When Elsie Tanner moved to Torquay to start a new life with Ron Mather in November 1979, she put 11 Coronation Street on the market and left the house in the hands of Suzie Birchall. Well aware that finding somewhere new to live would prove extremely difficult, Suzie instead put her efforts into putting off potential buyers from being interested in the house. Mrs. Hindle and Mrs. Lacey were two such people, the first being told that the house had problems with the foundations while the latter was dissuaded from purchasing when Suzie slyly provoked a row with an unwitting Hilda Ogden - her potential new neighbour.
Paul Haines, the estate agent, followed up some of the people who had lost interest in the sale and, after a warning phone call, paid a visit to the house and made it clear that he knew that he knew what Suzie was up to when he heard of the various comments, which also included damp wood and infestation. He also informed Elsie in Torquay who then rang Suzie and told her she had until the end of the week to get out of the house.
- Paul Haines was played by David Fleeshman, husband of Sue Jenkins (who played Gloria Todd from 1985 to 1988) and father of Richard Fleeshman (who played Craig Harris from 2002 to 2006).