Residents welcome news of improved payment offer on Raac homes

Homeowners in Aberdeen affected by Raac, such as Mark Sweeney, will be given an improved payment

Aberdeen councillors have agreed to improve the offer given to homeowners whose homes were affected by Raac (Reinforced Aerated Concrete).

The council plans to make an additional payment to private homeowners who have had the market value of their properties impacted by Raac.

The offer, which has been agreed in principle, includes an additional payment of £44,000 for a four-bedroom property on top of the existing market value, with legal and professional fee payments already in place.

It comes after the Scottish government agreed a funding deal worth £10m with Aberdeen City Council earlier this month to help support residents.

Residents with a three-bedroom house could be given £37,000 and one-bedroom homes could get £20,000.

More than 500 properties in the Balnagask area of the city contain reinforced aerated concrete.

Many residents were forced to leave their homes after the material was discovered in properties in 2023. Aberdeen City Council plans to knock down the majority of affected houses.

One of the residents eligible for the payment is Mark Sweeney, 30 who lives in the Torry area.

He told BBC Scotland News the announcement had lifted the spirits of the local community after a difficult two years.

He said: "It'll make me a fair bit better off than what we were initially thinking. I thought I was going to be about £50,000 in debt."

Mr Sweeney sold his car four weeks ago in order to put some money aside for a new mortgage deposit - he said the offer came too late for him to get his car back but is "better news" nonetheless.

He said he hopes to be able to buy a new home in the Torry area, where he grew up but admitted that the problems caused by Raac had had an impact on the local community.

"It used to be a much more densely populated area, but there are a lot of empty houses at the moment," he said. "You see fewer and fewer people on a daily basis, it's upsetting".

Jim Gordon, 74, has been campaigning for an improved offer

Many residents had been upset at previous local authority offers for their properties - saying it would leave them tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Over the past two years they have held protests calling on the council to do more to help them.

Jim Gordon, 74, owns a house in Balnagask and has attended many of the protests.

He told BBC Scotland News that the last few years had been "soul destroying" but said the offer would allow him and his in-laws who live next door to move on.

He said: "We've been looking at houses for the last two years, but now we can start looking in earnest and hopefully making a move in the next few months."

The agreement could also mean homeowners who have already agreed terms will be offered the money retrospectively.

Aberdeen City Council co-leader, Councillor Ian Yuill, said: "We very much hope this will help homeowners in these very difficult circumstances and allow them to move forward with their lives."

When and how the council can deliver the payments will be discussed at a committee meeting in the coming weeks.

Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: "We continue to work with other local authorities across Scotland as they respond to the impact of Raac in their areas.

"While there will be no Scottish government central Raac fund, I have confirmed I will consider requests for flexibility within existing budgets if made."