Glasgow council spending £326,000 repairing privately-owned Southside tenement

The owners are either refusing or unable to carry out the work themselves at 318 Langside Road – so the local authority has now stepped in.

What’s wrong with the building?

The tenement’s windows on the ground floor are boarded up, its garden is strewn with rubbish and it requires a huge amount of building work.

The property’s sandstone, render, roof coverings and close stairs need to be replaced or repaired. Drainage work and timber rot and dampness treatment must also be undertaken among other measures.

The council plans to recoup the costs, either from the owners directly or from the eventual sale of the building.

Why is the council paying?

Councillor Ken Andrew, SNP, asked why the council was undertaking tenement repairs when it no longer owns housing stock.

The issue was discussed at the contracts and property committee last week, and it is unclear whether there are people living in the building.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Andrew said the council occasionally has to step in “before there is serious damage to the fabric of a building” and the intervention protects properties.

Commenting on the expense to the council Councillor James Scanlon, Labour, asked: “How will the council get paid when the works is done if the people can’t afford it just now? How are they going to afford it when the work is done?”

An official told the meeting that if the money isn’t repaid the council will be able to reclaim back costs plus interest when the property goes to sale.

The official said: “The aim is to bring this tenement which is in serious disrepair up to an appropriate standard.”

He continued: “It is safe to say the council will get its money back but it may take a bit of time. But the longer the repayment charge stays on the property interest accrues. Interest can get considerable if someone leaves it outstanding for any length of time.”

The council said it is “dealing with the substantial disrepair at this property under Section 30 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.

“Owners of the property, have been either unwilling or unable to take forward these repairs themselves, resulting in the intervention of Glasgow City Council as the local authority, under the powers granted by the aforementioned act.”