Birmingham City Council blamed man for botched kerb - that its bungling workers had installed

[dutchman]

Ron Humphries, from Castle Vale, has now received apology after seven-year legal wrangle



A householder accused of installing a botched dropped kerb illegally has received an apology from the council – because they carried out the work themselves.

The news ends a seven-year wrangle over the small piece of footpath outside Ron Humphries’ property in Alwold Road, Weoley Castle.

And last week, Birmingham City Council contractors carried out repairs to the kerb they wrongly insisted Ron had created without permission.

Ron, a supermarket maintenance worker, paid £1,450, but was unhappy with the result.

“The tarmac had been raised into a bump, a little hill,” he says. “I had to angle the car to get it on the drive, otherwise the sills would scrape against it.”

Eighteen months ago, council contractors, in the street to carry out similar work on a neighbour’s property, spotted the raised area and voiced concern.

“I put a complaint in and sent pictures,” he explains. “Back in October, I had an email agreeing to do the repairs and I was told it would be done within six months.”

The response was a letter informing him that HE had carried out the job illegally – and would be billed for the work.

“My neighbour’s kerb cost £2,000,” he said, “so we were talking about a substantial sum. I was livid, I had lots of proof. They accused me of doing it myself.

“I’m not that stupid. I knew if I did it and someone tripped and fell, I’d have been liable.”

The stand-off is now over. Ron says he was not contacted about last week’s repairs and has had no assurances he won’t be charged.