NEW Scottish government powers could be used to target slum landlords in a notorious part of Glasgow’s south side.

The council wants ministers to designate Govanhill as an Enhanced Enforcement Area (EEA), which would give officials the authority to clamp down on rogue property tycoons.

EEAs have been introduced under Section 28 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 and the regulations came into effect on June 10.

Landlords with properties in an EEA can be told to submit to a criminal record check, produce a buildings insurance policy and provide safety certificates.

If they fail to comply they could be struck off the register, putting them out of business.

Glasgow City Council will ask government ministers to designate four blocks in Govanhill as an EEA.

The tenements which could be affected are bordered by Calder Street, Annette Street, Dixon Avenue and Westmoreland Street.

The area has been blighted by antisocial behaviour and an infestation of bed bugs which led to the council ordering a block-by-clock deep clean.

The move to designate parts of Govanhill as an EEA has been spearheaded by local councillor Soryia Siddique.

She said: “The council has spent substantial amounts in maintaining housing stock in the area, however there are continued challenges.

“Additional powers will allow the council to enforce housing standards. This combined with multimillion housing investment in the area will help make Govanhill a far better place to live.”

EEAs can be designated if an area is “characterised by poor conditions in houses which are privately let”, according to a council spokesman.

The powers apply to housing which is “of a poor environmental standard” is “overcrowded” or has “a prevalence of antisocial behaviour.”

EEAs give the local authority “additional discretionary powers to target enforcement action” at landlords, the spokesman said.

He added: “We aim to make a submission to the Scottish Government later this month to have four blocks in Govanhill designated as an EEA.”