August 21 2008

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell has pledged £2 million to tackle substandard housing and rogue landlords, saying: "The buck stops with me and I am making that personal commitment."

The money will be invested in three of the worst hit closes in Westmoreland Street, Govanhill.

This follows increasingly graphic reports of the squalid living conditions endured by tenants there.  One family of 20 is said to be subsisting in a two bed cockroach infested flat with no access to hot running water.

A task force will come up with a detailed plan to tackle the problem by next April.  Landlords have already been threatened with compulsory purchase orders, with some 750 properties in the area thought to be below standard.  But legal difficulties are holding this process up.

As an interim measure the council are looking to issue more repair notices forcing essential work to be carried out by landlords, or have the work done by the council.  At their expense.

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