Emergency services ordered a mass evacuation of 40 Africans from “building site” flats that were being illegally rented out by a millionaire fraudster.
Notorious Liberty Durant - who is a banned director - was charging £600 a month for unfinished flats in Glasgow’s east end that were not signed off for habitation and were regarded as potentially dangerous.
But after an investigation by Glasgow City Council and fire chiefs, the tenants were removed from the Eden Court flats and made homeless, as officials scrambled to put them up in emergency hotel accommodation.
The Daily Record has evidence that rent for flats was being paid into the account of Rolls Royce driving Durant, 74.
The flats resembled a building site, with workers’ tools lying around and electricity cables trailing through corridors, linked to non-domestic generators.
We can also reveal that applications for essential building warrants for the flats had previously been rejected.
One source said: “Overall the site was a bit of a bomb zone and it was a disgrace that people were being allowed to stay there. Some were there for a couple of months. They were very perplexed about the state of the place but they were shocked to find themselves suddenly homeless, which threw them into a crisis.”
Glasgow City Council has stated that officers “supported” a number of residents in leaving a property at Fielden Street on March 23, following concerns that the building was unsafe for habitation.
Initially, they were taken to a makeshift rest centre set up at the nearby Emirates Arena, which was a venue for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
The following day, it became clear that the necessary building warrants were not in place for the block, or its neighbouring block – and the council moved more people out.
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “The council supported residents to leave the premises due to concerns that it was not safe for habitation.
“There is no planning consent for the property and no building warrant for the works. The homes cannot be occupied.”
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive said they were called in by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service about two blocks of flats.
The spokesperson said: “Two inspectors from HSE attended the site on 24 March with representatives from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Glasgow City Council.
“It was agreed that due to concerns about fire safety and electrical safety, the occupied flats were unsafe for occupation.
"HSE is aware that residents from both blocks of flats were evacuated on a voluntary basis.
“HSE has taken action with the client for the development and the construction site is currently closed.”
In 2013, the company Rosetree Homes Ltd was granted permission to partly demolish industrial and warehouse buildings in Fielden Street.
Durant had been a director of the company but was disqualified from being a director of any firm in 2011 for six years.
He was given another 10-year directorship ban and a suspended prison sentence in 2018 for carrying out a £700,000 fraud while already banned from being a company director.
Lincoln Crown Court heard investigators caught Durant plotting to put his assets out of the reach of creditors.
He is currently forbidden from acting in any significant management role with a company.
In November last year an exclusive £25 million planning development linked to Durant was rejected by the Scottish Government.
African tenants are understood to have signed leases for the Fielden Street flats with Beechtree Wright Ltd, with some signing up as early as January.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers attended a building on Fielden Street in Glasgow around 4.50pm on Thursday, 23 March to assist with an evacuation of residents after concerns raised about the premises.
“The Health and Safety Executive was made aware.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Officers supported emergency service partners to assist with an evacuation of residents at a premise on Fielden Street, Glasgow after assistance was requested at around 5.10pm on Thursday, March 23.”
Beechtree Wright Ltd and Liberty Durant have been approached for comment.
