Residents Left Homeless: The Heartbreaking Tale of Tillicoultry's RAAC Victims

Desperate families have been made homeless after the seizure of their condemned buildings.

Please join the UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP on Facebook!

In the heart of Clackmannanshire lies Tillicoultry, a serene village that was once home to Lynsey McQuater and several other homeowners. However, in 2023, their lives were upended in the most distressing manner imaginable.  Learn more about the 30 homes affected by RAAC in Clackmannanshire (here)

Lynsey recounts the chilling events of October 11th, 2023, when a letter, hand-delivered by the local council, shattered the tranquility of Tillicoultry's streets. The ominous notice proclaimed the necessity of inspecting all homes in the area for RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), a term that would soon become synonymous with anguish for the residents.

Within a mere three hours of dispatching the letter, council officers, accompanied by law enforcement, descended upon Lynsey's neighborhood. Armed with a warrant under the Buildings (Scotland) Act 2003, they issued an ultimatum: vacate the premises within two hours, taking only essentials for a fortnight's stay elsewhere. This abrupt expulsion marked the beginning of a nightmare for Lynsey and her neighbors. It should be noted that Lynsey, who had lived in her property for 23 years, had only 2 years left on her mortgage, adding another layer of distress to the harrowing situation.

"I had been staying with my mum, who was recovering from endometrial cancer surgery," Lynsey recalls, her voice trembling with emotion. "I found out the next morning from a neighbour, and it was too late to salvage any belongings as the block of flats was boarded up by the time I got there. When I phoned the council that day, I was informed that the police had to break entry to my home to ensure no one was inside. The council had changed my locks and had my new keys, assuring me that they would hand-deliver my notices in person. However, my notices were only sent by email on the 12th of October 2023, with no mention of my keys."

Tillicoultry has become a ghost town.

Evacuated residents were provided with three names from the council as points of contact that day, but two of the officers were on annual leave for a fortnight. Two weeks later, they were required to provide two lists: one for their immediate belongings and another for items to be placed in storage. Removal men and council workers entered their homes, as they were not allowed, and removed their belongings (although Lynsey's house keys were lost while in the council's care during this time). Lynsey had to give permission for them to break back into her home and change the locks, which was incredibly upsetting and traumatizing, causing heightened stress levels. She recalls breaking down and crying constantly, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. To have their items stored, they were told they had to make themselves homeless, and if they didn't, they would have to pay for storage themselves. The stress became unbearable, leading Lynsey to seek help from a doctor who signed her off work due to stress. She found it difficult to cope with normal day-to-day tasks, experienced insomnia, and was constantly in tears.

Forced to seek alternative accommodations, Lynsey has been staying with her mum for the last six months. Meanwhile, her other neighbors have been dispersed, with some staying with family members, others placed into homeless accommodation, and some relocated to bedsits in different towns. Like Lynsey, they too are grappling with the mental and financial toll of the entire situation.

"It felt like a cruel joke," Lynsey laments. "We were left to navigate the complexities of homelessness while still burdened with mortgage payments. And to add insult to injury, the council demanded rent from homeowners living in homeless accommodations and bedsits, even though they had constructed the condemned properties we purchased. For the 23 years I lived in the flat, there was no maintenance work or roof inspections. I only discovered last month that the council had ceased to be factors in my building 11 months prior to the eviction, leaving them uninhabitable. It's a double blow of injustice - first, being unjustly forced out of our homes, and then my neighbors and friends being asked to bear the consequences of their actions. It's an unimaginable ordeal compounded by the very authorities who should be protecting us."

Abandoned tenement buildings in Tillicoultry

Despite pleas for assistance directed at various authorities, including the Scottish government, local MPs, and insurance providers, Lynsey and her fellow homeowners found themselves ensnared in bureaucratic inertia.

"Our cries for help fell on deaf ears," she sighs. "It's as if we're invisible, abandoned to fend for ourselves in the aftermath of a catastrophe."

With each passing day, the spectre of uncertainty looms larger. At a recent council meeting, officials floated the idea of demolishing the three blocks in Tillicoultry, including the homes of RAAC homeowners While plans for new dwellings are underway, no assurance displaced homeowners will be compensated for their homes.

"The council talks of hefty repair costs and demolition plans," Lynsey muses, her voice tinged with resignation. "But amidst all the rhetoric, the fate of us homeowners remains uncertain. Will our homes be rebuilt, or are we destined to be casualties of a council more focused on procedure than on people?"

As the residents of Tillicoultry grapple with the aftermath of Clackmannanshire Council's ruthless intrusion, one can't help but wonder: when will justice prevail for those left to pick up the shattered fragments of their lives?

(click here)

Residents affected by RAAC in Clackmannanshire are now rallying behind Hannah Chowdhry's petition for the establishment of a national fund to aid RAAC-affected communities across the UK. Your support can make a difference. Join us by signing our petition (here). Let's stand together to ensure that those impacted by RAAC receive the assistance they desperately need.

Since the seizure of the properties, Lynsey has observed that two of the blocks on High Street and Park Street, lack dangerous notices attached to the buildings, and there is no security fencing to protect the public around any of the buildings. Additionally, near High Street, there is a pathway open for public use by the side of the buildings. This absence of safety protocols raises questions about whether the buildings were truly as dangerous as the council claimed. Furthermore, the electricity in the stairwells of the two blocks remains operational, posing a safety hazard in itself. 

Wilson Chowdhry, a member of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, expressed grave concern over the treatment of residents. He said:

"Under Clause 7, Sections 29 and 30 of the Building(Scotland) Act 2023, a Dangerous Building Notice cannot be issued without first seeking agreement with landlords to rectify the defect rendering a building unsafe. Lynsey contends that there was no consultation with landlords prior to the notice, and the council conveniently absconded from their responsibilities as factors for the property months before orchestrating the forced eviction from homes. While I have notified Lynsey that the 21-day appeal period has elapsed, I've urged her to seek legal guidance regarding any further avenues for appeal or potential legal recourse. 

"Moreover, Lynsey alleges that Clackmannanshire council failed to uphold their obligations in maintaining the building or conducting roof inspections during their tenure as factors. Consequently, I've advised Lynsey to seek legal counsel to ascertain whether these oversights constitute a breach of responsibilities and if compensation may be warranted."