New enforcement powers have been secured by Glasgow City Council to tackle housing conditions in an area of the city.

Four tenement blocks in the Govanhill area have been designated as an Enhanced Enforcement Area (EEA) under powers contained in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014.

The council now has more power to tackle rogue landlords and improve management standards along with property condition in Govanhill.

One of the main powers of the EEA agreement is the right of entry to rented properties where there have been complaints about the way the premises are being managed.

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The council and the Scottish Government have agreed a £9.3m scheme to support Govanhill Housing Association to purchase 80 properties and bring them into the public rented sector.

The initiative is to address issues of property management, including factoring, overcrowding and cleansing in the same four blocks targeted by the EEA.

Bailie Liz Cameron, the council's Executive Member for Economic Development, believes the new powers will help to drive up housing standards in the area.

Cameron said: "I am delighted that the council has been able to gain Enhanced Enforcement Area status for Govanhill. The council has been working exceptionally hard to improve conditions in the area and having an EEA will help us push forward on a number of important issues.

"The new powers will help us identify the scale of the housing problems being faced by residents. Having the right of entry to properties that are the subject of complaints means we can now resolve the issues by taking corrective action.

"Combined with the £9.3m plan to bring flats into the social housing sector, the EEA is a crucial development in bringing lasting change to the Govanhill area."

(LM/CD)