Dodgy landlords in Govanhill have been barred following a council investigation

One landlord had his application to be named on the register refused after it emerged he had been convicted of sexual offences.

Three other individuals had their landlord registration revoked after being found no longer fit to be landlords due to a range of property-related issues. In two of these cases, a failure to satisfy the terms of Govanhill’s Enhanced Enforcement Area led to the decision to revoke registration.

This means all four individuals may face prosecution and a fine of up to £50,000 if they attempt to let their property in future.

The decisions followed complaints to the committee from the council’s Landlord Registration Unit.

A previous meeting of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee in November last year led to six Govanhill landlords being removed from the Landlord Register or having an application to be registered refused.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are very pleased that the work of the Landlord Registration Unit has been endorsed by the Licensing Committee.

“Our team is determined to ensure that those people on the Landlord Register are fit to be landlords. Whenever there is evidence that a landlord is no longer a suitable person to rent out property or they fail to manage their property appropriately, we will always seek to take action against them.

“Govanhill has been an area of the city where particular problems with landlords have been identified. The additional powers available to us through Govanhill’s Enhanced Enforcement Area are helping us to improve housing standards in the area.”

The four landlords affected by the decisions of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee were: Muhammed Anwar, Akhtar Ali, Ashiq Mohammed and Shabnam Sattar.

The committee heard that Muhammed Anwar had been convicted and jailed for six years for three offences in relation to child sexual abuse. Despite being in prison, Mr Anwar had applied for his landlord registration to be renewed. His application was refused.

In the case of Akhtar Ali, the committee was told that concerns about his property management had arisen following a fire at one of his properties in Glenapp Street, Glasgow, which led to two people being taken to hospital.

A subsequent of inspection of properties on Prince Edward Street, Garturk Street and Hickman Street all revealed that the gas and electricity meters had been by-passed and that the flats had no smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, among other issues. The by-passed electricity meters meant the properties no longer met the Tolerable Standard for rented property. Mr Ali was found to be no longer a fit and proper person to be registered as a landlord.

Ashiq Mohammed and Shabnam Sattar were both found no longer fit and proper to be registered as landlords after failing to produce the documentation required of landlords who operate property within Govanhill’s Enhanced Enforcement Area.

The documentation they failed to produce included an enhanced criminal record certificate, up-to-date buildings insurance policies, acknowledgements from tenants that Tenant Information Packs had been provided, energy performance certificates and gas safety certificates.