Aberdeen homeowners threaten legal action against city council over buildings with collapse-risk concrete

Homeowners are threatening legal action after being told the value of their properties could be halved because of potentially deadly concrete.

More than 500 homes in Aberdeen are set to be demolished and reconstructed as part of the UK’s biggest RAAC-affected housing project.

John Meiklejohn bought his house three years ago for £120,000 but has been informed the authorities may only give him £60,000 in return as compensation when he is forced out.

He and others are exploring a possible legal battle amid claims the local council – who owned the properties when they were built – was aware of RAAC years ago and failed to disclose details to prospective owners.

The 61-year-old told Sky News: “They did some renovations on the roof about 12 years ago they put plasterboard underneath the RAAC panels.

“So, you can’t even see them. The only way you’d have been able to see that this was RAAC is by taking those panels off and actually drilling into it.”

Mr Meiklejohn claims negligence may have played a part over the years, and said: “The only thing I can work to get out of this is (to) get fair compensation for the position that (the) council have put us all in, because this is the council’s fault.

“Ultimately they sold property that basically wasn’t fit for purpose.”

Aberdeen City Council declined an invitation to answer any questions from Sky News.

A spokeswoman said homeowners would be given “current market value” for their properties along with some additional costs.

Read more:
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The RAAC crisis

RAAC is a cheap, lightweight, “bubbly” material that was used in construction between the 1950s and 1990s.

It was mostly used for flat roofs – but was also used in walls and floors.

In the 1990s, structural engineers discovered the strength of RAAC wasn’t standing the test of time and only had a lifespan of around 30 years – putting buildings at risk of collapse.

It is thought more than 2,000 homes across the UK could be affected – the majority of which are in Scotland.

Lynn Winstanley, 62, lives mortgage-free in her home that is set to be bulldozed as early as next year in Aberdeen.

She told Sky News: “I just know that I’ve got nothing to leave my children. If they take my home, I’ve got nothing at all.

“I think at some point they (the council) must have known. Twelve years ago, the homeowners forked out £12,000 for additional roofing to be put on top.

“Now, at that point, either the council was negligent, or the builders were negligent, because those roofs should have been checked for load bearing, those roofs were surely showing them that there was crumbling concrete in there.”

Aberdeen City Council said RAAC victims are being offered support. They said in a statement: “The Council is aiming to purchase private properties by voluntary agreement in order to deliver demolition across the entire site, thereby providing the greatest flexibility for future redevelopment.”