A businessman in the UK was accidentally given ownership of an entire elementary school after buying a house, with the mistake going unnoticed for more than a decade.
Sukhjit Bains purchased a three-bedroom house in Birmingham for £395,000 (approximately $530,000) in 2013, only for the local government to discover 11 years later that the sale had also included the neighboring George Dixon Primary School.
School ownership mistake sparks legal battle
The house, located in the English city of Birmingham, was originally built as accommodation for the school’s caretaker before being converted into a family home and later a children’s home.
Bains purchased it through his care provider company, but a paperwork error meant the business also acquired ownership of the school and its grounds.
According to the Daily Mail, both properties were registered under the same land title.
When the buyer’s lawyer prepared the paperwork, they mistakenly used a document that transferred ownership of both the house and the school, rather than just the house. These were subsequently signed off on the sale without the error being spotted.
The mistake went unnoticed until April 12, 2024, when George Dixon Primary School began exploring a change to academy status and the ownership issue came to light.
The council claims Bains initially agreed to return the school but later stopped responding to attempts to contact him and declined to sign the necessary paperwork.
The local authority has since launched High Court proceedings against Bains’ company, which he purchased the home through, in an attempt to reclaim ownership.
Despite the dispute, the school continues to operate.
“The council is pursuing the appropriate legal process to rectify the position,” a Birmingham City Council spokesperson said.
