Human and dog excrement, drug taking, used needles and violent behaviour have turned a Dundee close into an unsafe environmental health hazard, according to residents.
A landlord has joined residents of the flats at 87 Strathmartine Road in demanding immediate action to address the issues.
They claim that the close there has become unsafe and pretty much a no-go area.
Dundee charity Positive Steps says there are issues in regard to one of its tenants and is attempting to resolve the situation.
Environmental health hazard
The owner of one of the flats says the situation has hugely impacted his physical and mental well-being.
The owner, who has asked not to be named, said: “This block of flats has become an environmental health hazard and is completely unsafe.
“It is in no way suitable for anyone to live under these conditions.”
He has been joined in his concerns by landlord Paul Weir, who was made aware of the situation by his tenant.
Mr Weir said: “I had a complaint from my tenant and after visiting the property and speaking to other home owners in the common close I can understand why.”
Concerns include:
- Human excrement in communal areas, sometimes smeared on the walls.
- Urination in communal areas.
- Dog excrement on the stairs.
- Drug use in communal areas.
- Threats of physical violence.
- Drug paraphernalia left lying.
Property owner: ‘Endless drug use’
Both say the problems are caused by a tenant living in a flat in the building owned by Dundee Christian charity Positive Steps.
The organisation was founded in the city in 1989 and its website says Positive Steps has grown to become a major agency dedicated to promoting the health and wellbeing of vulnerable adults.
It adds that it works with individuals who are impacted by mental health, learning disabilities, substance misuse, offending behaviour, homelessness and poverty.
The home owner said: “They congregate in the stairwell and openly smoke heroin. There is drug paraphernalia everywhere.
“When I have tried to move these people on from the stairwell I have been met with several threats of physical violence.
“I live in constant fear for my physical safety and it has hugely impacted my physical and mental well-being.
“If this continues I don’t know if I will survive this for much longer.”
Close ‘reeks of urine’
Landlord Mr Weir said: “The close is littered with rubbish and it reeks of urine and excrement.
“There is drug paraphernalia all over the stairs and close.
“My tenant has a two-year-old boy and he cannot take him to his house because of the mess.
“It is a biological health hazard and no one should be expected to live like this.”
Positive Steps: ‘We were unaware of the concerns’
Operations manager for Positive Steps Jane Reid said: “We were only made aware of any concerns on Friday.
“We understand there are issues in regard to our tenant and we are in the process of recovering the tenancy.
“We have continually tried to engage the tenant, but this has been refused at every point.”
She continued: “We were unaware of the historical issues within the communal areas of the property in regard to littering and loitering.
“Once these issues became apparent, we contacted all interested parties to discuss a secure, controlled entry system.
“We received only one response and therefore could not move forward with this proposal.
“The location of the property does affect the level of littering and loitering and we are eager to find a solution to reduce this.
“Our policy is to periodically inspect communal areas, and due to the condition of this close, we cleaned this on at least two occasions in 2022.
“This problem of litter in the communal area was an issue prior to our existing tenant and we feel secure a controlled entry to the close would alleviate some of these issues.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “The council is liaising with owner occupiers and landlords at the block.”
