Local authority chiefs have been forced into the High Court after accidentally handing over an entire educational facility during a routine property sale.
A three-bedroom former caretaker’s home on Fountain Road in Edgbaston was sold by Birmingham City Council for £395,000, only for officials to realise over a decade later that the transfer included George Dixon Primary School.
Paperwork blunder gave away primary school
The residential property was originally constructed to house the caretaker for the adjacent school. When buyer Sukhjit Bains completed the purchase in 2013, his legal team submitted the wrong contract format.
Council conveyancers approved the transaction without noticing that the deed encompassed the entire primary school site. The historic blunder went completely undetected within municipal records for years.
The council is pursuing the appropriate legal process to rectify the position.
Spokesperson, Birmingham City Council
Silence meets demands for property return
The local authority only uncovered the error when examining historical documentation. Although Mr Bains initially indicated he would surrender the school property, he subsequently ceased all communication with council officers.
Town hall staff mounted repeated attempts to resolve the situation using phone calls, formal letters, and direct visits to business premises. Lawyers for Mr Bains later stated that the land title had been transferred to NH Care Ltd rather than to him personally.
- Purchase price: £395,000
- Transaction year: 2013
- Caretaker house size: Three bedrooms
Legal action launched in London court
Addressing the ongoing dispute, a spokesperson for the local authority said:
“As the matter is currently the subject of ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further. We remain committed to safeguarding public assets and acting in the best interests of residents, pupils and the school community.”
Birmingham City Council has now issued High Court proceedings in London against both NH Care Ltd and mortgage lender Lloyds Bank to recover the public asset.