.Keep up the pressure & shame government and local authorities into doing something about this.
Let’s hope politicians stand up and see the light. Such a simple solution but they just don’t seem to be able to see it. New builds just don’t cut it when there are so many lovely well built houses that can be cheaply refurbished for needy people.
At last, a programme highlighting the endless housing scandal. In the 70′s I worked with Shelter to campaign and raise awareness about homelessness. So what’s different ? NOTHING! Except, all those fought-for-changes to rent laws and squatters rights have ever since been eroded by govt after govt. Now we have a situation where rents are higher than mortgages (thanks to greedy estate agents who pump up the prices, just as they did with house sales prices!! Hello!!) … And a government who say they would build new houses … who for? Not for the most needy and vulnerable but for those in middle bracket earnings. It isn’t good enough. This campaign should work very very hard to bring the message home to this government. By the time this government is done there will be more homeless singles and families than ever before in our lifetimes. Open up these empty homes. Make it a top priority … and do it NOW.
What a great programme – come on Channel 4, talk about insensitive programming to follow it with ‘Million pound drop’ hosted by a ‘celebrity’ and pandering to the very thing that the scandal programme was aimed at overcoming.!!!!!!!!!!!
Just caught the end of the programe…
I am currently living in private accommodation with my partner and our 2 and half year old son.
Our home has just been sold and we are struggling to pay rent and have gone to the council for help.
They have given us advice but until we are homeless they can’t help us because we only scored 5 points and to be in a crisis we need to be scoring 200 points as well as homeless .
Surely this is a joke and councils are aware of this increasingly growing problem in the UK.
The situation is totally scandelous and those people who are responsible should be utterly ashamed of themselves. The comments from those above says it all really!
Great programme, it’s about time someone tackled government and local councils about this issue. Young people are priced out of the housing market and I know personally people who long to find a home of their own but cannot raise the deposit.
There is another programme to be made about the chargers estate agents levey each time a property is let.
Mel
at last someone actually doing something about this scandel…. why not give the empty properties to people rent free for a year and they renovate them themselves!!! stop property developers making money out of people in need.give young people some hopes for their future. Please continue with this campaign.
Congratulations to George Clarke and his team for raising public awareness with such a compelling balance of passion and common sense. Just a pity the programmes weren’t broadcast to the nation earlier – Kirklees Council (Huddersfield)agreed on 23 November to build over 22,000 new homes, 1500 of which on Green Belt land, as part of the Local Development Plan. We have between 3600 and 11000 empty homes in Kirklees depending on how you define “empty”. Every council in England should be made to watch George Clarke’s programmes, and then justify in writing to the incredulous, tax-paying public why the councils aren’t doing more to bring the “empties” back into the housing stock. Hats off to you, George, for tackling the situation head on – backing you all the way!
there is thousands of people with the appropiate experiance needed for this project currently signing on. maybe they would come forward to work if the DSS could top up their benifit to a capped level allowing them to regain their self esteem by doing something worthwhile and productive for their fellow man and not for some money grabbing industry or business reducing them to slave labour.
I call upon the good hearted kindness of those in need to help those in need. YOU CAN DO IT. Together WE can do it.
Lets put the goverments to shame and work for our right to be.
THANK YOU..Great programme..you are to property what Jamie is to school dinners
Keep up the good work ” the squeeky wheel always get the oil”
I agree with every single comment above. Its a disgrace and it breaks my heart and to make it worse i am one of them. I have 2 children and am living with my partnner with his parents. Due to health issues his mother has had to make us homeless just to try and get us extra points on the council waiting list.The guttting thing is there are 2 empty houses just round the corner. It really is terrible. Officially i will be homeless on thursday with a 9 month old baby and a 9 year old who is at school and all the council say is so are a lot of families you will just have to wait 33 working days before we make a decission on wether we can help you or not. So itsgreat to see somebody is finally speaking out! Well done channel 4.
disgusting! could not believe it,good luck george and channel four.
At last some one is stating the bleeding obvious.
Why don’t we start a bank for housing investment that pays depositors more than the poxy interest rates available in high street banks? I’ll put something in. Who’s up for it?
Fantastic show, well done George.
Lets get these empty homes back into local family use.
There is nothing more depressing than seeing empty property, homes or factories, when there is such demand.
Money isn’t always the main reason, most councils just don’t seem to care about progress.As you found out all they want to do is make excuses and go to endless meetings, passing the buck from one department to another.
Deprived areas can become thriving areas once again
thank god again some-one with ambitions and common sense I can’t imagine the struggle this guy is going to take on but its a fight of good will determination against any council up and down the UK I have been on a housing association list for over seven years I gave up a two bed flat in Mansfield When I first moved there it was great the flat was in reasonable condition but after a few months I began to see changes but the
worst thing that happened was when I went to empty my bin which I brought down stairs took it to the wheelie bin out side to find used empty syringes from addicts that had moved in after me so I can under stand why someone would give up there tenacity (I wish I could write more
Excellent programme. Well done channel 4
hI JUST WATCHED THE SHOW i APPLAUD YOU i LIVE IN WATERLOO LIVERPOOL IN RENTED PROPERTY PAYING OVER THE ODDS I HAVE JUST SIGNED FOR A COUNCIL HOME TODAY. I WOULD WILLINGLY HAVE RENTED AN EMPTY PROPERTY AN DONE THE WORK MYSELF I WISH YOU LOOK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN.
Its about time that someone is willing to tackle this property scandal. I know that the Housing Association that owns my home, have already proved that homes that were shut up by the Council for over 10 years have been given a new lease of life. They took the internal walls back to brick and started fresh. These homes are now being used.
Hopefully those with the power to change this economic madness of wasted resources will see and take on board your message.
I have seen this waste taking place over many years, and when I questioned the perpetrators of the waste it became obvious that there was more opportunity to make money with demolishing and rebuild, a strongly motivating outcome.
Excellent programme, let’s hope they can do for empty properties what Jamie Oliver did for School Dinners. It’s outrageous the amount of empty properties and desperate people with nowhere to live. Get signing that petition folks !!
NICE ONE CHANNEL 4 ABOUT TIME SOME BODY DID SOMETHING ABOUT THE DISGRACE WHAT IS KNOWN AS BRITAINS PROPERTY SCAM WHERE PEOPLE DO REPORT EMPTY PROPERTY BUT LOCAL AUTHORITY DO NAFF ALL ABOUT THEM, I MYSELF HAVE REPORTED PROPERTYS IN MY AREA WHICH ARE IN A POOR STATE OF REPAIR OVER TEHE PAST 7 YEARS AND TO DATE ONLY A FEW HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH SO GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CAMPAIGN
Money lent to this cause would be well spent – help the homeless, improve desolate areas, save the Government money in the extortionate rents being paid out. Help those who want to help themselves. This should improve the economy at the end of the day.
What about also raising money for this cause by launching a new lottery ticket specifically for these low cost loans.
It can happen – it will also show the world we really can help ourselves. Local trades people will get more work. Children will not be brought up in happier healthier homes. I cannot see anything against it.
Well done Channel 4 and all those involved in this brilliant, common sense idea.
Thank God somebody has seen the light!! Why does it take a TV channel to recognise what no government is willing/refusing to see. They are all too ready to help those abroad to make themselves look good than to see the plight of their own country men first. Regretfully this country is no longer the great power it once was and CANNOT afford to bail out other countries before seeing to its own. I am a single mum too and all it would take for me to lose all would be to fall ill. You have my complete backing. What can we all do to help?
Great program. It was excellent to FINALLY see a property program that didn’t involve people with a 750k budget for a second home!
It seems madness that the government wants to allow developers to build on green belt land – a finite resource – when we have all these empty houses. Thing is, building on green belt land will give a greater profit for the developers, from the middle income earners green belt housing will attract.
This government just doesn’t seem interested in genuine ‘affordable housing’, and the slum rental properties the average low income earner has been forced into by successive governments; or those who have been out priced of the market alltogether by the artificial property boom that is STILL yet to burst. The buy to let madness has led us to scary slum housing, worryingly similar to a the Victorian era.
Fix up these empty properties and either sell them off at an affordable price to genuine low income earners – have this means tested – and DO NOT sell to profiteers. OR, make them genuinely affordable rentals on LONG TERM leases to low income earners!!! This will help build stable communities of people who take pride in their area.
Does anyone know where I can sign up to join the campaign online
Great start to really important stuff. What about letting those with dosh invest in doing up a property and then give them first rents to pay back plus a bit over as interests/incentive. (better than banks at present)I would willingly do this.
Great thought!Great programme!Excellent proposal-all we need is 100,000 signatures for a debate in Parliament-no more worthy cause,
Iain and Rosemary Law
what a brilliant programme unbelivable how many good houses with a bit of tlc will make someone a home
This excellent programme exposes the government’s phony excuses for demolishing our planning protections on the pretext that it is land-shortage which produces homelessness.
The present & increasing desperation of people unable to find decent homes where they can conduct a dignified life is a situation engineered by governments which allow the agenda to be dictated by the big contractors and the banks. In some cases they are part & parcel of that cabal, seeking to saddle us all with unaffordable debts.
I agree with all the comments and am very keen to sign a petition to make the Government debate what is an awful scandal, Is there one?
this is a brilliant idea .i live in blackpool in private rented housing but there are thousands of empty houses and flats spotted all over blackpool ,with a massive number of people needing housing .this is the best solution by far so why dont councils get involved ?they will c a difference in there communioties which is something alot of areas dont seem 2 have .good luck
Totally agree with your philosophy. Willing to help as a property lawyer. Its a disgrace.
Agree with everything-get the joiners-electricians-plumbers -plasters-painters off the unemployed and back to work and so cut down expenses -stop paying over the odds rent to money grabing landlords from the tax payers money-give the Brits a descent home at a decent rent
does it apply to people trying to find a home in cardiff hope so!! well done channel 4
Well done Laddie. Keep up the good work.Will there be a petition to sign ??
As a member of our Local Tenants Committee, I agree whole heartedly with George’s campaign, and as for the government to allow the right to buy, is scandalous, these bought council houses are never replaced, therefore leaving the council with less stock to rent out!!
Keep up the good work George, you definitely have my support
fantastic its about time this sort of thing happend , i do hope george and the other presenters can get through to the government what needs to be done, i’m backing them all the way.
Well done Channel 4. It’s about time something was done with these boarded up houses. I live in Gosport in Hampshire and we have many many ex service homes boarded up and left to go to ruin. These houses don’t need much doing up for them to be habitable. My daughter would love one of these houses, instead she is in a tiny top floor flat with her husband and small baby with no chance of getting on the property ladder. Who is paying the bill for these houses to be kept secure? What is happening in this country that we can leave so many houses empty when there is such a shortage for homes for people in need. It makes my blood boil, talk about wasting the tax payers money!!
well done for bringing this to everyones sight all things are possible if you don’t give up or give in.
just watching the show and can`t believe the figures i`m hearing about, well done to channel 4 and all involed in getting the message out there ! keep shouting ! !
At last someone is doing something about empty houses. Why use up green belt by building new homes that those who need them simply cannot afford, when we have enough empty properties to house those who desperately need them. Don’t let the Government wriggle out of this one!!
Repairing these house would give work to all those out of work. Pay people to repair which takes them off the dole, which would save money. Giving jobs to people means they pay taxes, spend money on goods, ITS A WIN, WIN FOR EVERYONE AND THE COUNTRY. If some of these house are too small, join two together.
If they hadn’t sold off the council house stock we wouldn’t have the waiting lists we’ve got. Those whole empty, boarded up streets are a shame and a disgrace. No wonder there’s a lack of pride in so many communities and in some ares no real community at all. Good work Chanel 4.
i live in bury lancs we have lots of houses empty were the council could use for familys to live in witch were used for imigrants
Great programme this could help thousands of people get on the property ladder, keep up the good work, and the pressure on the council’s, and government.
what would we do without good TV programs?
Great programme,just hope government/councils wake up, show the same passion as yourselves & look further than the ends of their noses.
It is amazing that it takes a TV programme to bring to light the shortsightedness and inability of Government to address what is obvious and right in front of them. How come the Labour Government ran out of money, when Dear Gordon gave away almost £300 Billion before he lost the election?!! Well done Channel 4 and especially George to highlight this issue. Maybe something will now start happening.
There are rows of solid,empty houses in Burnley,Lancs.. If they are too small, then knock some of them together to make a mixed sized housing stock for a mixed community. Knock the yards and backs together and gate them to make safer individual areas or a communal garden and play space. Parking and bin areas could be accommodated in space provided by previous demolition. Thank you.
my son paul ohanians have two kids that canot see them becuse his home less, he lost his mum in the age of six and had many problems. he been on druges since the age of 16 but he is a good kid in the past three years he has soprt himself out he is clean and got himself a job wants to do a plumbing cours unfoutunatly he had and accedent and his spine was damaged he need help to get a roof over his head so he can help himself. please help
orod ohanians
Brilliant show channel 4, A very worthy cause indeed. Well done and good luck.
Great programme channel 4. So pleased to see you have Phil Spencer on board!!!
Lets hope this is the start of “Something Big”
Its about time the government and local councils get together on this cause ~ they know it makes sence!!
Well done Channel 4 and George Clark for bringing this issue to the fore. Keep up the good work and the pressure on the Government. Who knows they may actually wake up and get their act together and do what needs to be done with all these empty properties. Wouldn’t that make a nice change?
At last someone is bringing this crisis into the sitting rooms of our nation and raising public awareness. Let’s hope and pray that something happens to end this scandal as a result. Well done channel 4.
We should also look at the equity share houses as well , as people can’t get the mortgages for them so they sit empty. There has been 12 new ones built this yr in Portree on Skye and only 3 have been sold and the rest stand empty and getting damp and cold and the association can’t rent them to people on the housing list as they have to be sold. What a waste of houses
Brilliant programme channel 4.
It is criminal that all these houses are standing empty
& going to ruin when there is such a housing shortage.
It’s about time this government pulled their fingers
out & did something about it.