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The Government’s recent response to the petition “RAAC Homeowners Justice: National Fund, Legislative Reform & Public Inquiry Now!” is deeply disappointing—not just for what it says, but for what it fails to address.
At a time when hundreds of homeowners across the UK remain trapped in unsafe properties, facing financial ruin through no fault of their own, the Government has effectively chosen to do nothing.
Instead of acknowledging the scale of the crisis, the response downplays it. By stating that the “prevalence of RAAC in housing is low” and that the “risk of injury… is low,” the Government sidesteps the real issue: people are losing their homes, their financial security, and their futures. This is not simply a question of statistical risk—it is a human crisis affecting real families.
A Policy Vacuum
The petition called for meaningful, practical solutions:
- A public inquiry into how RAAC has been handled
- A national high-risk building register
- Mandatory defect reporting
- A 60-year developer liability period
- Compensation measures for affected homeowners
Yet the Government has rejected new measures outright, relying instead on existing frameworks that have already proven inadequate. The claim that current guidance is sufficient rings hollow when councils such as West Lothian and Dundee are offering little or no meaningful support to affected residents.
Homeowners are being left in limbo—unable to sell, unable to remortgage, and in many cases, still paying mortgages on properties deemed unsafe or uninhabitable.
Silence on First-Time Buyer Status
Perhaps most concerning is the continued failure to address one of the most critical and reasonable requests: restoring first-time buyer status to those who lose their homes due to RAAC.
I have raised this issue directly with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including in correspondence with Minister Samantha Dixon MBE MP. Despite assurances that this matter would be considered, no clear or substantive response has been provided.
This silence is not acceptable.
Many of the homeowners affected by RAAC come from areas identified in indices of deprivation. These are not wealthy property investors—they are ordinary people who followed the rules, bought homes in good faith, and are now facing devastating consequences due to systemic failures in construction and regulation.
To deny them the opportunity to rebuild their lives through restored first-time buyer status is not just an oversight—it is a profound injustice.
A Pattern of Neglect
The Government’s response reflects a broader pattern: acknowledge the issue, minimise its significance, and avoid taking responsibility.
Meanwhile, local authorities pass the burden onto residents, citing limited resources or devolved responsibilities. The result is a fragmented and ineffective response that leaves homeowners abandoned.
What Happens Next
This is not the end of the matter.
I will be writing again directly to Minister Samantha Dixon to demand a clear and detailed response specifically on the issue of first-time buyer status. This is a fundamental part of restoring fairness for those who have lost everything through no fault of their own.
The fight for justice for RAAC homeowners continues. We will not accept silence, inaction, or half-measures while families are left to bear the cost of failures they did not create.
The Government must do better—and we will continue to hold them to account until they do.
The RAAC crisis is not just about concrete—it is about accountability.
And we are far from finished.
📧 Email: wilson@aasecurity.co.uk
📢 Twitter/X: https://x.com/WilsonChowdhry
#RAACScandal #Petition2113 #ScottishParliament #SupportRAACVictims #EndTheSilence
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