‘I was threatened in front of my little girl’
Mum tells of anti-social behaviour horror at housing complex
ASINGLE mother has told how she and her six-yearold daughter have been left “terrified” due to antisocial behaviour taking place within a supported-housing complex.
The mother – who wished not to be named due to safety concerns – has said she has “lost count” of the amount of complaints she has lodged to Loretto Housing Association in connection with the anti-social incidents.
The South Side resident has said the issues have escalated over the course of five years – to the point where she was threatened in front of her daughter.
She is now calling on the association to take urgent action.
She told the Glasgow Times: “It happens at all hours of the day – doors slamming, shouting, crying, screaming, more doors slamming.
“I’ve lived here for five years and in that time I’ve had six housing officers. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to complain.
“One day in March, my little girl and I were leaving the close before I was threatened by a neighbour.”
The mother, who cares full-time for her daughter, told how her sixyear-old child suffers from multiple medical disorders, including coeliac disease, avoidance restrictive food intake disorder, leg length discrepancy and generalised anxiety disorder.
The six-year-old is also waiting for a full autism spectrum disorder assessment.
She continued: “After my little girl witnessed me being threatened, as you can imagine, she was terrified. She still is to this day. We’ve barely left the house since then.
“We’re living in a two-bedroom flat and she won’t even sleep in her own room. Every time she hears shouting or a bang or a slam, it completely shakes her.
“It’s heartbreaking to see my little girl terrified every day. No child should have to live like that.”
In images seen by the Glasgow Times, a front door from a flat within the South Side block is pictured upright on communal steps outside the block, split in half.
Audio clips recorded by the single mother also depict shouting, screaming and slamming taking place inside the block’s communal close.
The Loretto Housing tenant has warned the association of the profound impact her living circumstances are having on her and her daughter’s mental wellbeing.
She said: “Mentally, I am a nervous wreck. My little girl can be playing away quite happily then suddenly there will be a loud bang and it terrifies her.
“We love our flat and would never want to leave if it wasn’t for the behaviour that’s going on. “
She says she feels “abandoned” with no “real support”.
She added: “In the middle of it all, a little girl left terrified. It’s disgraceful.
“To leave a six-year-old child in these circumstances is disgusting. Loretto are responsible for the actions of their tenants and they haven’t done a single jaunt to help us.
“I hope that this story will highlight the issues and give other people in this kind of situation an opportunity to come forward and speak up, too.”
A Loretto spokesman said: “We worked with this tenant and Police Scotland back in February to investigate and resolve an incident of anti-social behaviour in her block. She continues to report noise nuisance including doors slamming and loud voices and we’re trying to do what we can to help with this.
“We understand she wants to move to a new home in the Gorbals but unfortunately we have very few homes there. We’ve been supporting her, by telephone and email, during lockdown, to look at her housing options including registering with other social landlords.
“We’ve also offered the tenant a visit by our Home Safety Team to help her make her home more secure and further support from our Tenancy Support Service but she has unfortunately declined these offers of help.
“We will continue to do anything we can to help the tenant and her family feel safer.”