The RAAC concrete house was destined to be our forever home

May 3, 2024 Vaseline stjohnson 0

Screenshot, Ashleigh Mitchell bought her house in 2013

  • Author, Georgia Roberts
  • Role, Westminster Correspondent

Homeowners told the BBC they are living in fear of crushing bills after discovering a cheap version of concrete was used in their homes that could be at risk of collapsing.

Autoclaved reinforced cellular concrete (RAAC) was used mainly on flat roofs, but also on floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.

It has been found in public buildings across the country, raising fears about possible collapse of roofs and walls, and many local authorities are now taking steps to inspect council houses.

But while current tenants have their repair costs covered, many people who bought their council homes say they have nowhere to turn.

Ashleigh Mitchell bought her home near Livingston in West Lothian in 2013. She lives there with her partner and young son.

His street in the Chestnut Grove area of ​​Craigshill has 13 landlords and seven housing association tenants.

Ashleigh says she was “absolutely shocked” and “panicked” when the local housing association, Almond Housing, told her her house was made of 100% RAAC.

Their council tenant neighbors will move out permanently and their homes will be boarded up with metal bars to keep people out.

Ashleigh says she has been given estimates of around £40,000 to get the entire house properly treated.

“I’m devastated because this was meant to be our forever home,” she says.

“We are in complete limbo. People are scared, people are terrified. They say it’s dangerous, that it could collapse, that it could fall on us.

“The Scottish Government must step in and help the landlords.”

Screenshot, Karen Chappell has been attending meetings to lobby for more support.

Another Craigshill resident, Karen Chappell, has been attending meetings with residents like Ashleigh who are trying to lobby for more support.

Karen has been advised by the housing association to carry out a survey but she says this could cost around £2,000.

“That’s a lot more than a family’s typical expenses,” says Karen.

“I don’t feel particularly well supported by the establishments around us that should be there to do it, there is no information.

“We are afraid, I am afraid for my house in which I have invested all my savings. It means a lot to me.

“I take my kids there and think, ‘Is it worth anything? Is it going to disintegrate? Is it safe?'”

Almond Housing has been contacted for comment.

Screenshot, Jim Allan’s father bought his council house in Bathgate in 2003.

In nearby Bathgate, Jim Allan says the house he has lived in since 1968 is now “worthless”.

His father bought the family council house in 2003 and Jim took it over 12 years ago when his father died.

But he says his happy memories of living in the house are being overshadowed after West Lothian Council informed him that neighboring council houses had traces of RAAC.

Council tenants will be removed from their homes while repair work is completed, but Jim says he received a letter saying “you are on your own”.

He has been given estimates putting the work required in the region of £50,000.

However, it was also advised that it would be better to “match” the property given the scale and cost of the problem.

“I can’t sleep at night because it’s so stressful,” Jim says.

“I don’t have that kind of money. I don’t know what to do.”

Screenshot, Jim says he received a letter from the council saying he was “alone.”

He says his hopes of selling the property have been dashed.

“I don’t have any capital to move forward with my life in the future,” he says.

Jim says his father would never have bought the property if he had known it was defective.

West Lothian Council said suggestions it sold homes while aware of RAAC security concerns were “inaccurate”.

The authority said it was currently following guidelines issued by the Institute of Structural Engineers in April 2023 regarding the presence of RAAC.

A statement said: “The council last sold former council homes in 2017/18 when the right to buy scheme ended and this predates the identification of RAAC planks on a limited number of council homes.

“The council has no legal obligations in relation to privately owned properties and therefore has no power to support owners except in limited circumstances.”

Screenshot, Kerry Macintosh’s home in the Deans South area of ​​Livingston was condemned in 2004 due to RAAC.

Some people have been in this situation for a long time.

Kerry Macintosh’s home in the Deans South area of ​​Livingston was condemned in 2004 due to RAAC.

She embarked on a two-decade-long support campaign that will soon see her move to a new “similar” property on the estate.

The old properties have been demolished.

She wants others, like Jim, Ashleigh and Karen, to receive the same support.

Kerry wants financial support for all homeowners and a public inquiry into why former council properties were sold with structural defects.

He also wants the UK chancellor to review his budget to include support for RAAC homeowners.

“Homeowners have been treated absolutely appallingly,” Kerry says.

“This is the UK RAAC scandal and it will only get bigger and we will not stay silent until our voices are heard, until all owners get financial support.”

Construction safety and local government funding are the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

However, Housing Minister Paul McLennan told the BBC he wanted the UK government to step in with support.

He said without this it was “hard to say” what his government could offer.

A UK Government spokesman said the issue was the responsibility of the Scottish Government, which was securing a record financial settlement.

SNP MP for Livingston, Hannah Bardell, said that given its historic nature, the UK government should provide a legacy fund for homeowners.

“These houses were built before devolution, before the Scottish Parliament existed,” he said.

“The magnitude of the problem is much larger than we currently understand.”

Peter Drummond, president of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said that in the UK it was commonly understood that RAAC had a design life of no more than 30 years and concerns about defects first emerged in the 1990s. 1980.

“In Scotland, RAAC is mainly found in educational and healthcare properties,” he said.

“However, it is increasingly clear that housing, both public and private, has been affected.

“Owners of these private homes are facing very large repair bills and may not be able to obtain a loan on the property due to the defect.

“Therefore, they find themselves in an iniquitous situation through no fault of their own.”