Trapped by Raac: 5000 reasons to keep fighting for Aberdeen homeowners impacted by concrete crisis
We took our Trapped by Raac campaign onto the streets of Aberdeen this weekend – and the hard work paid off.
Thanks to a protest involving members of the Torry Community Raac Campaign (TCRC) group, affected families from Balnagask, and team P&J – we've now crossed the 5,000 signature mark on the homeowners' petition.
Attended by owner occupiers and former council tenants alike, some members of the group held banners to protest the situation, reminding the public about the burgeoning concrete crisis. Others spoke to shoppers to garner more names on the petition, sharing stories of the 500 households in Aberdeen impacted by Raac.
The group was visited by Conservative MSP Liam Kerr, who spent time listening to stories from families caught in this crisis. Labour councillor Simon Watson – who represents Torry and Ferryhill – also stopped by to talk to his constituents.
At the same time as the protest, Fiona and Ricky Burgess, whose story we shared this week, proudly took a Raac campaign banner to Hampden for the Aberdeen Celtic Scottish Cup final.
Founding member of TCRC Lynn Winstanley is one of 138 homeowners whose houses are marked for demolition.
She stands to lose 10s of 1000s from the value of her home if she sells her property back to ACC.
She said: 'We can't sit back and relax though 5000 signatures on the petition is amazing. That's only half the names we need to get a reply from Westminster.
'If you haven't already signed, please do. Put yourself in our shoes. You'd want people to get behind you and to help you. That's all we are asking for.'
The petition, which calls for justice, fair house prices for homeowners, and an eventual public enquiry, needs to cross 10,000 signatures before the UK Government will, at the very least, reply.
In a previous interview with Aberdeen City Council co-leader Christian Allard, he said without Westminister unlocking financial support, Raac [crisis] could become the next Post Office Scandal.
We also revealed that only four properties have been bought back by ACC since the voluntary acquisition process began. A total of 13 owners, from 138 privately owned properties, have agreed to sell following Valuation Office Agency assessments.
'Selling our homes for sometimes half what they were worth before we heard about Raac is not something we can just sit back and let happen.
'It's not fair. We are in this situation through no fault of our own,' Lynn added.
'Please, please keep sharing the petition, ask your friends to sign it. It's Aberdeen now but we are hearing about this all over the country. If we win our battle it could help future families never go through the hell we're going through.'
Lindsay Bruce of The Press and Journal also shared a video thanking those who have signed the petition but called for others to join the campaign.
To read more about the Raac crisis and our campaign click here.
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