A baby sleeps next to a swarm of cockroaches ...11 people live in just 2 rooms. Now housing bosses want rogue landlords jailed if they don't tackle city's slums

GLASGOW housing bosses say rogue landlords should be jailed if they flout new laws aimed at tackling the city's slums.

City council officials asked Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell to support a list of new strategies when he visited Govanhill in the South Side and saw overcrowded and cockroach-infested flats.

The officials said more legal powers, backed by more cash, were desperately needed. Deal with landlords using existing laws COMMUNITIES Minister Stewart Maxwell insists councils could do more with existing legislation and funds to tackle slum conditions.

He said: "Local authorities have a range of powers to tackle the small minority of rogue landlords and I would encourage them to use all of these powers where necessary."

Landlords now have to register and in extreme cases councils can issue closure orders on unacceptable properties.

Earlier this year Glasgow issued the first such order on a Govanhill flat owned by Mohammed Aslam, who has dozens of South Side properties, as reported exclusively by the Evening Times. But the legal processes involved are costly and time-consuming.

The new Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 is expected to come into force early next year.

This will let councils designate "Housing Renewal Areas", allowing them to force repairs on private properties and introduce maintenance orders, forcing landlords to have proper repair schedules. It will also be easier to serve compulsory purchase orders.

In a briefing paper to the minister, David Webster, the council's director of housing strategy, highlighted areas where the law was too weak.

He warned: "Under the legislation, as it currently stands, failure of a private landlord to comply with registration requirements will at no stage involve the ultimate sanction of prison.

"Given the large cash flows and high assets of many landlords involved in Govanhill this may make enforcement very difficult."

Mr Maxwell was given a guided tour of the area yesterday by local councillor Anne Marie Millar.

He said he was shocked by the appalling condition of the flats some families call home.

In one flat he visited, a baby slept in a pram while cockroaches swarmed over a wall just inches away.

At least three adults and eight children live in the flat, crammed into just two bedrooms.

A colony of cockroaches had taken over a wardrobe and the living room was open to the elements, with a couple of thin wooden boards on the window failing to seal the gaps left by missing panes of glass.

Mr Maxwell said: "It was very revealing to visit these homes and see for myself the disgraceful condition where people have to live.

"I have seen houses where the electrical wiring is exposed, there is no hot water or washing facilities and there are chunks of plaster hanging off the walls where insects can breed.

"In one of the flats, the glass in the window pane was just placed in the rotting frame. No-one in Scotland should have to put up with that.

"I've also heard owner-occupiers complain about how a close that was immaculate has been ruined by bad tenants - but they can't find out who the landlords are to get work done.

"In one case, the factor gave up trying to carry out repairs because they couldn't get the bills paid."

Mr Webster's report also calls on the Scottish Government to establish a "recyclable capital fund" of £5million to £10m a year to let councils carry out urgent work.

Where repairs are to a privately-owned home, the cost would be claimed back from the landlord and added back to the pot.

The council believes Glasgow could attract £5m of this fund - enough to repair 10 closes a year.

But Govanhill Housing Association believes the Government should go further and give the area itself up to £15m a year to tackle its unique combination of problems, with large migrant communities being exploited by owners letting out neglected properties.

Many new residents arrived from shanty towns in Slovakia and the council says they have transferred common practices from there to their new homes, increasing problems with litter and fly tipping.

As reported in last night's Evening Times, a report from the housing association estimates that up to £187m needs to be invested to restore almost 2000 homes to a decent level.

Director Anne Lear said: "Govanhill has now hit rock bottom. We need a real commitment to this area for the medium and long term."

Mr Maxwell said he would consider all submissions sent to him as part of a review of new laws due to be introduced early next year.

Councillor Millar said: "I'm optimistic we will be able to make Govanhill a special case."