A packed audience met to discuss plans for RAAC affected communities in West Lothian
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In a gathering brimming with urgency and determination, residents of West Lothian assembled at The Tower Bar on April 25th, 7 PM, to address the pressing issue of crumbling concrete plaguing their homes. The meeting, marked by the presence of esteemed guests including politicians and community leaders, served as a pivotal moment in their ongoing struggle for justice and resolution.
Among those present were Livingston MP Hannah Bardell, along with local Craigshill Ward councillors Damian Doran-Timson and Veronica Smith, and Bathgate councillor Willie Boyle. Also in attendance was Kerry Mackintosh, a resilient advocate and former resident of Deans South Estate, who dedicated 18 years to securing housing for her community. Additionally, Wilson Chowdhry from the UK RAAC Campaign Group was invited to share his insights.
Despite hopes for collaborative solutions, disappointment loomed as both West Lothian Council (WLC) and Almond Housing Association (AHA) declined invitations to attend. The absence of these key stakeholders underscored the frustration stemming from a perceived lack of communication and support from authorities.
Central to the discussion were updates on the ongoing surveys within Craigshill, a community heavily impacted by the housing crisis. While initial reports indicated progress with visual surveys conducted by structural engineers, concerns persisted regarding the safety of certain properties. Notably, only one house was found devoid of RAAC due to previous fire damage.
In a bid to address the myriad challenges faced by homeowners, politicians like Damien Doran-Timson and Hannah Bardell advocated for increased government funding for surveys and emphasized the need for collaborative efforts. Bardell, in particular, highlighting the critical role of local authorities in addressing the crisis and called for a comprehensive approach to future-proof housing solutions.
First to speak was Cllr Damian Doran-Timson who expressed disappointment, he voiced his dismay at the absence of representatives from West Lothian Council (WLC) and Almond Housing Association (AHA), attributing it to a dearth of information and inadequate communication. He underscored the importance of transparency and collaboration in addressing the housing crisis. To address these pressing concerns, he announced his intention to table a motion urging the council to provide a comprehensive report on their actions and to seek funding from the Scottish Government. This funding would be designated for surveys to be conducted for every single home, regardless of ownership, with the aim of resolving the issue once and for all.
Hannah Bardell was up next, she explained that she had been advocating for surveys to be funded jointly by the Scottish and UK governments, stressing the importance of collaborative efforts in utilizing consequential funding. Furthermore, she highlighted the responsibility of local authorities in addressing the crisis. She voiced her deep concern regarding the challenges faced by local residents in securing insurance for their properties, highlighting the urgency of the issue. She assured attendees that she had initiated communication with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to address these pressing concerns and find viable solutions.
At this juncture, Wilson Chowdhry elaborated on his direct communication with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and his collaborative efforts with MPs. He underscored a crucial point: insurance policies, as they currently stand, would not provide coverage for remedial works to building defects like RAAC. This stark reality, he emphasized, renders such insurance effectively futile for homeowners. Chowdhry painted a vivid scenario, illustrating how insurers might exploit loopholes to evade payouts in the event of a catastrophe, such as an earthquake-induced roof collapse, by attributing it to the presence of RAAC in the construction.
Further details can be found in this blog post from March 19th 2024 (click here).
To address this issue, Wilson proposed a solution whereby West Lothian Council (WLC) could underwrite insurance using a grant provided by the council. This approach would make insurance more affordable for homeowners and spread capital costs for WLC. Mr Chowdhry hoped that funding would ultimately be sourced from the Scottish Government .
Cllr Damian took note of Wilson's proposal and expressed his commitment to explore it further with West Lothian Council (WLC). He acknowledged the potential benefits of such a measure in addressing the insurance affordability issue for homeowners affected by RAAC-related concerns.
In response to a question from the audience regarding whether RAAC homeowners would encounter challenges securing mortgages, Ms. Bardell assured attendees that she would take proactive steps to address this issue. She pledged to correspond engage with her colleagues in Parliament to advocate for solutions that ensure fair access to mortgages for all homeowners affected by RAAC-related concerns.
She urged individuals facing RAAC-related issues to reach out to her office , promising to escalate these concerns to Parliament. Expressing a valid concern, she questioned the long-term viability of simply extending the lifespan of affected houses by another 30 years, fearing a recurrence of the crisis in the future.
Wilson Chowdhry then shared a poignant personal anecdote about his daughter's experience purchasing a house at 19, only to become entangled in the national RAAC scandal. Returning to the earlier question about mortgages, he affirmed that existing mortgage companies would be legally obligated to offer renewals. However, he expressed concern over the potential consequence of this, fearing that homeowners would become "mortgage prisoners," locked into the interest rates of a single company. He earnestly requested MP Bardell to champion this issue in Parliament, urging for measures to mitigate the financial burdens imposed on affected homeowners. Ms Bardell at this point was about to expand on what help could be offered by the government but was cut short by the convener of the meeting. Hannah Chowdhry has written to the
Cllr Willie Boyle raised a critical question about obtaining surveys for private properties, particularly in Bathgate where a builder was encountering difficulties in securing RAAC surveys. In response, Wilson offered assistance by providing a contact who might be able to help facilitate the surveys. He has since provided the contact details to 6 local councillors in Bathgate and Craigshill.
Mr. Chowdhry further emphasized the council's obligation to acknowledge its responsibility regarding latent defects and uphold its duty of care to homeowners. He shed light on the shortcomings of the Right to Buy scheme, stressing how it had failed to address issues like those stemming from RAAC-related concerns, and tragically resulted in making homeless the very people the scheme was intended to help buy their first home.
Cllr Willie Boyle advocated for a unified approach, suggesting that one contractor should be tasked with providing surveys for all affected properties. Interestingly, this proposal echoed a similar initiative that Wilson Chowdhry had previously proposed to Aberdeen City Council back in October 2023. A group-buy initiative, as suggested by Cllr Boyle, would likely result in more affordable prices for homeowners. However, it became apparent during the meeting that both elected officials and members of the public unanimously agreed that the costs for inspections should ultimately be covered by West Lothian Council (WLC).
Hannah Bardell proposed the idea of pursuing a class action against West Lothian Council (WLC) regarding the RAAC situation. However, Wilson Chowdhry expressed reservations about resorting to legal action at this stage, deeming it a risky endeavor that should be considered as a last resort. Instead, he emphasized the importance of leveraging the political process to residents' advantage. He urged attendees to participate in the upcoming protests outside the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, May 11th, 2024, and outside the Civic Centre in West Lothian on May 14th, 2024. Details for the protest can be found (here).
Mr. Chowdhry suggested an alternative approach, proposing that initially, an action could be initiated by a council tenant, possibly funded by legal aid. Later on, this action could be combined with a class action, a strategy that had been under discussion by the Torry Community Council for several months. This phased approach aimed to explore more feasible and potentially less risky avenues for seeking redress and accountability.
Kerry Mackintish, then expressed her solidarity with the community, offering her support to all affected homeowners. She highlighted a concerning observation made two decades ago, noting that RAAC was present in both the walls and roofs of properties in Chestnut Grove.
Additionally, Kerry emphasized the importance of participation in the upcoming protests, urging attendance at the demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on May 11th, 2024, and the protest at the Civic Centre on May 14th, 2024.
Furthermore, Kerry voiced grievances regarding the lack of transparency from relevant authorities. She criticized the failure of WLC and Almond Housing Association to provide regular updates on the state of buildings and the absence of adequate explanation regarding RAAC before homeowners purchased their properties. This lack of communication left homeowners uninformed and ill-prepared to address the challenges posed by RAAC.
Cllr Damien then assured attendees that the council had committed to providing one-on-one meetings with individuals to address their concerns. He encouraged anyone experiencing difficulties in scheduling such meetings to inform him directly, pledging to advocate on their behalf and follow up with the council to ensure that their needs were met.
Hannah Bardell expressed hope that lessons had been learned from the Deans South situation. She emphasized the importance of Almond Housing Association (AHA) taking responsibility for repairing houses and exploring various options, asserting that homeowners and WLC should not bear the financial burden of surveys.
Wilson Chowdhry shed light on the aftermath of the Deans South situation, revealing that out of 86 houses, only 10 were eventually acquired from a private developer; notably, this was not a solution provided by WLC. He cautioned against making hasty decisions to leave one's home unless presented with a favourable offer. Wilson emphasized the importance of continuing engagement with council members to pursue a paid-for initial survey, crucial for determining the stability of RAAC in homeowner properties, and staying abreast of any developments in the matter. However, he warned about the potential consequences, including the possibility of properties being condemned if the survey report was negative. He cited a case in Tillicoultry as an example, highlighting the risk of swift evictions with only two hours notice.
The meeting concluded with a resolute call to action, encapsulated in a comprehensive register of actions. From securing funding for surveys to coordinating protests at the Scottish Parliament and West Lothian Civic Centre, the community rallied behind a collective vision for change.
REGISTER OF ACTIONS:- Secure funding for surveys.
- Ensure attendance of WLC and AHA at the next meeting.
- Establish a crowdfunding page for Craigshill residents.
- Compile information and data for Hannah regarding all affected individuals and their individual circumstances.
- Arrange for a structural engineer to attend the next meeting.
- Inquire about legal advice.
- Facilitate Hannah's discussion with the insurance sector.
- Organize the protest at the Scottish Parliament on May 11th.
- Coordinate the protest at the Civic Centre on May 14th from 9am to 10am, prior to the council meeting.
As residents departed, buoyed by a renewed sense of solidarity and purpose, the echoes of their voices reverberated with determination. For in their united front against adversity, they found strength—not merely to confront the challenges of today, but to shape a future where every home stands firm on the foundation of justice and resilience.
After the meeting, Wilson Chowdhry expressed his satisfaction with the productive discussion held with the residents of West Lothian, where the unique challenges encountered by those residing in properties with RAAC were thoroughly addressed. West Lothian boasts 69 council-owned properties, while a significant 318 properties are under the management of Almond Housing. Interestingly, only approximately 34 of Almond Housing's stock are categorized as high risk. Notably, within the Almond Housing Estate, there are 10 privately owned homes, although no specific figures were available for other privately owned RAAC properties throughout the council.
Chowdhry found it encouraging to observe that both West Lothian Council and Almond Housing are actively engaged in efforts to repair existing homes whenever possible, a commendable departure from the approach adopted by Aberdeen City Council. Moreover, in many instances, Almond Housing is also making proactive choices to manage risks associated with medium-risk properties.
However, despite these commendable efforts, homeowners and private tenants alike continue to grapple with challenges in accessing necessary support, while council tenants are expressing a need for further assurances regarding the coverage of their expenses.
Chowdhry reiterated their unwavering commitment to closely monitoring this situation and advocating for a fair deal for all those impacted. It remains imperative to persist in challenging for the rights and support that RAAC residents rightfully deserve."
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