City Property starts charging charities rent forcing them to move to other premises
A number of charities in Glasgow are being forced to move out of their premises after a council-run agency massively increased rents.
City charities often pay a peppercorn rent of £1 a year but under a new policy City Property – an arms-length external organisation (ALEO) of Glasgow Council – is increasing rent in a bid to force them to move to alternative premises.
One such charity is Glasgow the Caring City. It has been told to pay £4,000 a year or be evicted from its Castlemilk base from where it helps thousands of needy city residents each year.
Ross Galbraith, manager at the 17-year-old charity, said: "We're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea here, as we don't have anywhere to go.
"We are just desperate for a new premises.
"We've enjoyed a good relationship with the council, but the problem is with City Property who don't seem to realise what charities like ourselves are doing for Glasgow. All they seem to see if the bottom line, the financial aspect. We are never in a position to pay high rents.
"We are delivering a frontline service across the whole of the city, in partnership with the council, supporting the citizens of Glasgow.
We are just days away from vacating our premises - Ross Galbraith
"It doesn't seem to be embraced at all by City Property.
"We are just days away from vacating our premises and City Property still haven't told us what standard they want the place to be in."
As reported by TFN last week, Ruchill Furniture Project has been forced to move its Chapel Street base and said founders had been illegally occupying the site for years.
Greater Maryhill Foodbank was also forced to leave its premises on the same street due to rent arrears, while the Afro-Caribbean centre on Osborne Street was forced out in April over mounting debts of more than £60,000.
Many Glasgow businesses have also been informed their leases will be terminated and some are facing rent hikes of up to 20%.
City Property said Glasgow the Caring City chose not to renew their lease and added: “We do not comment on the commercial terms of any leases we have.”
