West Lothian, Scotland — November 2025
Homeowners across West Lothian continue to face financial and emotional turmoil as no tangible progress has been made to support those living in properties affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC). Despite repeated promises, West Lothian Council has failed to move beyond offering basic advice through its Scheme of Assistance — leaving residents in a state of ongoing uncertainty and distress.
Little Progress Since September 2024 Meeting
Following the West Lothian Council Executive’s discussion on RAAC in September 2024, there was hope that a meaningful support framework might finally emerge. However, more than a year later, there have been no concrete updates or new initiatives announced. The situation remains largely unchanged for the estimated 337 private homeowners in West Lothian whose properties are affected — many of whom continue to face serious safety concerns, collapsing property values, and a frozen housing market.
As of the most recent communications, West Lothian Council continues to rely solely on its Scheme of Assistance Strategy, which offers advice but no financial relief. This minimalistic approach falls far short of what is possible under Section 71 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, which empowers councils to provide direct financial assistance, grants, or loans to homeowners in crisis.
This lack of local initiative is particularly striking when compared with developments in Fife, where the council has demonstrated both compassion and creativity in supporting its residents. According to a report by Allan Crow, Editor of the Fife Free Press (4 November 2025), Fife Council dramatically revised its plans to charge homeowners up to £19,000 each for roof repairs to three tower blocks in Kirkcaldy, after widespread outrage and recognition that such costs were “simply unaffordable.”
Following public backlash, the council apologised to residents and capped their contributions at £7,000, with Councillor Judy Hamilton, Fife’s housing spokesperson, confirming that the authority would carry the financial risk while seeking external funding to reduce costs further. She stated:
“A contribution of £19,000 is simply unaffordable for many homeowners, and I asked council officers to examine every possible way to reduce this burden. I’m pleased to confirm that the contribution has now been capped at £7,000 per household.”
This example highlights the financial flexibility councils already possess under the Scheme of Assistance — flexibility that Fife Council used to alleviate distress, not deepen it.
By contrast, in Clackmannanshire and West Lothian, affected homeowners have been left to shoulder the full cost of the RAAC crisis. Many are paying both rent and mortgages, struggling to survive under an unbearable financial burden while councils appear intent on shifting all responsibility onto those least able to bear it.
Despite repeated guidance from former Housing Minister Paul McLennan MSP, who made clear that local authorities have discretion to financially assist homeowners in distress, West Lothian Council has yet to activate any such mechanisms.
The contrast could not be clearer: while Fife Council acted decisively to protect its residents, other councils have chosen bureaucratic inertia over compassion — leaving hundreds of families trapped in unsafe, unsellable homes with no meaningful route to recovery.Homeowners Face Real-World Consequences
While political discussion drags on, the human toll continues to mount. Homeowners are finding themselves unable to sell, remortgage, or insure their homes — with many now living in properties they cannot move on from or afford to repair.
Karen, a homeowner from the Craigshill area of West Lothian, has experienced first-hand the devastating financial and emotional impact of the RAAC crisis. What began as a routine house sale quickly spiralled into a nightmare that has left her family trapped.
Earlier this year, Karen decided to sell her property — a well-maintained family home that she’d hoped would fetch close to £190,000. She commissioned a survey from D.M. Hall, one of Scotland’s most respected surveyors, expecting a straightforward process. Instead, the surveyor identified possible RAAC in her roof structure and noted it as a Category 2 risk on the home report.
At the time, Karen was reassured that it wouldn’t seriously affect the sale.
“The surveyor told me not to worry — he said people were still getting mortgages on homes like mine and that lenders weren’t rejecting them outright,” Karen recalled. “So we put it on the market and started getting interest straight away.”
Within weeks, she received five competitive offers, all within the £170,000 range. But by the time she was ready to move forward, the situation had changed dramatically.
“Some time later, I called my surveyor again, and he told me that one of the major lenders — I believe it was Nationwide — had decided it would no longer provide mortgages on any homes containing RAAC. He warned me that once a major lender takes a stance like that, others usually follow suit — and that’s exactly what happened.”
One by one, every buyer had their mortgage application rejected. What should have been a celebratory sale collapsed overnight.
“All five offers fell through. Every single one,” Karen said. “We had no choice but to take the house off the market. It was devastating. Unless you find a cash buyer, no one can buy a RAAC house now. It’s just impossible.”
Since then, Karen’s property has effectively become unsellable. She remains in a home she can no longer move on from — and one that may require costly structural repairs she cannot afford.
“A similar house on my street recently sold for around £95,000 to a cash buyer,” she explained. “That’s half of what it was worth just months ago. Families like mine have lost tens of thousands of pounds overnight. We’ve done nothing wrong, but we’re the ones paying the price.”
The emotional toll has been just as heavy as the financial one.
“It’s incredibly stressful,” she said. “You feel helpless. There’s no financial support, no compensation, no guidance that changes anything. We’re living in homes that we can’t sell, that may not be safe, and no one seems to be listening.”
Despite assurances from officials, there has been no meaningful progress since Karen’s ordeal began in the spring. She and her neighbours are now waiting to hear whether they will be included in a proposed visit by the Housing Secretary in December, though no invitations or details have been shared.
“We’ve heard the Housing Secretary is coming,” Karen said, “but none of us have been contacted. We’re still completely in the dark. Nothing has moved forward politically or practically. We’re just stuck — waiting for someone to take responsibility.”
Karen’s story is far from unique. Across Linlithgow Bridge, Broxburn, Bathgate, and Craigshill, hundreds of homeowners now face the same impossible reality — properties they can neither sell nor repair, while financial institutions and public bodies pass the responsibility back and forth. Mounting Pressure on West Lothian Council
Campaigners, led by Wilson Chowdhry of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, have expressed deep frustration at the Council’s lack of decisive action:
“It is disappointing that despite clear guidance from the Scottish Government, West Lothian Council has not stepped up to provide the much-needed support for homeowners dealing with RAAC.
Section 71 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 provides councils with the power to offer real, tangible help — including financial support — yet West Lothian has chosen not to use these provisions. Homeowners need solutions now, not more delays.”
The UK RAAC Campaign Group continues to call for immediate action from both West Lothian Council and the Scottish Government, urging the establishment of a dedicated financial assistance scheme, including grants, interest-free loans, or partial funding support.
Upcoming Visit from the Housing Secretary
The Scottish Housing Secretary, Màiri McAllan MSP, is expected to visit West Lothian on 3 December 2025, a development that has sparked cautious optimism among RAAC-affected homeowners. However, despite the significance of this visit, residents have yet to receive formal invitations or specific details, fuelling frustration and reinforcing perceptions that engagement with those directly impacted remains superficial and poorly managed.
This sentiment was echoed by Kerry Mackintosh, Vice Chair of the UKRCG and spokesperson for West Lothian homeowners, who expressed deep disappointment over the ongoing lack of clarity:
“I am very disappointed and upset that the UK RAAC Campaign Group has been waiting over six weeks for confirmation of the time and venue for the 3 December homeowners’ meeting in West Lothian. It is unacceptable that there has been no clear communication. This delay shows a worrying lack of support or empathy from Màiri McAllan towards families suffering through no fault of their own — families who have lost their homes and life savings because of an undisclosed structural defect in RAAC-built properties.
I lived for twenty years in a house that was visibly falling apart — a place my two children and I feared could collapse at any moment. No family should ever have to live like that. I am now fighting for other homeowners in Tillicoultry to receive the same justice that ten homeowners achieved in Deans South. I refuse to allow more families to suffer the same fate as the 76 who had their lives devastated by government inaction and the bureaucratic indifference of West Lothian Council. Hearing the stories of those now affected brings back my own trauma — this issue should have been resolved long ago.”
The delay is particularly frustrating given that Màiri McAllan’s office had already confirmed the Secretary’s availability for a meeting on that date. In a message sent on 1 October 2025, Emily Hornsey, Assistant Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary, wrote:
“With sincere apologies for the delay, I am following up on your request to meet with the Cabinet Secretary to discuss RAAC in private housing. The Cabinet Secretary would be able to meet with you in West Lothian on the morning of Wednesday 3 December if agreeable. I have copied in our officials from the RAAC team who will be able to liaise further with you on the logistics of this meeting.”
Despite this correspondence, no further details have been provided, leaving campaigners concerned that yet another opportunity for meaningful engagement could be mishandled.
A Community Still Waiting
More than a year and a half after RAAC was officially identified as a critical structural concern in further West Lothian homes — and over two decades after the Deans South debacle of 2004, which should have served as a stark warning — affected residents are still waiting for meaningful government action.
There is no financial aid, no agreed repair framework, and no clarity on when, or even if, a resolution will arrive. The human cost continues to grow, as homeowners like Karen endure sleepless nights over falling property values, mounting repair bills, and fears for the safety of their homes and families.
Until decisive political action is taken, West Lothian’s RAAC homeowners remain, quite literally, living on unstable ground.
TAKE ACTION
👉 Join the UK RAAC Campaign Group Facebook Page
✍️ Sign the UK Government Petition and Scottish Government Petition
📺 Watch the First National and International News Feature on the RAAC Housing Crisis
