Council forked out at privately-owned flats
Ex-housing convener blasts maintenance fees paid
A former council housing boss this week blasted cash-strapped North Lanarkshire Council for forking out thousands of pounds to pay for grass cutting and close cleaning at 280 private flats in deprived Forgewood.
Wishaw councillor Sam Love hit out at the cash being used to pay for ‘factoring’ duties at the flats owned by private landlords in the Woodville Rise area of Forgewood.
The council hit back and said they don’t carry out factoring duties for privatelyowned properties and if they hadn’t intervened then the rundown flats in Foregewood would have to be knocked down, costing thousands of pounds for council tax payers.
Mr Love, a former council housing convener, hit out as he said pensioners and vulnerable people were hit with a £5 per week charge for community alarms and £120 per year for the Garden Assistance Scheme.
Speaking at a meeting of Central Wishaw Community Council, Councillor Love said: “The council gave £124,000 to Link to carry out factoring duties there 10 years ago but nobody would pay the factoring duties. Landlords are renting out to people on social security and they are getting plenty in rent, but they have refused to pay any factoring fees.
“The council has been paying full factoring duties ie close cleaning, close lighting and grass cutting and that sets a precedent.
“If we have any other privately-owned housing estates in North Lanarkshire and residents refused to pay the factor, is the council going to do the same as the did in Forgewood?
“I think we are talking tens of thousands of pounds for the past 10 years.
“Owners received up to £500 from the council in grants to help pay for essential repairs in return for owners signing up to a factoring arrangement.
“What action, if any was taken against owners to recoup grant funding after they refused to pay their factoring fees.
“The responsibility for maintaining private areas lies with the owners.
“Over the past decade, why has no enforcement action been taken? This is the key question.
“The council are still carrying out all maintenance and factoring duties.
A council spokesman said: “The council simply does not factor privately-owned properties, and has never done so.
“In 2007, we approved a scheme where we contributed £500 per property towards the costs of essential work to homes in Forgewood to bring them up to a reasonable standard, allowing them to be factored for an economic cost.
“Link, and not the council, factored these properties from 2007 to 2013.
“Had we not instigated this scheme, there was a serious risk that some properties could fall into such a state of disrepair that the council would have to intervene at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds to the public purse. The responsibility for maintaining private property rests with the owners. However, we can use our approved scheme of assistance to maintain private properties and improve living conditions for the benefit of local communities, and we do so regularly.”
Deputy council leader Paul Kelly added: “I make no apologies for supporting and investing in our most deprived communities across North Lanarkshire and we will continue to do so.”