Latest news with #ScottishHousingRegulator
Glasgow Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Campaigners call for help as RAAC report shows areas hit
The regulator reported that 17 landlords have identified the presence of RAAC in some of the homes they provide to tenants, with 2205 homes in total affected, equating to around 0.4% of all homes provided by social landlords in Scotland. Campaign coordinator for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, Sean Clerkin, has called on the Scottish Government to step in and provide financial support to those who have been affected by RAAC in their homes. He said: 'Local authorities and housing associations need immediate financial help from the Scottish Government to build new safe housing for tenants, given that the Scottish Housing Regulator has published figures from 17 social landlords that 2205 social rented homes have dangerous RAAC in them. 'The additional monies have to be provided now to help all the affected tenants in Scotland. 'Former tenants who bought under right to buy are left also with dangerous and valueless homes and again we would urge the Scottish Government to provide immediate financial help to these homeowners.' Clerkin added: 'Mairi McAllan, the new Housing Minister, has an opportunity here to show that the Scottish Government can step up to the plate financially to help tenants and homeowners to live in new safe homes. 'The Scottish Government has to provide this help now.' READ NEXT: 'We apologise': Latest on Glasgow City Council's cyber attack READ NEXT: Council not reimbursed for demolition of India buildings for this reason How many homes and what landlords are affected? The 17 landlords that have identified the presence of RAAC in some of their homes, and the number of affected social rented homes, are: Aberdeen City Council - 366 Almond Housing Association Ltd - 328 Angus Council - 25 Bield Housing & Care - 34 Bridgewater Housing Association Ltd - 142 City of Edinburgh Council - 44 Clackmannanshire Council - 69 Dundee City Council - 516 Link Group Ltd - 25 Linstone Housing Association - 14 North Lanarkshire Council - 103 River Clyde Homes - 43 Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Ltd - 102 South Lanarkshire Council - 157 Stirling Council - 26 Viewpoint Housing Association Ltd - 130 West Lothian Council - 81 What is RAAC and why is it dangerous? RAAC is a lightweight structural construction material used between the 1950s and 1990s in the floors, walls and roofs of some buildings in Scotland, including some residential properties. It is a cheaper alternative to standard concrete, is quicker to produce and easier to install, but it is no longer used in buildings in Scotland. RAAC has a lifespan of around 30 years, and its structural behaviour differs significantly from traditional reinforced concrete. It is susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture. The bubbles can allow water to enter the material. (Image: Scott Barron) If that happens, any rebar reinforcing RAAC can also decay, rust and weaken and because of this, it is often coated with another material, such as bitumen on roofing panels. But this material can also degrade.
The National
08-07-2025
- Health
- The National
Campaigners call for help as RAAC report shows areas hit
The regulator reported that 17 landlords have identified the presence of RAAC in some of the homes they provide to tenants, with 2205 homes in total affected, equating to around 0.4% of all homes provided by social landlords in Scotland. Campaign coordinator for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, Sean Clerkin, has called on the Scottish Government to step in and provide financial support to those who have been affected by RAAC in their homes. READ MORE: Israeli plan to force Palestinians into camps 'blueprint for crimes against humanity' He said: 'Local authorities and housing associations need immediate financial help from the Scottish Government to build new safe housing for tenants, given that the Scottish Housing Regulator has published figures from 17 social landlords that 2205 social rented homes have dangerous RAAC in them. 'The additional monies have to be provided now to help all the affected tenants in Scotland. 'Former tenants who bought under right to buy are left also with dangerous and valueless homes and again we would urge the Scottish Government to provide immediate financial help to these homeowners.' Clerkin added: 'Mairi McAllan, the new Housing Minister, has an opportunity here to show that the Scottish Government can step up to the plate financially to help tenants and homeowners to live in new safe homes. 'The Scottish Government has to provide this help now.' How many homes and what landlords are affected? The 17 landlords that have identified the presence of RAAC in some of their homes, and the number of affected social rented homes, are: Aberdeen City Council - 366 Almond Housing Association Ltd - 328 Angus Council - 25 Bield Housing & Care - 34 Bridgewater Housing Association Ltd - 142 City of Edinburgh Council - 44 Clackmannanshire Council - 69 Dundee City Council - 516 Link Group Ltd - 25 Linstone Housing Association - 14 North Lanarkshire Council - 103 River Clyde Homes - 43 Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Ltd - 102 South Lanarkshire Council - 157 Stirling Council - 26 Viewpoint Housing Association Ltd - 130 West Lothian Council - 81 What is RAAC and why is it dangerous? RAAC is a lightweight structural construction material used between the 1950s and 1990s in the floors, walls and roofs of some buildings in Scotland, including some residential properties. It is a cheaper alternative to standard concrete, is quicker to produce and easier to install, but it is no longer used in buildings in Scotland. RAAC has a lifespan of around 30 years, and its structural behaviour differs significantly from traditional reinforced concrete. It is susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture. The bubbles can allow water to enter the material. (Image: Scott Barron) If that happens, any rebar reinforcing RAAC can also decay, rust and weaken and because of this, it is often coated with another material, such as bitumen on roofing panels. But this material can also degrade.
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
West Lothian RAAC campaigner walks out of Holyrood meeting in disgust
The National UK RAAC campaign had asked for the Scottish Housing Regulator to expand powers to include owners of former council homes. A campaigner fighting to get more help for home-owners hit by the RAAC scandal walked out of the Scottish Parliament in disgust after MSPs rejected their petition. The National UK RAAC campaign had asked for the Scottish Housing Regulator to expand powers to include owners of former council homes. But a meeting of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 'refused to budge' according to veteran campaigner Livingston RAAC campaigner Kerry Macintosh. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that when the call to change rules was declined: 'I was so angry when I came out of the committee room. It was very hard not to say anything. I stood up and said 'shocking' and walked out.' Speaking after the meeting she told the LDRS: 'The people in parliament, the SNP government. They don't give a toss. They are not listening to what people are going through. They are overlooking things that are affecting peoples lives. 'This is as bad as the Post Office scandal. I'm just so annoyed at watching how homeowners are getting treated. 'The people in parliament are not living with what the people with RAAC in their homes are living with- the stress, the fear and the worry. There's five and half thousand people in Scotland suffering with this.' RAAC affected homeowners from across Scotland had gathered outside Holyrood on Wednesday morning ahead of scheduled hearing of a petition submitted by the UK RAAC Campaign group calling for an urgent amendment to the remit of the Scottish Housing Regulator to include private owners of ex-council properties. Currently, the SHR's responsibilities are restricted to social tenants-those who rent from councils or housing associations. This means that when a private homeowner in an ex-council house discovers dangerous materials like RAAC, they have no regulator to turn to, no statutory advocate, and no co-ordinated government response. The petition called for an alternative creation of an altogether new body to ensure that owners of ex-council homes are protected during structural crises such as the one currently unfolding because of the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete RAAC in the 1960s/ 70s. Campaign leader Wilson Chowdhry has written to the new Housing Minister Mairi McAllan asking her to meet with home owners in Tillicoultry and West Lothian.
Edinburgh Reporter
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Campaigner walks out of Holyrood in disgust as petition rebuffed
A campaigner fighting to get more help for home-owners hit by the RAAC scandal walked out of the Scottish Parliament in disgust this afternoon [Wednesday] after MSPs rejected their petition. The National UK RAAC campaign had asked for the Scottish Housing Regulator to expand powers to include owners of former council homes. But a meeting of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 'refused to budge' according to veteran campaigner Livingston RAAC campaigner Kerry Macintosh. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that when the call to change rules was declined: 'I was so angry when I came out of the committee room. It was very hard not to say anything. I stood up and said 'shocking' and walked out.' Speaking after the meeting she told the LDRS: 'The people in parliament, the SNP government. They don't give a toss. They are not listening to what people are going through. They are overlooking things that are affecting people's lives. 'This is as bad as the Post Office scandal. I'm just so annoyed at watching how homeowners are getting treated. The people in parliament are not living with what the people with RAAC in their homes are living with- the stress, the fear and the worry. There's five and half thousand people in Scotland suffering with this.' RAAC affected homeowners from across Scotland had gathered outside Holyrood on Wednesday morning ahead of scheduled hearing of a petition submitted by the UK RAAC Campaign group calling for an urgent amendment to the remit of the Scottish Housing Regulator to include private owners of ex-council properties. Currently, the SHR's responsibilities are restricted to social tenants—those who rent from councils or housing associations. This means that when a private homeowner in an ex-council house discovers dangerous materials like RAAC, they have no regulator to turn to, no statutory advocate, and no co-ordinated government response. The petition called for an alternative creation of an altogether new body to ensure that owners of ex-council homes are protected during structural crises such as the one currently unfolding because of the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete RAAC in the 1960s/ 70s. Campaign leader Wilson Chowdhry has written to the new Housing Minister Mairi McAllan asking her to meet with homeowners in Tillicoultry and West Lothian. By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Edinburgh Live
West Lothian RAAC campaigner walks out of Holyrood meeting in disgust
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A campaigner fighting to get more help for home-owners hit by the RAAC scandal walked out of the Scottish Parliament in disgust this afternoon [Wednesday] after MSPs rejected their petition. The National UK RAAC campaign had asked for the Scottish Housing Regulator to expand powers to include owners of former council homes. But a meeting of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 'refused to budge' according to veteran campaigner Livingston RAAC campaigner Kerry Macintosh. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that when the call to change rules was declined: 'I was so angry when I came out of the committee room. It was very hard not to say anything. I stood up and said 'shocking' and walked out.' Speaking after the meeting she told the LDRS: ' The people in parliament, the SNP government. They don't give a toss. They are not listening to what people are going through. They are overlooking things that are affecting peoples lives. "This is as bad as the Post Office scandal. I'm just so annoyed at watching how homeowners are getting treated. The people in parliament are not living with what the people with RAAC in their homes are living with- the stress, the fear and the worry. There's five and half thousand people in Scotland suffering with this.' RAAC affected homeowners from across Scotland had gathered outside Holyrood on Wednesday morning ahead of scheduled hearing of a petition submitted by the UK RAAC Campaign group calling for an urgent amendment to the remit of the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) to include private owners of ex-council properties. Currently, the SHR's responsibilities are restricted to social tenants—those who rent from councils or housing associations. This means that when a private homeowner in an ex-council house discovers dangerous materials like RAAC, they have no regulator to turn to, no statutory advocate, and no co-ordinated government response. The petition called for an alternative creation of an altogether new body to ensure that owners of ex-council homes are protected during structural crises such as the one currently unfolding because of the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete RAAC in the 1960s/ 70s. Campaign leader Wilson Chowdhry has written to the new Housing Minister Mairi McAllan asking her to meet with home owners in Tillicoultry and West Lothian.
