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MSP John Swinney
First Minister for Scotland
Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
Open Letter to John Swinney, First Minister of Scotland
Dear John Swinney MSP,
I am writing to you in response to your recent statement about creating an environment where “every person in Scotland can thrive” and your commitment to a bottom-up approach to governance. While I acknowledge your intention to foster progress from the ground up, a pressing matter stands in stark contrast to this vision: the housing crisis facing homeowners impacted by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in Scotland.
As you well know, a growing number of homeowners across the country are facing potential bankruptcy and homelessness due to the discovery of RAAC in the structures of their homes. Despite recognizing this serious issue, many affected families are left in limbo, waiting for meaningful support from the Scottish Government. These individuals, often living in fear of an uncertain future, are desperately seeking a resolution from a government that has promised to create conditions for everyone to thrive.
Homeowners struggling with the RAAC crisis are still waiting for decisive action. The bottom-up approach you champion may be effective in many areas, but it has failed to materialize into tangible support for those living with RAAC-related risks in their homes.
Just last week, on November 13, the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee reviewed the petition submitted by myself and my daughter for RAAC homeowners, which included several actionable and positive next steps. Despite the committee's commitment to pursue these measures, including consulting experts, engaging with the Housing Minister, and addressing concerns with UK Government funding, homeowners continue to face uncertainty, with no clear timeline for the necessary financial support or remediation plans.
While the committee has agreed to keep the petition open to gather more information, homeowners are left in the precarious position of having to wait for further consultation and evidence gathering, while their homes are literally crumbling beneath them. The current local authority schemes offer only advice and not the financial support needed to address the
In your recent speech, you claimed that “every single day, I meet inspirational people from all walks of life – people who are doing their bit to make their community, their business or their country that wee bit better today than it was yesterday.” I find it troubling, then, that despite the gravity of the situation, you have yet to meet with any of the thousands of homeowners across Scotland who are living in homes made dangerous by RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete). These homeowners are facing mounting debts, bankruptcy, and the very real possibility of homelessness, yet they have received no meaningful support from the Scottish Government.
While you’ve spoken of the importance of “creating the conditions for every person in Scotland to thrive,” it seems clear that RAAC homeowners have been left behind in your rhetoric. Councils across Scotland are offering little more than paltry and often punitive proposals — Voluntary Agreements that are unreasonably low, and Compulsory Purchase Orders that absolve local authorities of responsibility for the use of substandard building materials that have endangered these families’ homes and safety. These were not homes built by the homeowners themselves but were properties sold to them through government-backed schemes such as the Right to Buy. Many of these homes are now health and safety hazards, and the people who trusted the state to protect them are being left to pay the price for a failure they did not cause.
As a representative of the thousands of people affected by the RAAC crisis, I, Wilson Chowdhry, am more than willing to meet with you and discuss the plight of these homeowners. If you truly want to “roll up your sleeves” as you have stated, this meeting could be a productive step toward understanding the dire situation these families face. I would be happy to introduce you to many of the homeowners directly impacted by RAAC, who would be willing to provide firsthand accounts of how they have been unfairly treated. Their stories are powerful, and it is essential that those in positions of power hear their voices.
There is also a huge opportunity for you, Mr. Swinney, to right this wrong. The £3.4 billion budget being offered by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, could be used to establish a national fund for RAAC homeowners. This could be modelled on the similar funds created for victims of cladding and flood damage. The time to act is now, and the Scottish Government has the ability to make a real difference for those suffering the consequences of RAAC. In fact, many of these families are facing debts they can never repay, mortgage payments for homes that will eventually be demolished, and insurance premiums that do not cover any incidents of the damage caused by RAAC.
Take, for example, the families in Tillicoultry, who find themselves trapped in what can only be described as a “mortgage prison.” They are forced to continue paying for properties that will ultimately be demolished, unable to secure offers from other banks as they remain tied to a single lender. Many are now renting from councils, while their insurance policies refuse to cover repairs, citing RAAC as a pre-existing issue. In addition, these homeowners are losing precious belongings, as they face the ongoing threat of being unable to enter their properties, and are burdened with exorbitant storage costs. Then, there are the homeowners in Aberdeen, confronted with £71,000 in repair bills deducted from already paltry voluntary offers, with no consideration for the current market value of their homes, which has effectively dropped to zero due to RAAC.
This is not an isolated issue. Homeowners in Angus, Dundee, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh, West Lothian, and many other areas are still waiting for government intervention. Paul McLennan, a key figure in this issue, has refused to extend help to homeowners, claiming that the Scottish Treasury cannot provide financial support to those affected by RAAC, citing a lack of funding from the UK Government. Yet, considering the £3.4 billion budget being offered by the UK Treasury, this excuse rings hollow. The record size and scale of this budget offers a tremendous opportunity for the Scottish Government to act decisively and provide much-needed relief to RAAC homeowners.
Mr. Swinney, you have a historic chance to demonstrate real leadership in addressing this crisis. Homeowners are desperate for a solution, and the time for delay and excuses has passed. I urge you to meet with me and some of those directly affected, understand the full extent of the suffering they are enduring and work toward a national fund that will allow these families to rebuild their lives.
The words “creating an environment for every person in Scotland to thrive” must go beyond political rhetoric and be reflected in meaningful action. These homeowners, who have been failed by the system, deserve nothing less.
I look forward to your response and hope that you will take the necessary steps to correct this grave injustice.
Sincerely,
Wilson Chowdhry
Chairman, UK RAAC Campaign Group
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