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On 19th March 2026, the UK RAAC Campaign Group reported on what appeared to be a significant breakthrough in discussions with Aberdeen City Council regarding the financial barriers preventing many RAAC-affected homeowners from leaving their properties. Read more (here).
During a meeting on 5th March, attended by Wilson and Hannah Chowdhry of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, alongside senior Aberdeen City Council officers Stephen Booth and Gale Beattie, a critical issue was raised: many homeowners simply could not afford the upfront costs associated with relocating.
The problem was not a lack of willingness to move. Rather, many families lacked the financial resources required to secure alternative accommodation, pay removal costs, fund legal expenses, cover deposits, and meet the numerous other costs associated with relocating their households.
Recognising these concerns, Council officers indicated they were considering the possibility of releasing a percentage of acquisition funds early to help homeowners bridge the gap between accepting an offer and completing their move. Residents were told further details were expected "in coming days."
More than three months later, those details have yet to emerge.
For many affected residents in Torry, the silence has become increasingly frustrating.
Over 100 people are still living in RAAC-affected homes despite years of uncertainty surrounding the future of their properties. While some homeowners have already accepted acquisition offers and moved on, a significant number remain trapped by circumstances that they cannot control.
Many are elderly. Others have limited savings. Some face the prospect of finding suitable accommodation in a challenging housing market while simultaneously managing the practical and financial burden of leaving homes they may have lived in for decades.
The financial barriers identified during the March meeting remain largely unchanged.
Despite assurances that officers were actively considering advance payments and practical solutions, no publicly announced scheme has been introduced, no timetable has been published, and homeowners have received little clarity about whether the proposal remains under consideration.
Despite repeated attempts to progress matters, Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, has continued to seek direct engagement with senior Aberdeen City Council officers, including Stephen Booth and Gail Beattie. Over recent weeks, he has sent multiple emails and left telephone messages requesting clarification and updates on the status of the proposals discussed in March. However, no responses have been received. In addition, Mr Chowdhry has made several formal requests for a deputation to present ongoing concerns on behalf of affected residents. On each occasion, he has been advised that without a specific RAAC-related agenda item at either a Full Council meeting or the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee, a deputation cannot be scheduled. This procedural requirement has effectively prevented further direct representation, leaving campaigners without a formal route to escalate concerns despite the continuing impact on more than 100 residents still living in RAAC-affected homes in Torry.
The lack of progress is particularly disappointing because the issue was clearly identified and widely understood by all parties involved.
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, said:
"The tragedy is that many of the people still living in RAAC homes today would have left already if the support discussed in March had become a reality. These families are not refusing to move. They are facing genuine financial barriers that Aberdeen City Council acknowledged over three months ago."
He added:
"Residents were told that officers were looking at ways to release funds early and help people relocate. Those proposals offered hope to families who have spent years living with uncertainty. Three months later, there is still no clear answer, no published scheme, and no indication of when help might arrive."
The prolonged delay raises important questions.
Has the proposal for advance payments been abandoned? If not, why has no update been provided? How many homeowners remain unable to relocate because they cannot access the funds needed to make a move possible?
For affected residents, these are not administrative questions. They are issues that directly affect their ability to plan their future, secure alternative housing, and move on from a situation that has already caused years of disruption and anxiety.
The UK RAAC Campaign Group believes that Aberdeen City Council must now provide a clear and transparent update on the proposals discussed in March.
"Families have waited long enough," said Mr Chowdhry.
"What residents need now is not another acknowledgement of the problem. They need action. Every month that passes leaves more people trapped in homes they want to leave, waiting for support that was discussed but has yet to materialise."
Until meaningful progress is made, more than 100 Torry residents remain caught between promises of assistance and the reality of continuing uncertainty.
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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