Residents of a block of Glasgow flats riddled with mould have staged a protest outside their factor's office – claiming 'lives are being put on the line' by substandard living conditions.
More than 60 people who share a building at the corner of Fairley Street and Copland Road say a broken buzzer entry system has prevented fire and ambulance crews from gaining access during emergencies for over TWO YEARS.
They have also shared photos which show leaks, water ingress and the presence of damp and thick black mould throughout the 76 homes within the building.
@glasgowtimes ♬ original sound - Glasgow Times
Frustrated residents have now called on factor James Gibb Residential Services to deal with the string of problems after medics encountered access issues while trying to reach a diabetic tenant who had collapsed.
More than three-quarters of those living in homes have signed a list of shared demands which has been submitted to the factors, with a demonstration taking place outside their Paisley Road West office on demanding action.
Despite being promised a meeting with bosses, nobody was there to address their concerns as they marched to the premises on Thursday afternoon. Instead, a representative of the firm has promised an audience with senior management next month – further infuriating locals.
Resident Heather Mackintosh is now considering stopping her monthly payment to the factor.
Heather, 58, exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “There are so many issues with the building and people are sick of it.
“There’s water damage and mould that’s particularly problematic on the third floor. I had a heart attack when I was at my partner’s home. I was lucky because if it had been on my own, I might not be here today as nobody could have reached me.
“On another occasion, I woke at 2.30am to find water pouring in from the ceiling and running over the fire alarm. Our homes aren’t safe.
“I’m now at the stage of cancelling my direct debit. I feel our concerns are just being ignored and it is a very serious situation. People shouldn’t be living like this in 2023.”
Nathan Donachie claims people’s well-being is being put on the line.
He said: “If James Gibb doesn’t act fast then they could have blood on their hands.
“The buzzer system for the 76 properties in our building hasn’t worked for several years. It’s not only a massive inconvenience for everyone who lives in the building but it endangers the lives of everyone who lives here.
“During lockdown, my flatmate suffered a medical emergency relating to his diabetes which left him in a very vulnerable state. The ambulance crew couldn’t gain access to the building because of the broken buzzer which meant I had to leave him on his own while I went to the ground floor to let them in.
“The paramedics gave him the help he needed but we don’t know what would have happened if I wasn’t there. It’s a nerve-wracking feeling to know that anyone living in our building might not get the help they need in an emergency.”
READ MORE: Brel in Ashton Lane in Glasgow embroiled in pay row
The Ibrox residents have also joined Living Rent, Scotland’s tenants’ union, as they fight for a resolution.
Research has shown that living with dampness and mould can increase the probability of respiratory and asthma-related illnesses by up to 80%, while water leaks have damaged the belongings of residents and have forced people to be decanted while repairs have taken place. Carpeting in the building’s staircases has also been reported as regularly coming loose and presenting a trip hazard.
As well as staging the protest outside the factors, a banner has been hung from the block to let passing members of the public know of residents’ plight.
Tenant Paula McDowell added: “The mould and dampness in the building is a disgrace.
“There is a patch of mould outside the front door of my flat which stretches to twice the size of my living room. That stuff is toxic and it’s getting breathed in by the people who live here. We also regularly have to put up with leaks pouring into people’s homes because of issues with the building’s roof.
“Despite all of this, James Gibb Residential Services still expect to collect their factoring fee from us every month. We need them to do the proper works and repairs to resolve these issues as soon as possible so that the building we call home can be a healthy environment for everyone staying here.”
READ MORE: 'Parking crisis' at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
A list of demands sent to the factor call for the buzzer system to be brought into working order for all properties in the building; all necessary works to resolve the building’s problems with leaks, water ingress, mould and dampness to be carried out; James Gibb to end the practice of charging debt collection fees to those not responsible for debts and for the firm to reduce the factoring fees to a more affordable sum. Locals have also demanded that repairs are carried out to the stairwells in the building to lessen the risk of falls.
The Glasgow Times understands that David Reid, CEO of James Gibb Residential Services, has agreed to a meeting with Living Rent members ‘before July 8’.
George Lavery, of Living Rent, adds: “We would encourage them to take action to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.”
A spokesperson for James Gibb Residential Services, added: "We fully understand the concerns of the tenants and are sympathetic to the position they find themselves in via the lack of action by the property owners/landlords.
"James Gibb is the property management agent, managing the development for and on behalf of the duty holders/landlords that own the properties and common areas in the development. For years now we have had failed attempts to engage with the duty holders (landlords/property owners) to have them resolve the tenant’s issue.
"It must be understood that the legal system in Scotland and position of a property agent/factor (that do not own the building or are the beneficiaries of asset improvement), imposes on a factor a legal requirement to consult and seek agreement from the landlords of the properties being rented out.
"This is confirmed in the titles of the property and the Property Factors Act 2011. If the property owners do not engage, agree to the work, or physically pay funds, then by law we have no legal authority to instruct the work. In addition, if they do not pay funds, we have no funds available to pay for the work.
"Very recently we have managed to engage with a duty holder/landlord that owns 50% of the properties being rented out. They have admitted their poor communication with James Gibb to date and agreed to assist James Gibb and the tenants to seek the solution we all wish to achieve.
"Hopefully the tenants now realise that the responsible individuals for the development issues are the property owners/landlords/letting companies and note that James Gibb have been attempting to resolve these issues direct with the property owners, who are the duty holders/responsible persons."
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article