RAAC - Private Tenant Questions

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight construction material that was used in the construction of some public buildings like schools and hospitals and some housing between the 1950s and 1990s. It was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in some pitched roofs, floors and walls.

It was quicker to produce, easier to install, and cheaper than standard concrete. Despite its name, it is very different to traditional concrete although it looks similar. It is aerated, or ‘bubbly’, and it has now been found to be less durable than traditional concrete. 

If you are concerned that your home may contain RAAC, we strongly recommend that you contact your landlord as they are legally responsible for the property and you as tenant. Your landlord may already be arranging to have the property inspected by a qualified Chartered Structural Engineer in accordance with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Institution of Structural Engineers.  

Desktop surveys have been ongoing across the Council’s housing estate with an initial focus on flat roof properties. This also includes mono-pitched roof properties, which are roofs that only slant in a single direction. Inspection work will follow, where appropriate, across all council house properties.  

To date we have identified circa 372 buildings (504 addresses) within the Balnagask area, that are understood to have RAAC construction panels within the roofs at the time they were originally constructed.  

We have concluded the RAAC roof surveys throughout the wider council housing estate and have found that the only properties containing RAAC are those previously reported in the Balnagask area of the city. 

If you are a private tenant and you suspect or have been made aware that RAAC could have been used in the construction of your property, you should speak with your landlord in the first instance to discuss your concerns. Your landlord may already be arranging to have the property inspected by a qualified Chartered Structural Engineer in accordance with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Institution of Structural Engineers.

Please be aware that the Council cannot provide you with property, legal or financial advice. If necessary, you should seek your own independent advice. 

If you are concerned that your home may contain RAAC, we strongly recommend that you contact your landlord as they are legally responsible for the property and you as tenant.  

Generally speaking, if RAAC has been manufactured, installed, and maintained correctly, then it poses no more danger to a building than other construction products.

We are carrying out intrusive testing on a small number of our properties and can advise that these investigations are still on-going. It is important to understand that each property needs to be assessed by qualified professionals.

These preliminary assessments have revealed a range of conditions of the RAAC roof panels.