A Labour councillor in Birmingham, who has publicly campaigned against poorly managed exempt accommodation, has been found to own a property operating as that exact type of controversial housing.
A Councillor Proving Hard to Reach
Residents in Hall Green North ward have grown increasingly frustrated with their Labour representative, Councillor Akhlaq Ahmed, citing an inability to contact him and his absence from council meetings. An investigation by The Dispatch in December sought to locate him, checking his advertised monthly advice surgery at Tyseley Community Centre and a terraced house in Tyseley owned by his wife, Tehseen Ahmed.
On both occasions, he was not present. The community centre manager confirmed Ahmed had not held a surgery there for five months, while the house was occupied by tenants who had never heard of the Ahmed family.
The Property: A Supported Exempt HMO
The investigation has now uncovered that the property on Allcroft Road is a supported exempt accommodation House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). This is a sector where landlords can charge rents significantly above the standard housing benefit cap, funded by public money, and which has been widely criticised for exploitation, particularly in Birmingham.
This discovery stands in stark contrast to Councillor Ahmed's public stance. On 2 December, he presented a petition to Birmingham City Council urging them to reject an application to turn a family home on Sarehole Road into a supported exempt HMO. He told the council chamber that such housing damages neighbourhood character and makes life harder for families.
Links to a Scrutinised Management Firm
Further scrutiny reveals that the Allcroft Road property is managed by Dawson Housing. This company was established in 2024 by Amer Ijaz, the former CEO of Reliance Housing, one of Birmingham's largest supported accommodation providers.
Reliance faced intense scrutiny during Ijaz's tenure, was sanctioned by the housing ombudsman, and was criticised in Parliament by local MP Shabana Mahmood for "utterly outrageous behaviour". The Ahmeds are now using Ijaz's new firm to manage their Hall Green North property.
While Councillor Ahmed has declared to the council that his wife receives rental income from the property, it is unclear if he disclosed its status as supported exempt accommodation to the Labour Party during his candidate selection. Labour requires applicants to reveal any connections to this sector.
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