RAAC Homeowners Ignored as Scottish Housing Minister Breaks Silence with Inaction

 

IMAGE: Wilson Chowdhry at the forefront of RAAC homeowners’ protest outside the Scottish Parliament.

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When Scotland’s new Housing Minister, Màiri McAllan, responded to the UK RAAC Campaign Group last month (click here for letter), her words gave real hope to hundreds of families whose lives have been devastated by RAAC. In her letter, she offered more than just sympathy — she pledged action.

She confirmed she would:

• Press the UK Government to consider our proposed legislative reforms, including fairer mortgage relief, improved insurance access, and support for homeowners forced into unsafe properties.

• Raise our Homebuyer Report reforms with the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Team, and share any responses directly with us.

• Convene a national RAAC in Housing Response Group, bringing together council chief executives and housing leaders to drive solutions.

• Support the Institution of Structural Engineers to develop practical RAAC housing guidance.

• Meet with all affected homeowners in the most impacted areas, including Clackmannanshire and West Lothian.

• Hold a dedicated private meeting with UKRAAC Campaign Group leadership to discuss wider reforms and national strategy.

For campaigners, this sounded like a turning point. Finally, there was recognition of the crisis, commitments to concrete action, and promises of inclusive engagement.

But months later, homeowners are left asking: where is the delivery?

Despite numerous requests from residents in both Tillicoultry and West Lothian, no meeting dates have been confirmed. Meanwhile, the Minister has already made a return visit to Dundee—though only for a RAAC Press meeting—despite the fact that the community had already been visited by her predecessor. This has left long-neglected areas feeling once again overlooked. The promised transparency regarding legislative discussions has failed to materialize, leaving local families in a state of uncertainty.

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, said:
“When the Minister wrote to us, she promised more than just meetings — she promised reform, national coordination, and direct engagement with all homeowners. Yet since then, there has been silence. Families are asking: were these commitments genuine, or just words on paper? We cannot afford another cycle of broken promises.”

For West Lothian residents, the silence is especially galling. They are still living in RAAC-affected homes, with no support or guidance from their local council.

Kerry Mackintosh, Vice Chair of the UK RAAC Campaign Group and spokesperson for West Lothian homeowners, said:
“I have contacted the Minister’s office three times myself and residents have sent four further requests — yet no date has been offered. West Lothian families feel ignored. We are still living in unsafe homes, abandoned by our council, and now neglected by the Scottish Government too. The Minister assured us we would be heard — but without action, those assurances mean nothing. This is why I have written again directly to her, urging her to finally confirm a date.”

In Tillicoultry, families decanted nearly two years ago are still waiting for clarity about their futures.

Lynsey McQuater, spokesperson for Tillicoultry homeowners, said:
“We have asked four times for a meeting, and still nothing. Families are paying mortgages on empty homes while watching them deteriorate. When the Minister promised to meet us, we believed she was genuine. But every week of silence makes it harder to trust those assurances.”

The UK RAAC Campaign Group has made clear that residents are not just seeking sympathy — they are demanding transparency, equality, and delivery.

In a renewed attempt to secure the promised engagement, both Kerry Mackintosh and Lynsey McQuater have written again to the Minister’s office to request dates for meetings in their communities. Their efforts have been reinforced by local MSP Keith Brown, who represents Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, who has also contacted the Minister to press for urgent confirmation. Together, they are seeking to hold her to the commitments she herself made — commitments that, without timely follow-through, increasingly risk appearing hollow. Read Keith Brown's letter (here).

Wilson Chowdhry added:

“The Minister spoke of fairness and inclusion, yet residents in West Lothian and Tillicoultry still have no confirmed dates. She promised reform, yet we have seen no progress shared with us. If she is serious about supporting families, she must finalise meetings in all affected areas — not just SNP strongholds — and publish clear timelines for the wider reforms she committed to. Anything less risks confirming people’s worst fear: that her promises were never more than words.”

Until those assurances are honoured, the campaign will continue to escalate — through parliamentarians, petitions, and the media — to ensure RAAC homeowners are no longer forgotten.