Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, alongside his daughter Hannah, has registered an online petition on the Scottish Parliament petition portal, which will be considered by the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee during its meeting on 13 November 2024 at Holyrood. The approximate time for the consideration will be 10.50am.
Members of the public can watch the meeting live via Parliament TV or attend in person by booking tickets through the Parliament's website, available one week prior to the meeting.
On 22 August, a response to the petition was submitted by the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government, detailing current actions regarding Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) affected properties. This response highlights that the Scottish Housing Regulator is actively working with registered social landlords (RSLs) to manage approximately 1,994 homes affected by RAAC. While the UK Government has not allocated national funding for RAAC repairs, local authorities are encouraged to support residents through their Scheme of Assistance Strategies. The government does not see a need for a Public Inquiry due to existing knowledge about RAAC and ongoing collaboration through the RAAC Cross Sector Working Group. Additionally, it was noted that changes to building legislation would be under the UK Parliament’s jurisdiction, and while Scotland’s Building Standards Act provides enforcement powers, a register of high-risk buildings is not planned due to resource constraints.
In response, Mr. Chowdhry submitted further commentary on 6 October, emphasizing the historical oversight failures surrounding RAAC, which have been known since the 1960s. His response criticizes the lack of comprehensive investigations by safety bodies and calls for the establishment of a national fund to assist homeowners with remediation and fair property valuations. Furthermore, he urges a public inquiry to ensure transparency in council demolition plans and equitable treatment for socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Updating legislation to include a high-risk building registry and detailed property reports is deemed essential to prevent future crises.
Despite reaching out to all MSPs for Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen for support, Mr. Chowdhry has received no written responses from them. However, he received encouragement from Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain, who actively engaged with over 50 homeowners during their protest at the Scottish Parliament on 2 September 2024 (click here). Edward Mountain’s office has confirmed that he has submitted a letter of support for the petition.
Wilson Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign, said: "Scottish MSPs rarely offer public support for petitions, so we are genuinely moved by Edward Mountain MSP’s empathy," said Wilson Chowdhry. "Even with few RAAC-affected homeowners in his region, he has stepped up to support us. MSP Liam Kerr has also expressed interest in the petition and is receiving updates from the petition committee. I hope more MSPs with affected constituents will follow their lead."
Additionally, Mr. Chowdhry submitted another written response today (click here), urging the Scottish Parliament to allocate a portion of the new £3.4 billion in Treasury funding—announced by UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves—to support homeowners affected by RAAC facing significant financial and safety challenges. This additional funding, which Reeves described as the largest real-terms settlement since devolution, stems from the UK Government's budget and presents a vital opportunity for addressing urgent needs.
The proposed funding could facilitate critical remediation efforts, prevent local councils from acquiring properties at undervalued prices, and ensure that homeowner rights under the Equality Act 2010 are upheld. Furthermore, the proposal advocates for updating Blight Notice procedures to guarantee that councils purchase affected properties at fair market value, thereby safeguarding families from further economic distress.
Homeowners are organizing a protest outside the Scottish Parliament on 13 November from 12 PM to 2 PM ahead of the committee meeting from 9.30am to 10.30am, aiming to influence the Committee’s decisions positively. Evacuated homeowners from Tillicoultry, along with RAAC-affected residents from Dundee and Deans South, have already confirmed attendance but other affected RAAc regions are expected to join.
Options available to the Committee for action on the petition may include:
- Requesting additional written information or testimonies from the Scottish Government or other organizations.
- Inviting the petitioner for further discussion about the petition.
- Referring the petition to another committee.
- Recommending actions for the Scottish Government.
- Calling for a debate on the petition in the Chamber.
- Closing the petition.
“It’s imperative that MSPs on the Petitions Committee fully grasp the devastating impact the RAAC Homes scandal is having on homeowners across Scotland,” said Wilson Chowdhry. “Many affected individuals are facing severe mental health struggles, some experiencing deep depression and expressing suicidal thoughts, as they face the prospect of losing their homes. They stand to be compensated so little that they risk effective bankruptcy, while councils—backed by an apathetic government—seize the chance to buy up these properties cheaply to develop more lucrative projects. This looming decision is a final thread of hope for thousands of homeowners who fear their entire livelihoods will be stripped away unless the Scottish Government establishes a national fund to protect them.”
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