Scottish Government Confirms Meeting with RAAC Campaigner After Long-Delayed Engagement

Image: Campaigners in a committee room at the Scottish Parliament, where the Petitions Committee demonstrated strong support for their RAAC petition.

JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)

 

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT (CLICK HERE) AND OFFICIAL UK GOVERNMENT PETITION (HERE).

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

The Scottish Government has confirmed a long-awaited meeting with Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, to address the ongoing RAAC homes crisis and its severe impact on homeowners. Scheduled for Tuesday, 14th January 2025, the meeting will include Khalida Hussain from the Housing Standards & Quality Team, Better Homes Division, Local Government and Housing Directorate, along with three additional colleagues involved in RAAC policy development.  

This meeting comes after several unsuccessful attempts to secure direct engagement with Housing Minister Paul McLennan MSP and First Minister John Swinney. Mr. Chowdhry expressed his disappointment that the meeting will not include the Housing Minister himself but acknowledged the minister’s commitment to cooperating with the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee, which is actively pursuing actions to address the crisis. In his letter, Mr. McLennan stated, "As you will be aware, at this stage the petition committee has yet to take its course; a discussion about the actions the committee has outlined is not appropriate at the moment. I will however fully co-operate with the requirements of the committee."

Fiona Crichton, Secretary for the UK RAAC Campaign Group, who will also be attending the meeting, said:

"This meeting is about a year too late. Desperate homeowners have been waiting far too long for a stronger response from the Government. Some of us have had to evacuate our homes and are already burdened with significant costs.

I am relieved that the Government is finally acknowledging the devastating impact on homeowners and that the Housing Minister has not ruled out a follow-up meeting once the Scottish Parliament Petition Committee has completed its work. It's the very least we deserve."

The Petitions Committee has outlined a series of steps in response to the RAAC petition, including:

1. Keeping the Petition Open: The petition remains open to gather further information and pursue necessary actions, as suggested by MSP David Torrance.
2. Consulting Professional Bodies: Organizations such as Built Environment Scotland, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Royal Incorporation of Architects of Scotland will be consulted to review and respond to concerns raised.
3. Highlighting Assistance Gaps: The committee has noted that current local authority assistance schemes primarily offer advice rather than financial support, leaving affected homeowners without tangible aid.
4. Exploring UK Government Funding: Updates will be sought on discussions with the UK Government regarding funding for RAAC remediation, including whether recent UK Budget allocations will address the RAAC crisis in Scotland.
5. Updating Home Report Standards: Plans to revise home report standards to include critical structural information will be explored, ensuring future buyers are better informed.
6. Gathering Evidence: The committee is committed to formally gathering evidence from stakeholders, potentially including direct testimony from the Housing Minister.

Mr. Chowdhry commented, "This meeting is long overdue, and I remain deeply disappointed that it will not be with Housing Minister Paul McLennan MSP himself. However, I take some reassurance from his commitment to fully cooperate with the Petitions Committee, which I believe is driving forward crucial actions to address this crisis.

The RAAC homes issue has left countless homeowners trapped in limbo, with many at risk of financial ruin and homelessness. These affected communities are among the most deprived across the UK, not just in Scotland, as reflected in multiple indices of deprivation. They lack the resources to fund the essential repairs needed to make their homes safe again, leaving them to face the devastating prospect of losing everything they have worked so hard for.

This crisis stems from council cost-cutting measures that prioritized cheaply built, unsafe homes. These properties were later sold to unsuspecting buyers through the Government's Right to Buy scheme and subsequently passed on to further unaware homeowners. It is a failure of governance and oversight that has placed an unbearable burden on innocent families, and immediate, tangible support is urgently needed."

Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Chowdhry is preparing a survey for RAAC-affected homeowners to gather critical insights. The survey results will be shared with Khalida Hussain and her team to inform discussions and highlight the real-world impact of the crisis.