People Taking Drugs in communual area

Errata

Shovel it up into a builder's rubble sack, take that down to your local nick and plonk it on the front desk.

Pixie5740

Slinky wrote: »

You say at certain times of day it unlocks, lots of flats have a trades button which people like the postman push to get in to deliver mail. They usually work in the morning. Could that be the reason then?

That was a problem I had with a flat I had in Glasgow. The door unlocked to let the postman in and someone delivering takeaway menus would always get in, then leave the door ajar for more leafleters to get in. Some residents just let people that they didn't know in, what is the point of a secure entry if you're just going to let anyone who buzzes in? Festoons of takeaway menus in the close and through my letterbox was annoying but thankfully not in the same league as what the OP is experiencing.

I find it extraordinary that the police can't do anything about people taking drugs in the close and garden since it is an illegal activity.

Speak to the other owners about improving the secure entry. Also, as someone else suggested, go an speak to your MSP.

BigAunty

I experienced apathy from landlords in particular, and some of the owners in a 'self factored' close (meaning the owners were too stingy to pay for a factor but also too lazy to run a proper tenement management scheme and actually organise to fix and clean the common areas).

See the Shelter website for your options on getting a factor or a proper TMS in place.

Contact the local council for all the flats with a landlord to check whether they have registered with the Scottish Landlord Registration Scheme. Also, check the HMO regulations and see if the landlords that are required to have a licence are complying with it.

Do you think dummy CCTV cameras and stickers could be effective or not? I think even a real set of CCTV cameras will only set you back £100 plus.

Could it be the case that they've got a hold of a key to the front door at all? For instance, perhaps one of them used to live there or it is purely the case that they take advantage of an open door?

My pal who lived in a really deprived area had a really good strong lock and door closure that would snap the door shut. Some doors you can leave ajar by just putting the door back lightly or turning the latch. Her door had some kind of circular disc on the lock so the moment there was the slightest pressure on it, it would whirl and snap the door back, plus no latch. The only way to have kept it open would have been by wedging something really heavy in the doorway.

hazyjo

Do not attempt to remove it yourself. Do you really want to risk pricking yourself with an HIV infected needle?! Jeez... it's not worth that.


Can you take pics and go public with it? Local paper?


Would definitely make sure ALL residents are aware. Up to the parents of any children to make sure they don't go near it then. Obviously can't speak for visitors.


Maybe a bit of research on the internet might help with similar local problems.


Jx

sgun

We had this problem in a flat in Edinburgh that we now rent out. The key was to put up LOTS of notices, make sure all the tenants knew each other (my husband managed a whole roof fix so he got to know all the tenants and landlords as well as owners). We also installed a working buzzer/lock system and reminded people not to let in strangers. The police supplied some criappy notices about neighbourhood policing etc, you could knock these up yourself though.


The key thing is to unsettle the drug users enough so that they move on to become someone else's problem. It is a real problem in some areas where they score and need somewhere to use that is nearby and available, we are talking real junkies here. Our area itself is ok (Leith Walk area) but there is a big drugs problem.


In Scotland everyone is obliged to contribute to repairs is it is proved they are essential (i.e. fixing your door). The big problem is getting the agreements in place and following the law to the letter. Oh, and you need someone who can be bothered to organise it all.


Real, not dummy CCTV may be of some use, we found that the police knew exactly who was using the stair but had no evidence. The police, council and local councillors see too much of this to be really bothered (or don't have the resources, its not counted as a serious crime) so you just need to do it yourselves.

Cautious_Optimist

The council, police etc won't care.
The druggies won't care. Do you think they are scared of being caught by the police? They probably know all the officers by name.

Just keep yourself to yourself and move ASAP.
Don't go involving the local press etc. That will just put off any buyers.

Seriously, don't waste any more time trying to sort this problem out.
Just move.

beecher2

Cautious_Optimist wrote: »

The council, police etc won't care.
The druggies won't care. Do you think they are scared of being caught by the police? They probably know all the officers by name.

Just keep yourself to yourself and move ASAP.
Don't go involving the local press etc. That will just put off any buyers.

Seriously, don't waste any more time trying to sort this problem out.
Just move.

Bit drastic that. The OP will need to wait 6 months until they can sell - better to try to solve the problem than just give up at this stage. Getting the door upgraded and the service button disabled might be all that's needed to sort the problem.

Cautious_Optimist

Errata wrote: »

Shovel it up into a builder's rubble sack, take that down to your local nick and plonk it on the front desk.

The police will charge him.
Only drug addicts and nightmare chav types get given any slack.

The law abiding, respectable man gets shafted by the system.
In this country.

Cautious_Optimist

beecher2 wrote: »

Bit drastic that. The OP will need to wait 6 months until they can sell - better to try to solve the problem than just give up at this stage. Getting the door upgraded and the service button disabled might be all that's needed to sort the problem.

Maybe. But it's a communal area, so the chances are no one will sort out the problem.

longwalks1

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, an alleyway through to town was being used to openly deal drugs in broad daylight by the local 7 stone, spotty, disease riddled junkies who would often try and intimidate females, or the elderly who would walk through there. After a couple of muggings, a pattern began to appear, so I spoke to 3 lads I've known since school (for 20 years) who lost a relative to drugs, and happen to be from the travelling community. They waited down the alley and no one has seen any of the junkies, or dealers since.