Owners of ex-council homes in West Lothian will not receive funding for RAAC

While the Housing Service Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel had it confirmed that 69 homes and 15 blocks of flats had been identified as having RAAC present, including nine homes and one common block in Linlithgow, no number of privately owned homes was given.

It is expected the number of privately owned ex-council homes affected will be much higher.

Conservative Councillor Alison Adamson called for those who bought council homes which may now be affected by RAAC to be helped.

It followed confirmation that owner occupiers would have to pay for surveys and any remedial work required themselves. The programme to repair council homes will cost £4 million alone.

Councillor Adamson said: “I’m already aware of people in a frenzy of panic. I have already spoken to a constituent who thinks she may have RAAC in her home.”

However, officials clarified that private homeowners were responsible for the costs of repair and the council is unsure of how many are affected.

Marjory Mackie, housing strategy and development manager, told the PDSP: “We have an indication of private properties; however, we have not surveyed the private estate – it’s only our council properties that have been surveyed so far.”

While the survey only covered council owned properties, she said the council had notified owner occupiers in areas neighbouring affected council properties of the results.