The Scottish Housing Regulator is today sharing its early analysis of social landlords’ responses to its survey on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in social housing.
To date, the Regulator’s survey has found that nine landlords have identified the presence of RAAC in some of the homes they provide to tenants, with 953 homes affected, 94 landlords have confirmed that there is no RAAC present in the homes they provide to tenants, and 62 continue to investigate whether RAAC is present in any of their homes.
Nicola Harcus, Assistant Director with the Regulator, said, “We have collected and published this information to help the Scottish Government to establish a clear national assessment of RAAC in social housing in Scotland. It is important to stress that the presence of RAAC does not necessarily present an immediate risk. Landlords should have a good understanding of the presence and condition of RAAC in the homes they provide to tenants so they can have appropriate plans for its management.
It is also important that where they identify RAAC, landlords communicate quickly and effectively with tenants that are affected. We’ll update the figures we have published today as landlords complete their outstanding investigations and tell us the outcome from these, and we will continue to engage with those landlords who have RAAC in homes to get appropriate assurance about their management of that RAAC. ”
RAAC is a lightweight structural construction material used between the 1950s and 1990s in the floors, walls and roofs of some buildings in Scotland, including some residential properties. It is no longer used in buildings in Scotland. More information about RAAC and the risks associated with its use is available on the website of the Institution of Structural Engineers.
More information on the survey can be found on the Regulator’s website.
Read our further update from the RAAC survey which we published on 11 December 2023.
Notes to editors
- The Scottish Housing Regulator was established on 1 April 2011 under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010. Its objective is to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants and others who use local authority and RSL housing services. The Regulator operates independently of Scottish Ministers and is accountable directly to the Scottish Parliament. It assumed its full regulatory responsibilities on 1 April 2012. The Regulator consists of the Chair and seven Board members. More information about the Regulator can be found on its website at housingregulator.gov.scot
- SHR sets out how it regulates social landlords in its published framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.
- SHR will publish further information on Monday 11 December with details of the landlords who have identified RAAC within some of their properties. It has not published this information today to allow some remaining landlords to communicate this directly with affected tenants. SHR will also continue to update this information as those landlords who are still investigating the incidence of RAAC complete this work.