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The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Reprieve for Scots RAAC campaigners seeking justice
A public petition by the group earlier this year garnered just 7,655 signatures, less than the 10,000 required for a government response. But it has been confirmed that they will have another chance to enlist public support for their cause. This time, campaigners hope to reach 100,000 signatures, which would spark a parliamentary debate. 'We were down but not out,' said Wilson Chowdhry, the group's chairman. 'This scandal is too big, too devastating, and too cruel to be ignored. 'The government has now given us a second chance to make our voices heard. We will not stop until homeowners get the justice, financial support, and recognition they deserve. RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, was used in thousands of public buildings across the UK between the 1960s and 1990s. Houses in Tillicoultry were evacuated after being found to contain the material. (Image: Scott Barron) Now, those who own properties containing the brittle material, which resembles the composition of an Aero Bar, have been left scrambling for answers. Chowdry told The Herald last month: 'Over the years, each council that has renovated roofs containing RAAC has said repairs were due to insulation, not structural integrity. Yet, it was known this material was dangerous.' 'Anyone who has lost their home due to safety defects must be awarded first time home buyer status,' the campaigner added. 'They should also be able to renegotiate the terms of their mortgage. Some will have to pay off a 30 year mortgage for a pile of rubble. Read more: Ewan McGregor mansion plans thrown out by Perthshire and Kinross Council How Nigel Farage could turn the North East turquoise in 2026 £150m Aberdeen incinerator temporarily shuttered over structural faults 'The government bailed out the banks using taxpayer money and now we want the banks to bail out the people.' The new petition, which has been signed 341 times in two days, reads: 'We are concerned that many families across the UK face homelessness, bankruptcy, and trauma after being forced from homes made unsafe by RAAC. 'These homeowners did nothing wrong — yet are left to shoulder the burden of institutional failure and unsafe construction practices.'
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.
Wales Online
19-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Homeowners facing bills of £23,000 to deal with RAAC join call for national emergency fund
Homeowners facing bills of £23,000 to deal with RAAC join call for national emergency fund Dozens of properties in the Gower estate in Hirwaun were discovered to have RAAC with 14 of these being privately owned (Image: Wilson Chowdhry ) Homeowners facing bills of around £23,000 to deal with RAAC in their properties have joined calls for a national remediation fund and emergency government support. Residents in Hirwaun who own their properties which are affected by RAAC say they are being left to deal with the issue which was discovered in 77 homes on the Gower estate back in 2024 and at a recent meeting residents joined forces with the UK RAAC campaign group in calling for a national remediation fund and emergency government support. It's in a bid to prevent what the group calls a 'looming disaster that could see families bankrupted or made homeless'. Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight building material used in housing between the 1950s and 1980s and it hit the headlines in 2023 structural issues were identified with it. Of the affected homes in Hirwaun 14 were purchased under the Right to Buy scheme and are now privately owned leaving owners facing five-figure repair bills without financial assistance, the group says. One resident said: 'We're stuck. We can't sell, we can't insure, we can't borrow, and we can't afford to fix the problem. We're being left behind.' Article continues below Campaigners are urging the public to back their petition to the UK Government, which demands a national remediation fund, a public inquiry into the handling of RAAC by councils and housing associations, and legal reforms to protect owners of affected homes. The petition must reach 10,000 signatures by June 17 to receive an official response from the government, the group says. To get all the latest on Welsh politics, health, education and more, sign up to our Wales Matters newsletter. A second petition aimed at the Welsh Government will also be launched specifically demanding financial support and long-term solutions for affected residents in Hirwaun. At the recent meeting residents discussed forming a constituted Welsh group aligned with the UK RAAC Campaign to maintain pressure on both the Welsh and UK Governments. They say the silence from mortgage lenders and insurance companies is exacerbating their fears with many now ineligible for standard insurance products and some fearing they may end up facing threats of repossession. Wilson Chowdhry, who is helping to coordinate the campaign, said: 'This is a national issue and needs a national response. If nothing changes people are going to lose their homes through no fault of their own.' The Welsh Government said: 'We recognise how difficult the situation is for all residents affected by RAAC in both private and social homes on the Gower estate in Hirwaun and the strain this is having on them. 'We are working closely with both the local authority and Trivallis to continue to monitor the situation and would strongly encourage all homeowners to undertake surveys to identify the extent of the RAAC within their homes before contacting Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council who stand ready to support them.' Building safety is devolved to the Welsh Government and a national remediation fund for homeowners affected by RAAC is not under consideration by the UK Government. Article continues below The UK Parliament petition can be seen here.
