Welsh Government Accused of Ignoring RAAC Homeowners as Crisis Deepens

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The Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, Wilson Chowdhry, has issued a stinging reminder to the Welsh Government after receiving no response to his 6th July 2025 open letter about the plight of private homeowners affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

The most severely impacted are 17 households in Hirwaun, whose homes were sold under Right-to-Buy by housing association Trivallis and are now considered unsafe. Many of the affected residents are elderly and facing the prospect of living in unsellable, potentially dangerous homes with little or no government support.

Chowdhry described the Welsh Government’s silence as “deeply concerning,” accusing ministers of leaving families feeling ignored and abandoned.

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ReGrid: A Potential Breakthrough

In his renewed appeal, Chowdhry urged the Welsh Government to consider ReGrid, an innovative reinforcement system developed by Structural Repairs Ltd that has already been deployed by Network Rail.

According to Chowdhry, the system offers a cost-effective and non-invasive alternative to full roof replacements or temporary structural supports.

Highlights of ReGrid include:

• 14x stronger than conventional reinforcement methods.

• Installation completed within two days per home with residents remaining in place.

• 25+ years maintenance-free performance, with a 10-year installation warranty and lifetime guarantee.

• Lower costs compared to existing methods.

• Developers willing to conduct a free pilot survey, scan, and pull test in Wales.

Chowdhry stressed that, if adopted under a Welsh National RAAC Homeowners Fund, ReGrid could provide a swift, affordable, and compassionate solution for the small number of families in Hirwaun.

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Calls for Wider Reform

Chowdhry also repeated the unresolved demands from his earlier correspondence:

1. Creation of a Welsh National RAAC Fund for Homeowners to protect residents from financial ruin.

2. A Statutory Public Inquiry into regulatory failures and the sale of RAAC homes under Right-to-Buy.

3. Establishment of a High-Risk Property Register to prevent concealment of RAAC risks in sales.

4. Regulatory reform to ensure modern, enforceable safety standards in construction.

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“Time for Compassion and Accountability”

Chowdhry emphasised that the Welsh Government has a unique opportunity to resolve this crisis swiftly, given the small number of directly affected households. He has called for:

• A formal reply to his open letters.

• A comprehensive meeting with ministers and officials to discuss solutions.

• A clear timetable for decisions to end the uncertainty facing families.

“The residents of Hirwaun—and RAAC homeowners across Wales—deserve urgent leadership, compassion, and accountability from their government. The Scottish Housing Minister has already committed to meeting with me, and it is only right that the Welsh Government does the same. Existing council grant schemes fail to reach many of the elderly residents most in need, leaving them excluded and unsupported. A bold, innovative solution such as ReGrid could provide a feasible way forward—if the Welsh Government is willing to engage constructively and take this crisis seriously,” Chowdhry said.