Riverside has contracted a firm to carry out a loft conversion on a three-bed semi detached house in West Bromwich which is currently occupied by a tenant with five children.

The 50,000-home landlord manages the home on behalf of Sandwell Council and said the conversion is the first of a number of pilots which, if successful, could be rolled out across more homes later this year.

Paul Jones, Riverside Midlands assistant director of operations, said: ‘The council’s view is to look at increasing the capacity of some properties through the conversion of loft spaces into additional bedrooms. 

‘Working in partnership we have identified which properties are suitable for loft conversions and we have committed to cover the capital costs for the first conversion at Wolseley Road.’

Simon Hackett, Sandwell Council’s member for housing said: ‘Overcrowding and under occupancy are serious problems in Sandwell which we are determined to tackle to give people a decent home to live in.

‘This pilot scheme shows the real value of our partnership with Riverside and puts us both in an ideal position to work on other schemes in the future.

‘I have also asked Riverside to look at converting one bedroom bungalows to two bedrooms to free up under occupied family homes elsewhere within the PFI area.’