Tenants’ union Living Rent said it has launched a campaign to protect important social spaces used by elderly residents of the Primrose and Northinch Court housing units in Glasgow.

According to the campaign group, the pensioners’ landlord Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association recently announced it would close the common room and laundry room in the shelter housing complex due to funding cuts.

Together with residents from the sheltered housing complex, Living Rent will be staging a demonstration urging the Association to reverse its decision.

Seàn Baillie, Living Rent organiser, said: “The communal spaces that the housing association wants to shut down are absolutely crucial to the wellbeing of Primrose and Northinch Court residents. They provide a hub for socialising, and are used by residents on a daily basis.

“Decent housing doesn’t just mean a roof over your head - we all have the right to a proper home. The decision to shut down these communal spaces could push some of the residents at Primrose and Northinch Court into social isolation, and it must be reversed immediately.

“We would welcome the opportunity meet with the Housing Association to find a way to protect these key services their residents rely on.”

However, Ian Morrison, chief executive at Whiteinch & Scotstoun Housing Association, told Scottish Housing News that despite funding cuts outwith its control, the Association is working to keep the facilities open.

He said: “The decision of Glasgow’s Health & Social Care Partnership to withdraw all council funding for sheltered housing services this year is affecting all housing associations in the city. As a result, in common with other RSLs, there will no longer be money to pay for the warden at our two sheltered housing complexes.

“We are, therefore, currently exploring and discussing with residents how the common facilities might be retained; these include the laundry facilities at Primrose Court and the common areas at both Primrose Court and Northinch Court. It is quite wrong to say we have plans to close them.”

The demonstration will be held outside Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association at 1.15pm at 1 Northinch St in Glasgow.