Birmingham Widower's Three-Month Wait for Council Home Upgrade Continues
A Birmingham widower who moved in with a neighbour after the council promised to improve his "inhumane" home is still waiting for work to start three months later. John Marshall has been sleeping on a fold-up bed in his neighbour's dining room since before Christmas, with no construction having begun on his Winson Green bungalow.
Council Shamed Over Property Conditions
Birmingham City Council was shamed over the state of John Marshall's property last November. The authority pledged to upgrade his bungalow, including installing a new bathroom and kitchen, after the pensioner revealed he was living with mould, damp, mice, and rats. His hallway was also due to be widened to create space for his mobility scooter, after previous models were repeatedly stolen from his garden.
"There's no excuse not to start. It's taking the biscuit," John told local media. "They took the keys from me because they said when they started it would be a construction site. They said it was such a big job, they had to do new plumbing and electrics. But all they have done is put a key safe on the wall."
Dispute Over Temporary Accommodation
After an alleged wrangle over whether the council would pay for John to stay in a hotel during the works, his neighbour Bridget Robinson offered him a place to stay. John explained, "They said they could put me into a hotel or something but I would have to pay something towards or all of it. It was going to be somewhere like Hagley Road."
Bridget Robinson, who volunteered to host John, said, "I think it's terrible how they've treated him. He's been here since before Christmas and will be until his bungalow is done. They have taken his keys off him so he can't get in. They keep saying 'no, not yet, we will be starting next week.'"
Belongings Disposed of Due to Lack of Storage
John had to dispose of many of his possessions due to the mould and mice infestation, compounded by having nowhere to store them during the planned makeover. "I had to go to different neighbours to drop my stuff off. I gave a lady £10 to keep my stuff, but a couple of weeks later, she put it in the street," he recounted. "I had to throw some things away like settees, my bed, as I had nowhere to put it. I couldn't bring it down here, there's not enough space."
Council Response and Future Plans
Birmingham City Council stated, "We are sorry for the distress caused to Mr Marshall during this difficult time. The council’s housing team continues to offer support to Mr Marshall throughout this period. He has been offered temporary accommodation at no cost to himself; however, he has chosen to stay with friends."
The council added that the keys to the property are currently held by contractors with John's agreement, and he removed his belongings at the end of January. They emphasised that John was not advised to dispose of any possessions. "With the property now cleared of personal items, we are hoping to begin works this month that will bring the property back to a safe, warm, and habitable standard for Mr Marshall to return to. We remain committed to supporting Mr Marshall as these works progress."
This case highlights ongoing concerns about council housing conditions and renovation delays in Birmingham, affecting vulnerable residents like John, who relies on a mobility scooter for daily mobility.
