In the heart of Tillicoultry, a young family faces an ongoing battle with their rented flat on Frederick Street. Since November 2023, the tenants have been grappling with various issues, ranging from internal mould and broken windows to the more pressing concern of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their property. The journey has been marked by frustration, health concerns, and an overwhelming sense of neglect from the relevant authorities and their landlord and his assigned letting agents.
The Initial Concerns
The problems began late last year when the family received a letter from Clackmannanshire Council notifying them of the presence of RAAC in their flat. The letter promised a follow-up survey to assess the extent and implications of the issue. However, despite repeated attempts to get updates, including emails sent in May, the tenants received no response from the responsible officer Andrew Buchanan, the Council's Housing Operations Manager.
"Although I had some initial responses in November, we have been chasing for a further survey and have had no luck. Andrew Murray has simply ignored my emails," the tenant shared. The lack of communication and resolution prompted the family to reach out to their local MP and housing authorities, though they hold little hope for a timely response.
Living Conditions
The family's living conditions have deteriorated significantly over the past few months. Mould has become a pervasive problem, with spores spreading across the living room walls, hallway, and bathroom window frames. A crack above their bedroom window, caused by crumbling concrete, has exacerbated their concerns.
In February, just before the birth of their son, the tenant informed their letting agent about the RAAC issue. However, the landlord and agent seemed unaware and unprepared to address the problem. Since April, they have been chasing the landlord to fix the mould and structural issues, but progress has been slow and inadequate.
"We recently had our kitchen window fixed because it wasn't sealed correctly, creating more damp and mould. But we're still waiting on a solution for the rest of the mould," the tenant explained. The frustration reached new heights when the landlord suggested using a mould remover that proved ineffective, leaving marks on the paint instead.
Health Concerns
Health concerns have compounded the family's stress. They recently recovered from COVID-19 and worry about the potential respiratory issues the persistent mould might cause, especially for their baby boy. The situation worsened when they were left without hot water for weeks during their son's immunisations and had to deal with a broken washing machine, adding to their daily struggles.
"We requested a small rent reduction due to these issues but were denied. We've had to use petrol to go to my partner's parents just to maintain basic hygiene," the tenant lamented.
Neighbourhood Woes
The issues extend beyond their flat. The outdoor areas are poorly maintained, with storage units in disrepair and fly-tipping occurring frequently. The tenants also contend with a downstairs neighbour who smokes cannabis, filling their flat with the smell, and an upstairs neighbour with a harassment order, adding to their anxiety and discomfort. The situation is further compounded by residents leaving all the downstairs windows open to eliminate the pungent smell of cannabis, which undermines the security of the building.
A Cry for Help
Despite their efforts, the family feels they are being "palmed off" by the housing associations and local authorities. The unresolved mould and RAAC issues, combined with the overall neglect of their living conditions, have left them increasingly stressed and desperate for a resolution.
"We are feeling unsatisfied with the timeframes and have even applied to be placed on the housing register at the lowest bronze award," the tenant shared, reflecting their dwindling hope for improvement.
As winter approaches, the family fears the health implications of untreated mould and the structural dangers posed by the RAAC. Their story highlights the urgent need for responsive and effective action from landlords, letting agents, and housing authorities to ensure safe and healthy living conditions for all tenants.
The family reached out to Wilson Chowdhry of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, who sent an inquiry to Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Wilson Lees - Homelessness and Supporting People Manager, and Murray Sharp - Senior Manager (Housing) on 8th July. Within minutes of Mr. Chowdhry sending that email, a response was sent to the tenant in which Mr. Buchanan stated, "The issue which you have raised with me previously I have directed to the council's repairs team to progress inspection, I apologise for any breakdown in communication with you, I will raise your concerns over the roof and window with the repairs team to take the matter forward with you..."
In the same email, Mr. Buchanan explained, "...whilst the council owns property within the block the cost of communal repairs and maintenance works to the block would be a shared cost borne by all owners. The issues which you have raised in respect of the roof and window would most likely fall into this category of common repairs and all owners being responsible then for taking forward repair works and paying a share of the cost of these. Owners are able to progress to undertake works inspections and share works quotations with other owners without need to first seek permission for this from the Council."
Addressing the mould issue, Mr. Buchanan suggested, "...I understand the concerns which you raise regards mould growth within your property and would suggest that you make contact with a suitably qualified damp specialist contractor to undertake inspection of your property to confirm the cause of the issue and provide advice/quotation for remedial actions that will rectify the issue."
Finally, regarding the follow-up survey, he noted, "The survey work is being arranged via the Council's Property Team who are seeking to schedule works with structural surveyors, there is no confirmed date as yet for this further survey work to be undertaken at the block in which you reside. A member of the team will be in touch with residents as soon as we have a schedule in place."
Mr. Chowdhry also spoke with Mr. Lees regarding whether the council would prioritize rehousing private tenants into council housing should they need to be evacuated due to RAAC. Mr. Lees responded:
"The Council's responsibilities to private tenants are very different from those to the Council's own tenants. At this time, private tenants should be speaking with their landlord or their agents."
"The situation would change dramatically if the building became uninhabitable. At that point, tenants would be able to lodge a homeless application with the Council and would be provided with temporary accommodation. Assuming they were found to be homeless, the Council would then have an obligation to secure permanent accommodation for them, if that is what they wished."
"We have the facility to contact the private landlords and agents who are affected by RAAC; they should all be on our landlord register. If there is a specific message you feel would be useful to pass on to this group, let me know and I'd be happy to arrange for that."
Mr. Chowdhry has relayed this information to the tenant and will continue to monitor the situation, providing assistance where he can. He said:
"The responses from the council offer some solace to the tenant, but she is still living in a property with a dangerous amount of mildew that needs to be removed urgently for the health of her family. I have asked Mr. Lees to remind landlords of the need to maintain their properties properly while awaiting the RAAC inspection results. Additionally, I have directed the tenant to contact Clackmannanshire's Environmental Team to discuss the fly-tipping and mildew issues and their removal under the Control of Pests Act and other suitable legal provisions.
The tenant has agreed to contact the letting agents, O'Malley's, to register her concerns again. If they continue to ignore her, I have offered to intervene by writing a letter from our group expressing our concerns. I hope the solutions offered will help address the immediate and long-term challenges this family has had to endure."
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