A Perth mum fears for the safety of her six-year-old boy if she continues to live in a city centre flat.
For the past five years Anna Gwizdalska, 31, has shared a spare room in a two-bedroom housing association flat with her young son.
The Perth College student says life has become intolerable since a drug dealer moved into the Kinnoull Street block two years ago.
She claims to have witnessed assaults and endured regular night-time disruption.
Anna also says her son is living in fear after being bitten by a dog owned by the neighbour.
She is desperate to move to a safer location but has now been on Perth and Kinross Council’s waiting list for the past three years without any luck.
“I am asking for the council to prioritise our case more than they have so far,” Anna said,
Buzzer rings at 5am
Anna moved into the Caledonia Housing Association flat with her son in 2018 after splitting with his father.
She says the lead tenant is unable to speak English so hasn’t been able to complain about the anti-social behaviour.
Problems began in 2021, says Anna, who works part-time at The Barbers Shop in South Street.
She claims drug dealing is happening at the block with people coming and going at all hours of the day.
“If the buzzer doesn’t work they will try the buzzer of all the other flats and then stand outside,” she said.
“Sometimes the buzzer goes at 5am.
“I have had people looking through our post-box and people knocking on our door trying to get drugs.”
Police: ‘No criminality’
In the summer of 2021 Anna says she witnessed an attack and phoned the police.
Then last year a female got attacked in the middle of the day, she claimed.
“She got pushed up the stairs,” said Anna, who studies psychology.
“I called the police and said there was a woman covered in blood on our staircase, claiming she was beaten by a man.”
Anna claims it took the police 40 minutes to arrive and that she was never told of any investigation.
A police spokesperson said: “While we are aware of some issues in the area there has been no criminality established at the address in question.
“We urge that if anyone does have any concerns or if any crime is taking place they should contact the police.”
Abuse, shouting and dog
Anna has provided a photo of someone apparently collapsed on an external communal area while under the influence.
Another picture shows threatening graffiti scrawled on an entrance door. Anna says the message is drug related.
“There are three dealers at the moment,” she claimed.
“We hear a lot of abuse and shouting.”
Anna also says her son was left traumatised by an attack by a neighbour’s dog.
“He didn’t want to leave home,” she said.
“I have videos of the dog barking for 20 minutes at 11pm.
“It barks and jumps at the door as you walk past.
“If I could pull this flat out and put it on a plot of land I would be more than happy.
“The problem is the location.”
A spokesperson for Caledonia Housing Association said: “These are worrying concerns which have been raised.
“Although these recent examples have not been reported through our normal procedure, we will investigate.
“We take anti-social behaviour issues extremely seriously, liaising with Police Scotland where appropriate.”
‘I cannot go somewhere with drugs and needles’
A two-bedroom home in Perth typically costs £700 per calendar month.
This is unaffordable for a single parent with a part-time income, Anna says.
She has applied for a house or a flat with its own entrance in the Perth area.
Despite being on the council housing waiting list since 2020 she claims she has not been offered a suitable property.
“I have applied for all the options that provide me with my own secure entry to my home,” she said.
“I just cannot go somewhere with a close where there are drugs and needles.
“I have witnessed a lot of stuff so far and I am scared.”
‘Excess demand’ for affordable housing in Perth
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson stated there is an “excess demand” for affordable housing in the area.
They added that it runs a common housing allocations policy in partnership with several local housing associations.
Very specific requests, such as house type or area, will take longer to accommodate.”
The spokesperson continued: “However, despite this partnership approach, around 1,000 homes become available every year, which is significantly exceeded by the number of applicants waiting for accommodation.
“This means that we are not immediately able to offer a property to everyone who applies for housing, and when we are, it may not be the particular type of property they have requested.
“Very specific requests, such as house type or area, will take longer to accommodate.
“Those that are made an offer are people in urgent housing need, such as people who are homeless, those with a medical need and families living in badly overcrowded accommodation.
“The council sympathises with Ms Gwizdalska, and our staff have had regular contact with her in an effort to resolve her housing situation.”
Conversation