Tenants’ union in continuing battle with housing association over long term solution after tenant fled flat
AFTER MAKING AN UNSCHEDULED DROP-IN at Glasgow West Housing Association and picketing the office, the tenants’ union Living Rent was able to secure an agreement of immediate repairs to a property which had been infested with mice.
The tenant, Linda Sutherland, has been fighting the housing association over the issue for 18 months, with a number of small repairs taking place which have failed to eliminate the problem.
Sutherland, who lives with her young son, reports that she left the flat during the night last Sunday after she awoke to find mice on her bed. Living Rent has called for the fumigation of the building to address the issue permanently.
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Living Rent spokesperson Craig Paterson said: “Today we have secured another victory for tenants with immediate repairs to the property to seal up the mouse holes and make the property habitable for Linda and her young son.
“This has been one of the worst infestations of vermin we have seen and the fact that the issue has been going on for 18 months now is beyond a joke.
“Our next step will be to put pressure on Glasgow West Housing Association and Glasgow City Council to carry out works to eradicate the infestation throughout the whole building.”
Living Rent met with representatives of the housing association today and was able to secure a short-term solution for the tenant. The tenants’ union put forward the case that the tenant should be provided with temporary accommodation, describing the flat as a “health hazard”, but they were told that the situation did not meet the grounds for such a requirement.
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Tenant Linda Sutherland said: “I have been raising this issue for 18 months with no progress. Over the last week the traps I have bought myself have caught eight mice alone – the whole building is infested.
“Last Sunday I had to flee my flat in the middle of the night as I woke up to find mice crawling over my bed and on the bedside table next to my son’s head.
“I am afraid to live in the property and myself and my young son have health issue that are only being inflamed by disease infested mice running all over my flat day and night.”
Glasgow West Housing Association did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Pictures courtesy of Living Rent
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