'We're still homeless 20 months after being forced from our RAAC homes'
Homeowners in Tillicoultry who have been locked out of their properties for 20 months are still homeless after being forced from their RAAC-riddled homes.
Nearly two years ago, RAAC was discovered in 27 properties in Tillicoultry, ten of which are privately owned, across three blocks of flats. The residents were evacuated immediately and have been locked out ever since.
RAAC is a lightweight, 'crumbling' concrete that can put buildings at risk of sudden collapse.
Clackmannanshire Council has debated the potential options, including demolition, for more than 18 months, but the conversation has finally shifted towards repairs.
Ahead of a meeting with local councillors on Monday, a group of residents and campaigners gathered outside the council headquarters in Alloa, urging the local authorities to make progress on repairs as soon as possible.
'We've still been homeless for 20 months now. At the moment, the council is talking about doing remedial works, and every homeowner has to pay for their cost of repair,' explained homeowner Lynsey McQuater.
'But it has to go in front of councillors to make the final decision on what's going to be happening to our homes.'
Private property owners like Ms McQuater are going to be out of pocket to get their homes fixed, and residents are urging the local authority to give them interest free or low interest loans to help them cover the cost of repairs.
'At the moment no one can really afford it because all the extra money we had saved up – we're using that because we're in a financial hole,' Ms McQuater said.
'This year I'm mortgage free, but I've got nothing to show for it after 25 years.'
To make things worse, property owner Fiona Crichton believes her property has been damaged during RAAC inspection work.
She showed STV News images from her property, showing where a big hole has been cut into a bedroom ceiling for inspection work. The debris has been trodden into the carpet and not cleared up.
She also claimed that the council broke down the door to get into the property, damaging the door frame.
Ms Crichton said the furniture inside the property has also been 'thrown to the side'.
Clackmannanshire Council says it remains committed to working with owners, and is investigating what happened to Fiona's property.
A spokesperson for Clackmannanshire Council said: 'We are meeting with private owners today. We are committed to continuing to work with private owners on the issue of RAAC within properties in Clackmannanshire.'
Speaking about the damage to Ms Crichton's property, the council spokesperson said: 'This issue has been raised with us, and will be investigated and responded to in line with our procedures.'
Residents are hoping to have something concrete on their futures soon.
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Homeowners in Tillicoultry who have been locked out of their properties for 20 months are still homeless after being forced from their RAAC-riddled homes. Nearly two years ago, RAAC was discovered in 27 properties in Tillicoultry, ten of which are privately owned, across three blocks of flats. The residents were evacuated immediately and have been locked out ever since. RAAC is a lightweight, 'crumbling' concrete that can put buildings at risk of sudden collapse. Clackmannanshire Council has debated the potential options, including demolition, for more than 18 months, but the conversation has finally shifted towards repairs. Ahead of a meeting with local councillors on Monday, a group of residents and campaigners gathered outside the council headquarters in Alloa, urging the local authorities to make progress on repairs as soon as possible. 'We've still been homeless for 20 months now. At the moment, the council is talking about doing remedial works, and every homeowner has to pay for their cost of repair,' explained homeowner Lynsey McQuater. 'But it has to go in front of councillors to make the final decision on what's going to be happening to our homes.' Private property owners like Ms McQuater are going to be out of pocket to get their homes fixed, and residents are urging the local authority to give them interest free or low interest loans to help them cover the cost of repairs. 'At the moment no one can really afford it because all the extra money we had saved up – we're using that because we're in a financial hole,' Ms McQuater said. 'This year I'm mortgage free, but I've got nothing to show for it after 25 years.' To make things worse, property owner Fiona Crichton believes her property has been damaged during RAAC inspection work. She showed STV News images from her property, showing where a big hole has been cut into a bedroom ceiling for inspection work. The debris has been trodden into the carpet and not cleared up. She also claimed that the council broke down the door to get into the property, damaging the door frame. Ms Crichton said the furniture inside the property has also been 'thrown to the side'. Clackmannanshire Council says it remains committed to working with owners, and is investigating what happened to Fiona's property. A spokesperson for Clackmannanshire Council said: 'We are meeting with private owners today. We are committed to continuing to work with private owners on the issue of RAAC within properties in Clackmannanshire.' Speaking about the damage to Ms Crichton's property, the council spokesperson said: 'This issue has been raised with us, and will be investigated and responded to in line with our procedures.' Residents are hoping to have something concrete on their futures soon. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
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