Campaigners advocating for Scottish homeowners affected by the RAAC concrete crisis are hoping to bring their concerns directly to John Swinney.
Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, has written a letter to the First Minister, inviting him to meet with affected individuals.
At least 2445 homes across Scotland have been found to contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a lightweight “bubbly” material used in construction between the 1950s and 1990s.
According to the Scottish Housing Regulator, sixteen social landlords have identified the presence of RAAC in their housing stock; including Aberdeen City Council, City of Edinburgh Council, River Clyde Homes, and Dundee City Council.
Chowdhry said: “I urge you to meet with me and some of those directly affected, understand the full extent of the suffering they are enduring and work toward a national fund that will allow these families to rebuild their lives.
“Many affected families are left in limbo, waiting for meaningful support from the Scottish Government”, the campaigner added.
“These individuals, often living in fear of an uncertain future, are desperately seeking a resolution from a government that has promised to create conditions for everyone to thrive.”
According to Chowdhry, homeowners across Scotland are “are facing potential bankruptcy and homelessness” due to the presence of the crumbling concrete in their homes.
In the Torry area of Aberdeen, more than 500 properties contain RAAC. In August, Aberdeen City Council voted to demolish the buildings, relocating council tenants and offering to buy 138 privately-owned homes.
Read more on Aberdeen's RAAC concrete crisis:
- RAAC homes in Aberdeen should be demolished and rebuilt
- Over 500 RAAC-affected homes in Aberdeen to be demolished and rebuilt
- Where do the RAAC-hit residents of Balnagask go from here?
- SNP ministers held 'secretive' RAAC meetings
The local authority wants to purchase the homes at market value – minus the cost of replacing the RAAC-affected roof panels. Home loss payments of up to 15,000 will also be provided.
However, Chowdhry believes this support does not go far enough.
He said: “Councils across Scotland are offering little more than paltry and often punitive proposals – Voluntary Agreements that are unreasonably low, and Compulsory Purchase Orders that absolve local authorities of responsibility for the use of substandard building materials that have endangered these families’ homes and safety.”
Chowdhry has called on the Scottish Government to use part of a £3.4 billion budgetary increase to create a compensatory fund for homeowners affected by the crisis.
“The record size and scale of this budget offers a tremendous opportunity for the Scottish Government to act decisively and provide much-needed relief to RAAC homeowners,” the campaigner said.
Chowdhry wrote to Keir Starmer in July, asking for his support. After four months, he received a reply – not from the Prime Minister, but rather from Alex Norris MP, Under-Secretary of State for Local Growth and Building Safety.
According to Norris, the devolved nature of “building safety” prevents the UK Government from taking any direct action to resolve the crisis.
The Herald reached out to the First Minister’s office for a comment on Chowdry’s letter – and asked if Swinney would commit to meeting with campaigners.
The Scottish Government confirmed that Swinney received the letter, and said the First Minister would respond “in due course”.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan added: “This is a worrying time for homeowners affected by RAAC. The Scottish Government takes RAAC very seriously and we have established regular meetings with public and private sector bodies to ensure best practice is shared across sectors impacted by RAAC.
“We continue to work closely with local authorities who can provide advice on what support may be available including advice, guidance, and information on potential sources of funding.”
Reacting, Chowdry said: “I'm ready to meet with Mr McLennan, or any other government representative, to discuss the challenges faced by these homeowners."
“While it is reassuring to hear that the Government is engaging with stakeholders across various sectors, the stark reality for thousands of homeowners remains unchanged.
“I find it troubling that, despite claiming to meet with “inspirational people from all walks of life,” the Scottish Government has yet to meet with any of the homeowners who are directly impacted by RAAC.
“The time to act is now — and the Scottish Government has the power to make a significant impact for the thousands of families caught in this crisis.”
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