Fire damaged flats set for council takeover, repairs and social rent
FIRE-HIT flats in Priesthill which have been ruled uninhabitable could be compulsory purchased by the council and transferred to a housing association.
Rosehill Housing Co-operative would carry out repairs to eight Ravenscraig Drive properties before making them available for social rent.
Glasgow councillors are being asked to back the plan when they meet on Thursday.
The flats have been lying empty for three years after a fire in late October 2016.
“The building was the subject of fire damage and residents in all of the flats were evacuated as a result,” Richard Brown, the council’s executive director of regeneration and the economy said. “The properties are presently uninhabitable and the close is boarded up.”
Glasgow City Council is working with Rosehill Housing Co-operative (RHC) to “tackle the problems of poor poverty condition, empty homes” and a high concentration of poorly managed private lets in the area.
“Essential repairs will be carried out to the common areas of the building and all of the flats will be the subject of internal refurbishment works and let for social rent,” Mr Brown said.
“By obtaining full ownership of the building, this will allow RHC to take on the factoring of the property.”
All costs, including the owners’ claims for compensation, would be met by RHC, with funding provided by the Scottish Government’s affordable housing supply programme.
RHC has been prepared to acquire the flats on a voluntary basis, offering valuations which “reflected the condition of the properties”.
“Owners have been advised that they are responsible for the reinstatement works to their building and this work would in normal circumstances be covered by the owners’ building insurance,” a report by Mr Brown states.
“Only five out of eight owners have indicated that
news@ eveningtimes. co.uk their properties are insured although it is not known to what extent.
“Those owners who have considered selling have stated that they want the full market valuation for their flats while pursuing a payout from their insurance company.”
Owners will be given the opportunity to sell on a voluntary basis prior to confirmation of a compulsory purchase order.