A man has told of rats and mice in a hotel used to accommodate homeless people in Glasgow.

The man in his 30s said the hotel was “nasty” and said the curfew times imposed make it difficult to maintain family relationships.

He told the Glasgow Times he is also unable to work while in the hotel as he couldn’t afford the charges he would incur.

The Glasgow Times, with Govan Law Centre, is campaigning to End the Homeless Hotel Shame.

(Image: newsquest)

We are calling for the hotels, if they must be used to meet demand, to be brought up to an acceptable standard and for the council to carry out a regular inspection regime.

READ NEXT: Glasgow Times new campaign: End the Homeless Hotel Shame

READ NEXT: My story from New York fashion scene to Glasgow Homeless hotel

The campaign asks for the Scottish Government to ensure the city has enough social housing and the UK Government to compensate the city properly for the number of refuges and asylum seekers who end up homeless.

The dad of one, said he ended up homeless after trying to rent a flat privately but was unable to get anything affordable and is hoping to secure social housing.

He said he was put into the St Enoch Hotel on Howard Street and has since been moved twice and is currently in another hotel, in Paisley.

On his experience, he said: “The St Enoch’s is nasty. It has rats and mice. I saw a mouse and there were rat traps."

He also said there is no cooking facility.

After complaining about the rodents, he said he was moved out to another facility in the east end.

He has a young daughter and said it is difficult trying to see her and be home for the strict nighttime curfew

He added: “I can’t take my daughter to where I’m staying. Even if I was allowed I wouldn’t take her there.”

When he spoke to the Glasgow Times he said: “Last night the hotel was taped off by police. The St Enoch was the same."

He explained how being homeless and living in the hotels with strict rules is affecting his life.

He said: “My money was stopped and I can’t afford to get back and forward to Glasgow.

“I have meetings to attend, I need to pick up my daughter.

“It is difficult to see her and get back to Paisley before the curfew cut off.

“I am homeless but I have a life.”

The dad is a tradesman but said he cannot accept work until he is out of the hotels and in temporary accommodation because he would be charged hundreds of pounds a week and would be unable to afford it.

Lorna Walker, senior solicitor and campaigns manager at Govan Law Centre told why they decided to join with the Glasgow Times in the campaign.

(Image: newsquest)

She said: “This campaign means a lot to Govan Law Centre. Everyone needs a safe place to lay their head at night. The right to adequate housing is a human right. But for many people presenting as homeless to the council, this is not the case. We need to do better.

“We have some of the most innovative homeless law in the world but despite this people are placed in accommodation that is completely unsuitable - often after a period of rough sleeping.”

She said people in this situation have legal protection but it is not always adhered to.

Ms Walker added: “Section 29 of the 1987 Housing Scotland Act provides that people must be placed in “suitable interim accommodation”. Yet many of our clients placed in interim accommodation have complained of rats, mice, insect infestation, stained mattresses, dirt, mould, unhygienic bathrooms, and even reports of blood stains on the walls.

“They don’t feel safe. Often, they feel intimated, abandoned and pressured to take illicit substances. The police are often called.”

The solicitor added: “We’re calling this out in our campaign to End the Homeless Hotel Shame. 

“We’re calling for Glasgow City Council to adopt a new written policy on cleanliness and minimum standards for homeless hotel accommodation.

“We want council staff to inspect hotels regularly to check the rooms and shared facilities - and if hotels don’t meet those standards they shouldn’t use them until they do."

When the Glasgow Times contacted the St Enoch Hotel we were told there was no one able to respond to our enquiry.