Residents’ shock at tenement close filth
APPALLING scenes of waist-high rubbish and thick graffiti in a Govanhill close have shocked locals.
Residents said they are “embarrassed” to live in the Allison Street tenement, which they claim is also rife with crime.
Local group the Govanhill Community Campaign posted a damning video of the close on Facebook in order to draw attention to the issue.
When the Evening Times visited yesterday, the building’s ground floor had been cleaned of bin bags and detritus.
But one resident said the problem quickly reoccurs.
He, and another neighbour who asked not to be named, said families throw their rubbish over the railings onto the close floor rather than use wheelie bins.
The walls on all floors are scrawled with graffiti in pen and paint.
Tarik Onbasi has been living in the close for five months and says the day his six month lease runs out, he will move.
Unfortunately for Mr Onbasi, not only is he enduring the squalor in the close, his flat was broken into.
He spoke to the Evening Times while waiting for the police to come.
In his otherwise immaculate flat, there were clear footprints along the hallway floor where thugs had strolled through looking for goods to take.
Thieves took Mr Onbasi’s laptop, Rolex watch, his hi-fi system and a 103-year-old antique gold knife.
Mr Onbasi said: “They come round and knock the doors to see if anyone is at home and then they break in.
“I’ve been broken into now and so has my neighbour downstairs.
“There is a woman in the flat next to me who is scared. They knock the doors hard in the middle of the night to see if you answer.
“It is the worst place I have lived.
“I have had to take the day off work to wait for the police to come but I can’t afford to be at home – I need to work.”
The Cypriot-born 46-yearold has been living in London for the past 30 years but came to Glasgow a few months when he secured a job as a bus driver.
Govanhill is very near to his depot and so he took up his flat on Allison Street.
He added: “It’s horrible. I’m ashamed to live here. Sometimes after work I want to say to a colleague to come and enjoy a beer but I am ashamed to live in this flat.
“I had a good life in London and I can’t wait to move from here. I would be embarrassed if any of my family or friends saw it.”
Following the pictures being shared on social media and reports made to Glasgow City Council’s Land and Environmental Services, officers visited the close.
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Environmental Health was at this address on Wednesday to serve statutory notices and noted all the rubbish within the close had been removed and the close cleaned.
“As this property is factored it is the factor’s responsibility to make sure it is serviced appropriately.”
The close is factored by Hacking and Paterson and householders have responsibility for keeping it clean.
David Doran, director at Hacking and Paterson, said the firm had spoken to householders about the mess but the rubbish dumping continues.
Mr Doran said: “A contractor, instructed by us on April 18, acting on behalf of the homeowners, cleared the common close of deposited bulk refuse. We have offered and continue to offer guidance to the homeowners on how to dispose of refuse correctly.
“However, we understand from some homeowners that person or persons unknown continue to dispose of refuse incorrectly within the property.”