COUNCIL leaders in Glasgow yesterday vowed to crack down on rent dodgers after figures revealed it had the highest level of non-payment in Scotland.

Accounts Commission statistics showed uncollected rent of #8.2m in the city in 1997. The next highest figure was thought to be #2.3m in North Lanarkshire.

Housing director David Comley said around half the Glasgow total was made up of overpaid housing benefit that the council was trying to reclaim.

He explained that some claimants received too much benefit, often because they failed to report changes in circumstances, such as finding a job.