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A homeless family of eight have been compelled to live in two separate addresses after they claim Birmingham City Council couldn’t find big enough suitable temporary accommodation for them all.

Rebecca Fenner, 33, her husband Yassin Amrani, 38, and their six children (aged 15, 12, nine, seven, and twin boys, both just one-year-olds) were forced to move into properties that straddle the busy A45 (Coventry Road) in Yardley, after being made homeless by a private landlord in June. 

The mum of six has also bid on other council properties but urged the local authority to reunite her family, as Ms Fenner is living on one side of the road with four of her children, and her husband is on the other, in a second property. 

Their two eldest daughters are sometimes forced to sleep alone in the house when their father has to work.

Both Ms Fenner and Mr Amrani currently have one-bedroom homes and have to share the kitchen space with other families.

They also claim they were never informed they would be living separately. 

Their living situation has proved especially difficult for their children, one of whom is suspected of having autism, and another is studying for GCSE exams, among noisy and cramped conditions.

Ms Fenner, 33, recounted to BirminghamLive: “I’ve been homeless now for four months now, and I have six children. We had to leave the property after my landlord came back from Egypt. My nine-year-old son is on the way to being diagnosed with autism.

“We spent two nights in Tamworth and then went to Maypole for 28 days. But as my son was banging the floor, banging the walls, screaming, having meltdowns – they didn’t extend our stay.

“Eventually, they put me on Coventry Road. But when they moved us, we were never told my family would be separated.

“We arrived, and the manager said they didn’t have two rooms together, so they said there was one room here and one across the road. It’s a very busy dual-carriageway.

“It means I’m on one side, and my husband and two eldest daughters are on the other. The problem is my husband works and has to go to work, so it means they are left by themselves.

“My support worker knows about this and has raised it, but no one at the council is taking any notice. I’ve sent 50 emails, and no one has come back to me. My son made a hole in the wall because of his anger.

“What do I do? I’m being ignored. I’m asking to be put in something which is self-contained. I hope we can move as soon as possible.”

Ms Fenner’s room comprises a double bed and a bunk bed, without room for cots, whereas Mr Amrani is across the road with a double bed and two singles. 

While they were initially offered an attic room, Ms Fenner felt she had to turn it down, stating: “How can I go in an attic which two toddlers who have just started walking and children who could open a door and fall down the stairs?

“My son said, ‘I’m not going to that prison’. It’s not nice my child is expressing it like this. He’s lashing out at me and biting me. He’s quite a big, and I’m struggling to control him.

“He hasn’t been diagnosed with autism yet as there’s a massive backlog in the NHS (from the pandemic). I’m also ringing the council every day, but no one is helping us. It’s an awful situation. I can’t handle it anymore, and neither can my husband.

“They can’t leave us like this. I waited and I’ve been patient (to find alternative housing), but nothing is happening. This environment is not suitable for my son (with suspected autism).”

A spokesperson for the City Council also told BirminghamLive: “Like all councils dealing with a national housing crisis, we would prefer not to have to place homeless people in temporary accommodation. 

“We have offered this family alternative accommodation, including rooms within the same building in their current accommodation as well as rooms in a purpose-built homeless centre. However, they have refused both offers.

“We will continue to look for more suitable accommodation for this household and will ensure that they are contacted by one of our outreach team who can provide support and advice regarding housing options, including renting in the private sector.

“However, Birmingham has a high demand on our waiting list and all offers of permanent accommodation will be made in line with our housing allocation policy.”

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