Neighbours say they were forced to listen to “loud sex noises” at the plush Strathbungo property.
13:02, 08 May 2025Updated 13:36, 08 May 2025
Neighbours in Queen Square complained of ‘sex parties’ at the flat in Strathbungo
Nicola Sturgeon has supported fed-up neighbours in objecting to a Glasgow flat used for “sex parties” being granted a HMO licence.
The former first minister registered her complaint to the city council in her role as local MSP for leafy Strathbungo in Glasgow’s southside.
More than a dozen objections were lodged by residents in Queen Square and local politicians after the property’s owner applied for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence.
But the application was rejected after a neighbour told how she heard “multiple people” having “really loud sex” – and complained there were a dozen tenants in the flat in just two years.
Holly Ritchie, who has lived in the listed tenement in the posh suburb for 13 years, said her family were living in a “state of anxiety” due to the situation.
“It has become quite uncomfortable,” she told councillors. “We have heard noise and noisy sex. There were sex parties. Six people were having sex above. Everyone could hear it.
“I would feel anxiety about returning home.”
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Sturgeon, who has been MSP for Glasgow Southside since 2007, was one of 18 objectors.
The ex-SNP leader lodged a written objection to landlord William McDevitt’s application.
Ritchie, who lives next door to the flat, told councillors: “This is our home – I don’t want to move. It is a listed building over looking the park.”
Another objector, Ms Belshaw, told a planning committee the three bedroom property had been “a revolving door for several years” and was operating as an illegal HMO.”
She said: “It has been hard as a woman walking in and out of the close not knowing who is going to be there.”
She accused landlord McDevitt – who lives across the landing from the flat he rents out – of causing neighbours stress.:
“I don’t believe he understands the character of tenants,” she added.
The meeting was told neighbours had no issue with the property’s current tenants.
Ritchie said there were previously “12 different tenants in two years.” and described incidents when she had to endure listening to “really loud sex.”
She added: “It would be multiple people have sex.”
Replying to Ritchie’s concerns, McDevitt said: “I heard sex noises but I was unaware of a sex party.”
Pollokshields councillors Hanif Raja, Zen Ghani, Jon Molyneux and Norman MacLeod also objected to the licence.
The council’s HMO unit found the property was being rented as an unlicensed HMO following a complaint but Mr McDevitt denies that.
The meeting heard he applied for a HMO licence after it was discovered there were more people staying in the property than allowed.
After consideration the committee refused the new HMO licence.
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