After months of sustained pressure, unanswered correspondence, and tireless advocacy, there are finally signs that our campaign is being taken seriously. This shift matters — not just symbolically, but strategically. The confirmation of a meeting with Scottish Government officials on 19 February 2026 represents a real opportunity, and one that must be fully seized.
The meeting, with officials from the Better Homes Department, will be attended by our Co-Vice Chairs, Kerry Macintosh and Hannah Chowdhry, and our Secretary, Fiona Crichton, ensuring strong, informed representation from the UK RAAC Campaign Group. Crucially, the discussions will now include a dedicated focus on homeowners in Housing Association estates and the Associations' responsibilities to support them, reflecting our continued insistence that all housing sectors must be part of any credible solution.This is a clear acknowledgement that RAAC is not a niche or isolated issue — it cuts across tenure, geography, and governance.
Engagement at Last — But Not an End Point
Officials including Louise Thompson and Deputy Director Matt Elsby have shown a willingness to engage directly with our evidence and concerns. This is welcome progress, but it is only a platform — not an outcome. For the first time, there is space to press substantively for:
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A UK-wide National RAAC Fund
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A fully resourced remediation strategy
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Structural solutions, rather than short-term mitigation
This meeting follows an earlier session scheduled for 13 January, which had to be postponed due to an injury sustained by our Chairman, Wilson Chowdhry. The fact that engagement has continued despite that delay is significant in itself and underlines a simple truth: the RAAC crisis cannot be parked or ignored.
What Must Be on the Table
This meeting must deliver more than discussion. Among the critical issues that must be addressed are:
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The creation of a National RAAC Fund capable of restoring homeowners to their pre-RAAC financial position
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The case for a public inquiry into historic regulatory and policy failures
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Progress on legislative changes to remove barriers facing affected homeowners
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How Affordable Housing Supply Programme budgets could support councils in assisting homeowners
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The role of Housing Associations in coordinated remediation and funding solutions
These are not abstract policy questions. They go to the heart of whether families can remain safely housed, financially solvent, and treated fairly after a crisis not of their making.
Mixed Signals from the UK Government
While engagement from the Scottish Government is encouraging, the wider UK response remains deeply concerning.
The recent reply from the Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander, to Mr Chowdhry’s letter — also copied to the Scottish and Welsh Housing Ministers and the Secretary of State for Wales — acknowledges the seriousness of the RAAC crisis but offers little new. The response largely reiterates familiar arguments around devolution and coordination, while failing to address our central demands for:
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UK-level collaboration with Wales
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The establishment of a National RAAC Fund
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Strategic leadership proportionate to a crisis of national origin
Even more troubling is the continued silence from Welsh Ministers, despite the growing distress of homeowners across Wales. Responsibility appears to be endlessly passed between governments while families remain trapped — caught between jurisdictions, delay, and deflection.
A Critical Moment for Action
This is a pivotal moment for the campaign.
The upcoming meeting provides an opportunity to push hard for parity of support across the UK, to insist on accountability, and to demand tangible outcomes. We will continue to press for:
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Pre-RAAC property valuations, so homeowners are not permanently financially ruined
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Fully funded roof replacement or remediation, delivered swiftly and without burdening households
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A coordinated UK-wide approach, ensuring support is not determined by postcode or tenure
While a UK-wide solution remains the gold standard, it must be stated plainly: the Scottish Government has a direct responsibility to its citizens. If the UK Government continues to delay or deflect, Scotland must act decisively and unilaterally to protect homeowners. Thousands of families are already living with financial strain, uncertainty, and fear. Further delay is simply not acceptable.
Devolution cannot be used as a shield against action. The RAAC crisis is national in origin, systemic in failure, and devastating in impact. What families need now is leadership, accountability, and properly funded solutions — not procedural deflection.
Our Commitment
We remain committed to constructive engagement, but we will also continue to hold ministers and officials to account. Thousands of homeowners are watching closely, and the stakes could not be higher.
As Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, states:
“This meeting is a crucial step, but it cannot replace decisive action. Homeowners across Scotland have waited far too long for fairness, security, and accountability. Delay is no longer acceptable.
“We must also ensure that homeowners in Housing Association estates receive the answers and support they have been denied for too long. Housing Associations cannot be allowed to remain opaque or unresponsive, and local councils must actively steer the Associations and provide the support that families need while facing uncertainty and risk.”
And Kerry Macintosh, Co-Vice Chair, adds:
“Families are living in fear of a material failure that is not their fault. We need urgent solutions and clear commitments — anything less leaves thousands at risk and in financial strain.”
The opportunity is now. What happens next will determine whether governments rise to this challenge — or are remembered for failing those who needed them most.
📧 Email: wilson@aasecurity.co.uk
📢 Twitter/X: https://x.com/WilsonChowdhry
#RAACScandal #Petition2113 #ScottishParliament #SupportRAACVictims #EndTheSilence
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