Over 2,000 homes across the UK face demolition following the discovery of RAAC, a weak and dangerous concrete material, in their roofs. Among those severely impacted is Hannah Chowdhry, a dedicated volunteer with the British Asian Christian Association (BACA) and long-time anti-poverty campaigner.
Hannah is now confronted with a lifetime of crippling debt, burdened by student loans and a mortgage for a home that may soon no longer exist. Despite these challenges, she is pursuing a dual Scottish and English Law degree at Aberdeen University while actively campaigning for justice alongside her father, Wilson Chowdhry.
Hannah and Wilson are urging the public to support their call for action by signing a Scottish Parliament petition to trigger a debate on the RAAC crisis (click here). Additionally, they are seeking signatures on a UK-wide petition to pressure the government into addressing the crisis more effectively (click here).
Learn more (here)
Fiona and Jimmy Vallance, residents of a former council flat in Scotland for 40 years, were given just two hours’ notice to vacate their home due to a critical safety issue. Their property, built with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), is among over 2,000 homes across Britain at risk of collapse, with the majority in Scotland.
VIDEO: This moving 2 minute Sky News feature illustrates the anguish felt by families across the UK. Please take the time to watch it.
Over 2,000 homes across the UK face demolition due to the discovery of RAAC, a brittle concrete material prone to collapse, in their roofs.
“This is actually worse than a death,” said Ms. Vallance, describing the emotional toll as more severe than grieving a lost loved one. The couple, who are now living in homeless accommodation, face a ruined retirement after paying off their mortgage in 2013. Though officials may offer market value for their home, the Vallances fear they will never be able to secure another mortgage.
RAAC, a cheap construction material used from the 1950s to the 1990s, is known for its weak structural integrity and short lifespan, putting buildings at risk of collapse. The Vallances’ tower block in Clackmannanshire is now eerily empty, awaiting possible demolition.
Aberdeen, another city severely impacted, plans to demolish and rebuild over 500 homes at a cost of £150 million, marking the UK’s largest housing crisis related to RAAC. Many affected residents, including private homeowners, face financial ruin. Amie Bruce, a 27-year-old schoolteacher, bought her home just three years ago and now faces homelessness, negative equity, and a potential debt of up to £55,000.
Aberdeen City Council has stated that its priority is the safety and welfare of residents, offering market value for homes through voluntary agreements. However, the UK RAAC Campaign Group criticizes the inconsistency in compensation, with some homeowners receiving pre-RAAC valuations while others face significant losses.
Campaigners argue that without a national compensation fund, homeowners are unfairly bearing the consequences of historical construction failures. Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, emphasized the urgent need for government intervention, warning that many residents could end up homeless, in financial distress, or facing mental health challenges.
Among those most affected is Hannah Chowdhry, a 20-year-old, multi-award-winning anti-poverty campaigner and law student. After purchasing her home at 19yrs, she now faces the loss of her deposit and the burden of paying off a mortgage on a property that no longer exists, compounding her mounting student debt.
Hannah bought her home in July 2023 on the open market without any Right-to-Buy discount, only to be informed in October that her roof was constructed from RAAC, a crumbly form of concrete susceptible to collapse from prolonged water exposure. Recalling the devastating news, Hannah said, “I bought my home in good faith, but just a few months later, I found out my roof was made of RAAC. On September 21st, while I was in Thailand helping young tribal children learn English, my local council voted to demolish our homes and pay us a pittance.”
The council has voted to offer residents the current market value for their properties minus the cost of the roof repairs, leaving Hannah and others with the prospect of insurmountable debt. This decision will saddle her with an unpaid mortgage, mounting student loans, and the additional burden of rent. “Like many homeowners, I was never informed about the defective material in my roof at the point of sale. The council that built these homes has offered no assistance and placed the full liability on homeowners, many of whom are among the most deprived families in the UK,” Hannah explained.
Hannah and other affected residents are calling for a fair deal and demanding government intervention. They are urging a full public inquiry into how councils have managed the RAAC crisis, from the initial construction phase to their current handling of the situation. The Chowdhrys are actively campaigning for justice and asking the public to sign petitions to trigger a debate in the Scottish Parliament (click here) and an additional petition to pressure the UK Government to address the ongoing RAAC scandal (click here).
You can join a protest outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on 2nd September, coinciding with its reopening after recess (click here).
