Landlords summoned over fly-tipping at flats

Council’s licensing committee takes steps to address anti-social behaviour complaints

Landlords who own flats in Dundee tenements infamous for anti-social behaviour could soon be hauled before councillors to explain how they will stamp it out.

Dundee City Council’s licensing committee took the unprecedented step this week of summoning landlords of flats in one Coldside property to address complaints of fly-tipping and other forms of anti-social behaviour.

There are 14 individual flats in the block at 5 to 7 Clepington Street, which has been subject to repeated complaints about the behaviour of its tenants.

In a single year, police have been called 70 times to the block, which sits next to the Airlie Arms pub.

It stands next to a vacant lot and its rear garden has been filled with dumped bags of black rubbish.

There have also been historic complaints of drug dealing in the building’s common close.

Landlords have already been hit with £150 abatement notices – fines for anti-social behaviour – but were called to appear before the licensing

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This was a first for us but it could be something the committee will consider again in the future. LICENSING COMMITTEE CONVENER STEWART HUNTER

committee to explain what action they will take to improve the tenement and the behaviour of some of its occupants.

At the meeting, held behind closed doors, landlords agreed to explore options including installing a security door and paying a factor to monitor the building.

It is hoped the security door will stop people using the common close as a toilet.

If no improvements are made to the flat within a few months, landlords could lose their registrations, meaning they will not be allowed to rent out their flats.

Licensing committee convener Stewart Hunter said: “Obviously, I can’t go into too much detail because it was held in private but the committee feels it was reasonably productive and we will see where we are in a few months.”

Mr Hunter added if there are significant improvements the committee may repeat the exercise with other tenements with notorious reputations.

He said: “This was a first for us but it could be something the committee will consider again in the future.”

Only one landlord, Mohammed Bhatti, had appeared before councillors when the issue was raised at an earlier meeting.

He doubted a secure entry system will help matters.

He said: “People just use the services button to get in.

“I make tenants sign a lease that says they will clean the stairs once a week and put their rubbish in the bins.

“The council should urge other people to do the same thing.”