Scott Alexander and wife Katie are appealing a council decision after they were refused a transfer to his late mother’s home in Sutton Coldfield after her death in May
A father has been refused permission to relocate his family to his late mother’s council house where he was raised.
Scott Alexander, 53, hopes to exchange his three-bedroom property in Erdington for the address with an identical number of bedrooms in Falcon Lodge, Sutton Coldfield.
However, Birmingham City Council has rejected the application, which followed his mother Mary Alexander’s death in May after 55 years at the residence.
The authority stated the family, comprising five children and wife Katie, had “no overriding priority given the very limited stock” of municipal housing.
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Scott is challenging the ruling with a nine-point appeal, declaring: “We are desperate for help to get out.”
He explained it would constitute a “straight swap” of two properties and his family’s existing home suffered from damp and mould problems which were impacting his children’s wellbeing. Scott added he also wished to escape crime rates in Erdington, reported Birmingham Live.
The father, who cared for his mother at the residence during her illness, commented: “We have endured a lot of issues over the past few years, and all we want to do is move to my mothers house and start afresh.
“All we want is to swap from one house to the other.”
He revealed his son had fallen victim to a knifepoint robbery and his children were frightened to play in the neighbourhood due to bullies. Another son battles severe medical conditions and had accidents struggling to reach their downstairs toilet, he explained.
Scott revealed that a HMO opposite their house was “very difficult at times” due to the associated crimes it brought, such as drugs and anti-social behaviour.
He further explained: “Although we live in a three bed and want to move to another three bed, my mum’s is much bigger and can accommodate our needs.
“My youngest son has had a kidney transplant and struggles to get to the toilet at night when in bed, as our toilet is downstairs and he sometimes doesn’t quite make it.
“He has spent most of his life in intensive care or on a medical ward, trying to recover. We have memories at my mother’s house, I was born and brought up in the house and still have friends there.
“My mother’s house is located in a much more pleasant environment, and my children feel safer having already made lots of friends there, and they wish this to continue.”
However, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson stated that the legal criteria for succession had “not been met.”
The spokesperson added: “We understand and deeply empathise with the family’s situation and the emotional connection they have to the property, which has been part of their lives for over five decades.
“Council homes often carry significant personal and generational meaning, and we do not take these matters lightly.
“However, in this case, the legal criteria for succession have not been met. These rules exist to ensure fairness and consistency in the allocation of council housing, which is a vital and limited resource for many families across our city. We have around 25,000 people on the housing register in Birmingham waiting for a home.
“We remain committed to supporting the family and are happy to discuss their situation with them. We appreciate how difficult the last few weeks will have been following the death of their mother.”
