Glasgow City Council given new powers to tackle slum housing

Four tenement blocks in Govanhill are to be designated as an Enhanced Enforcement Area

Glasgow City Council has been given more powers to tackle slum housing in the ethnically-diverse Govanhill area.

The Scottish government has allowed the council to designate four tenement blocks as an Enhanced Enforcement Area.

The council said this would give it more scope to tackle rogue landlords and improve standards in rented homes.

The authority has already announced plans to buy out hundreds of privately-owned flats in Govanhill in a bid to improve conditions.

The council said it was the first authority in the country to be granted the new powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014.

One of the main powers under the Enhanced Enforcement Area (EEA) will be a right of entry to rented properties where there have been complaints about the way they are being managed.

'Corrective action'

This will allow council officers to gauge the scale of any problem and initiate enforcement action against the landlord where necessary.

Bailie Liz Cameron, the council's executive member for economic development, said the EEA agreement with the Scottish government would help drive forward improvements in Govanhill.

"The new powers will help us identify the scale of the housing problems being faced by residents," she said.

"Having the right of entry to properties that are the subject of complaints means we can now resolve the issues by taking corrective action.

"We now have far more tools in the box to tackle those who fail to live up to their responsibilities and drag the area down."