Words by Adam Smith / Pics by Ed King
A group of fed up Erdington residents are fighting plans for an exempt housing property on Yenton Grove after uncovering an historic covenant on the house.
The law currently allows companies to move vulnerable tenants into exempt housing without planning permission and the Erdington ward property has already been converted into six rooms with kitchenettes.
However, residents have uncovered a legal agreement stating the house must be kept as a ‘single dwelling’ property – which if enforced by Birmingham City Council could thwart developer’s plans to turn the property into exempt accommodation worth £399,999 .
Residents have created a WhatsApp group to share information, whilst Erdington Councillors Robert Alden and Gareth Moore are gathering local objections to present to Birmingham City Council.
One Yenton Grove mother, who does not want her family’s name revealed for fear of recriminations, contacted Erdington Local to help publicise the fight from local residents.
She said: “We already have an HMO on our little estate which has changed the character of the place so we are doing everything we can to stop another one or exempt housing.
“The deeds of the property include a covenant that state the house is for a single private dwelling and therefore by law the owner would need to apply for this to be changed.
“As part of that, notice would need to be given to neighbouring residents to enable them to object or support. No notice has been given and no change has been applied for.
“When questioned about the property at the beginning, the owner stated it would be a family home that he would be moving in to. It now has six rooms with ensuites and he has not moved in.”
She added: “There is a school 200 yards from the property. The back gate can be seen from the house. A multi-occupancy property of social housing is high risk with children walking by.
“One man in social housing down the road has had to be moved on due to him filming / taking pictures of the children at the back gate. Six individuals increase the risk of this happening again.”
She added: “The property has been put up for sale, but no notice has been put outside it. The only reason the residents found out was because one of them asked someone who came to view it.”
A petition has been launched by Erdington Councillors Robert Alden and Gareth Moore to put pressure on Birmingham City Council to honour the covenant on the house and prevent an HMO licence being granted.
Cllr Alden said: “There is a covenant on this property which requires it to remain as a single private dwelling, and so potentially could be used to stop the conversion if enforced.
“We have raised this with the Council and have demanded the covenant be enforced urgently and have launched this petition.”
He added: “We know there is speculation drug addicts and ex-offenders could be housed at the property.
“Clearly, we would be very concerned if the landlord intended to house such people at the property, especially given its proximity to Penns Primary School.”
24 Yenton Grove is listed on The Online Property Agency as for sale for £339,999 – the listing claims the property is suitable for an investment opportunity.
The OPA listed said: “Would you like a hands off investment opportunity? This property is let to a social housing provider on a 3 year lease until August 2024 rented for £2400 pcm/ £28,800 p.a.”
No thank you 🙁
It’s quite disgusting and worrying that the homes are allowed especially so near a school. God only knows what misfits could be housed there it doesn’t bear thinking about Poor residents having to put up with these misfits
Keep fighting…..we don’t want it here
These sorts of housing are an epidemic of their own. You want to see the future of Yenton Grove? Just look at the state of the bottom of George Road/Slade Road/Hillaries Road…
These so salled “exempt houses” are owned/rented by landlords that have absolutely no interest in the rehabilitation/Well being of their tenants and far more interest in the near £1000/room they earn from our tax as the tenants will 99% of the time be on benefits and ex offenders/drug addicts/vulnerable.
This CAN NOT be allowed to go ahead. They know that once one pops up, surrounding residents will move out ASAP before their property prices drop/ the anti social behaviour starts/ and the dangers of living around these people arise. Those dangers being:
Drug drops out in the open any time of day/night
Prostitution
Open alcoholism/drug use outside the house
Verbal and physical abuse without provocation
Property damage
Litter (including discarded drug parafernalia eg needles)
Urination and vomiting
The landlords of course live nowhere near the mess they create while raking in their princely sums
The people who have now been placed in this property were dropped off late on Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday morning. All cloak and dagger! The house is now full to capacity. In substantial cramped conditions exempt accommodation is a non commissioned and unregulated type of supported housing. There is no oversight or monitoring once residents are housed. This is disgraceful that vulnerable people are placed like this. Please sign the online petition.