What is RAAC?
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a reinforced form of lightweight concrete used to form panels or planks. It has no coarse aggregate like common reinforced concrete. These were mainly used in flat roofs but also in some floor and wall panel construction in the UK from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s.
RAAC was used in a range of building types, both public and private sector, but is believed to be more common in schools, hospitals and public buildings. It has been discovered in court, theatres, sports halls, public toilets, and a range of non-domestic buildings.
RAAC came to public and media attention, when the Department of Education (DfE) advised schools to close buildings with RAAC until an assessment took place, just before the start of term. RAAC in domestic properties were highlighted as an area to review in 2023.
How will I know if my property is affected?
A number of stages were completed as part of Dundee City Council’s review including initial research into the age and building style of the city’s housing stock, expert structural inspections and development of an intervention strategy to remediate the affected properties should the RAAC show evidence of decline.
Hundreds of inspections were carried out to Council housing stock and RAAC was found in roofs in:
- 74 blocks of flats that are either council-owned or mixed tenure (blocks where flat ownership is both council and private).
- 171 cottages that are Council-owned.
RAAC is known to be, or strongly presumed to be, present in
- 121 cottages that were previously owned by the Council and are now privately owned.
- 7 blocks of flats which were previously owned by the Council and are now entirely privately owned.
There are 5 developments in the city where RAAC has been confirmed to be present:
- Craigie Drive - Flats: Craigiebarn Road, Gardyne Place, Brington Place, Southampton Place, Belsize Road, Craigie Drive, Margaret Crescent.
- Craigiebank Circle - Flats: Carlochie Place, Greendykes Road
- Kirk Street - Flats: Atholl Street, Yeaman’s Lane, Kirk Street
- Menzieshill - Flats: Cart Place, Cottages: Cart Place, Charleston Drive, Dickson Avenue, Orrin Place
- Whitfield - Flats: Murrayfield Terrace, Cottages: Whitfield Gardens, Whitfield Avenue, Cottages: Murrayfield Gardens, Cottages: Whitfield Avenue, Whitfield Rise, Whitfield Terrace
Letters to owners, tenants in cottages or fully tenanted blocks of flats and tenants and owners in mixed-tenure blocks of flats have been sent out in Summer 2025 to update them on this situation.
Most of the buildings inspected do not present an immediate safety issue and as a result roofs in properties with a remaining Council interest will be subject to further regular detailed inspections to monitor their condition. These inspections, typically annually, will require access within individual cottages and top floor flats. To assist with the process, please allow inspectors timely access to your property if asked to do so.
In fully tenanted properties, the costs will be met by the council, while in mixed tenure blocks, the council will be entitled to recharge owners for their share of remediation costs.
In respect of the cottages in private ownership or where there are no council tenants in a block, the council has no ongoing maintenance responsibilities and no liability towards owners who bought their former council properties under the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme, or any subsequent owners.
Private owners have been notified of the council’s findings and advised to urgently seek independent structural advice on the presence and condition of the RAAC at their property before undertaking any necessary action.
You should not attempt to identify or assess the condition of RAAC yourself. Due to the nature of the material, defects can be difficult to identify. Therefore, if you are concerned or unsure if your home may contain RAAC, then you should use a suitably qualified professional, such as a chartered building surveyor or chartered structural engineer.
Our advice reflects the guidance issued by the Scottish Government, the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Regular Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) surveys, as recommended by the RICS, should assist in identifying and managing potentially defective materials.
IStructE advises building owners to determine whether their buildings contain RAAC. A building’s condition will determine whether monitoring its RAAC panels is appropriate or whether remedial or other works are needed.
The steps for an owner or building manager to take in identifying RAAC planks would include the following:
- Note that RAAC planks were used from the mid-1950s until the early 1990s, so buildings (or extensions) built before or after this period are unlikely to be affected.
- The local authority can advise whether any similar buildings to yours in the area are known to have RAAC roof or floor planks.
- Check any records about the construction to see if RAAC is mentioned. But be aware that RAAC may not be mentioned even when it was used. Note that certain product names such as Siporex, Durox, Celcon, Hebel and Ytong are indicators of RAAC.
- If you do not know the construction type of a roof but it could be RAAC planks, then the roof should be inspected by a suitably qualified and appropriately experienced professional, such as an RICS chartered building surveyor or chartered structural engineer, who is experienced with this type of construction. Suitably qualified professionals are detailed on page 16 of the Department for Education guidance.
There are reports of unqualified traders and scammers who are cold calling households offering RAAC surveys, according to Trading Standards. Always ensure that a qualified experienced competent professional who is a member of a regulated professional body such as the RICS and/or IStructE is employed for such work.
Can I seek independence advice regarding this? If so, where would I get this?
If you are concerned that your home may contain RAAC, we recommend that you have it inspected by a qualified Chartered Structural Engineer in accordance with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Institution of Structural Engineers. The chartered Structural Engineer will be able to assess the condition of the concrete planks, whether RAAC is present, and advise you on any necessary mitigation works.
In the meantime, there are a few things that you can do to make your home safer:
- Check for any signs of damage to the RAAC planks, such as cracks, bulges, or discoloration.
- If you see any damage, contact a qualified chartered Surveyor/Structural Engineer immediately. You should not undertake remedial action yourself.
- It is important to take independent advice on the potential risks to you and to have your home inspected by a qualified Structural Engineer if you are in any way concerned.
The Council cannot provide you with independent property, legal or financial advice, you can find contact details for suitably qualified professionals via the RICS website or via the Institution of Structural Engineers website.
Is every homeowner expected to carry out their own independent structural report?
Private owners can have their property inspected by a suitable qualified Chartered Structural Engineer in accordance with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Institution of Structural Engineers to determine if RAAC panels are present in their roofs. Dundee City Council are inspecting properties that are owned by the Council and properties that are privately owned within mixed tenure blocks.
Each property has to be treated on a case-by-case basis, as the existing condition of any RAAC panels (if present) could be different for each property. The responsibility of property maintenance falls to the homeowner.
Dundee City Council is committed to sharing what information is gathered from its own property surveys to help inform homeowners.
Is my home currently safe to live in?
If you are concerned that your home may contain RAAC, we recommend that you have it inspected by a qualified Chartered Structural Engineer in accordance with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Institution of Structural Engineers. If you are a private owner within a mixed tenure block (includes a Dundee City Council property) then Dundee City Council will continue to carry out condition inspections in accordance with the relevant guidance.
RAAC has proven to be not as durable as other concrete building materials. It has a variable service life which is influenced by many factors and an arbitrary time, such as the widely reported ‘30 years’ life span, should not be the deciding factor when decision making as it can last longer if the building is well maintained and the original design factors haven’t changed, (such as calculated load weights).
There is a risk it can fail, particularly if it has been damaged by water ingress from leaking roofs which causes corrosion of the reinforcement, excessive thermal degradation, or if it was not formed correctly when originally made. Poor original installation, cutting the reinforcement bars on-site, can dramatically reduce the end bearing capacity of the planks. It can fail suddenly, hence the recent action.
When my property was owned by the council, did the council carry out adequate maintenance on the roof at my home?
When owned by the Council, the properties were maintained in accordance with our asset cycle maintenance at this time. RAAC was an accepted and widely used building material across Scotland.
What impact does this situation have on my insurance?
The Council cannot comment on private arrangements relating to home insurance.
You should contact your home insurer and discuss your insurance policy with them. Your insurer should be able to advise whether you have the necessary insurance cover in place to remedy the presence of RAAC within your property.
Any matters associated with insurance and remedial works will remain with you as owner. You are advised to discuss this with your insurance company and/or professional advisor. If necessary, you should seek independent legal and/or financial advice (which would be undertaken at your cost).
What impact does the situation have on my mortgage?
The Council cannot provide you with financial and/or legal advice associated with your mortgage. You are recommended to contact your mortgage provider should you have any concerns.
Do I need a Building Warrant to conduct works to a RAAC roof?
You will most likely require a Building Warrant to conduct alterations to a roof of any property. Examples of common alterations may include replacing a roof covering with a different type of material (e.g. felt to single ply), or changing the roof build-up such as adding insulation on top of your roof deck and installing a new roof membrane over this.
However, a direct like-for-like repair/replacement of a roof covering does not require a Building Warrant (with no alteration made).
We strongly suggest that, if you do propose such works to your roof, you contact Building Standards on 01382 433102 or bs@dundeecity.gov.uk first.
Officers can advise whether your specific proposals require a Building Warrant to conduct, and answer any questions you have about how this can obtained before you start works.
Why did the Council sell homes knowing about their construction type?
The Right to Buy Scheme, introduced in the early 1980s in the UK, mandated councils to sell homes to tenants at a discounted rate. This policy aimed to promote home ownership for those who might be otherwise unable to afford it, therefore transferring a significant portion of housing from public to private ownership. This process was initiated by the council tenant as a right to buy.
As part of the Right to Buy Scheme, the Council had a process of disclosing known defects to tenants, but this was undertaken within the confines of what was known at the time. During this time, RAAC was an accepted building material in the UK and was still considered to be within its natural lifespan for building applications.
Council tenants who exercised their right to buy from the Council did so at their own risk and on the understanding that they were purchasing a property at discount and with the expectation that they should undertake their own independent survey to assess the condition of the property they were purchasing (including but not limited to an ability to obtain independent advice and structural surveys).
Properties were therefore sold on an “as seen" basis and with the added protection that tenants, having lived in these properties prior to exercising the right to buy, were closely connected and somewhat familiar with the property condition. In addition to any independent assessment, the tenants would be able to assess (first-hand) any issues with the property including any defects that were latent or inherent. This is a cornerstone of property transactions and reflects the broader principle of ‘caveat emptor (‘buyer beware’).