Evacuated Glasgow residents STILL without belongings one year on from emergency move-out

Scores of Ibrox locals were cleared from their Copland Road tenements after the building was deemed unsafe last December. 

The emergency move-out saw families given 30 minutes to gather what they could before they were put up into temporary accommodation. 

Now - exactly one year on - tenants are calling on the council and private landlords to speak up over their valued possessions that are currently gathering dust. 

READ MORE: Copland Road: Glasgow residents in evacuation nightmare to wait 'one year' to regain access to possessions

One resident, who wished not to be named, said: “I’m just so scunnered with it, I really want my belongings back. 

“It has been shocking that we have had no communication at all. All my belongings have just been left to rot. 

“When we get in touch with the letting agents, they just say that there is no progress, they only really speak to us when we reach out for an update.  

“I lost all my life belongings – my furniture, guitars, TV, clothes, music equipment, pictures, everything. It amounts to thousands of pounds worth of stuff.”

The Glasgow Times understands that locals were put up into hotels after the evacuation and then into temporary flats. 

The resident added: “Since it happened, I moved into a new flat and I was lucky that I have family and friends that could help me out with new furniture and clothes. I also had to buy quite a lot of second-hand furniture so I was left out of pocket a fair bit. 

“I’m lucky that I have settled into my new home now but I know there are others who are still in temporary accommodation.”

We previously told how the decision was taken after surveyors were called to inspect the building following works to the tenement’s roof on November 30, 2020.

The Glasgow Times understands that the basement walls that were supporting the tenement block had corroded and were ready to collapse. 

Due to the significance of the long-term damage, homeowners and tenants have been left unable to claim on their home insurance. 

The resident said: “They have told us that the problem didn’t happen overnight, it had been ongoing for a long time. 

“We are frustrated at our landlord because they had a duty of care to check and maintain the building and ensure our safety. 

“The whole situation has cost me a lot of money and all of my personal possessions that are of sentimental value. I’m sure it would have cost all my neighbours an absolute fortune too.  

“I had to move away from the area where I had a lot of friends and family around me, I really loved Govan.”

Since repairs went underway last year, locals have not been notified of any potential developments. 

In the meantime, although they have lost all of their life possessions, they are thankful to have their lives.

“The way we have been treated has been awful. Our block of flats has just been boarded up and left to rot”, the private tenant said.   

“The situation obviously didn’t happen overnight, it took years and years of wear and tear - maybe even decades - for the building to get into a condition of near collapse. It just went unnoticed. 

“Although we lost all of our possessions, it could have been a lot worse and it could have collapsed. 

“It is worrying that there could be lots of other buildings in Glasgow that are same condition because private landlords don’t care about the safety of their tenants.” 

The problem with the building was discovered as police allegedly busted a “cannabis cultivation” at the same address. Police forced entry to the address and allegedly retrieved a number of cannabis plants.

In August, we told how residents in the West End were forced to flee from their homes after a dangerous building suddenly needed to be evacuated.

Cracks had appeared on a sandstone tenement building at the corner of Oakfield Avenue before it collapsed -  sending huge sandstone blocks crashing onto the ground.

While council bosses said the issues lie within the hands of property owners, Homes For Good -  the letting agents for several properties in the building - said the problem is outwith their control.

Alice Simpson, director of assets and governance, said: “We absolutely sympathise with the residents at Copland Road, but the situation is completely outwith our control.  

“The property was deemed unsafe by Glasgow City Council as an emergency measure, due to subsidence. This is often a largely hidden issue, which would generally be investigated by owners or property factors if there was evidence of recent structural movement.  

“All residents of the building were evacuated at extremely short notice to ensure their safety.  At the time we acted immediately and offered alternative accommodation and support to both our tenants.

“However, only one of our tenants took up this offer, and they remain happy in their new home.  

“We released the other tenant from their tenancy at their request and without any notice requirement. 

“The issue remains between the building owners and the local authority and as far as we are aware access is not currently possible. The safety of the properties we manage is paramount in our commitment to working with tenants and landlords to create secure, quality homes.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: "Landlords have the responsibility to undertake necessary repairs on their properties, and as such, it is they who should be providing updates on progress to their tenants."

The tenant’s private landlord was approached for comment.