Raac homeowners in Dundee are being billed nearly £7,000 each by the local authority for unwanted repair work on their flats.
Residents of Dickson Avenue received notification from Dundee City Council that the cost of a pilot scheme on their communal stairwell was £53,858.
Work on the scheme started without consultation earlier this month, with homeowners given only a few days’ notice.
Campaigners and residents are against the plan as it does not remove Raac from the properties, instead covering and supporting it.
In one letter seen by The Courier, a homeowner was told to pay £6,732 – 12.5% of the total bill – while being warned the figure may rise.
The letters from Dundee City Council containing the evaluation are addressed to “Dear Owner” rather than specific people.
‘We’re not paying’
The Menzieshill building is part of the £500k pilot scheme approved by council in May for work on mixed tenancy properties containing both council and private residents.
Another block where the work is being carried out is Cart Place.
Arlene Jeffrey, who inherited her mother’s flat after she died on Christmas Day last year, is now awaiting a similar bill.
She says the residents will not pay.
“We’re not paying for a stupid pilot scheme that just covers the problem and hides it,” Arlene told The Courier
“Especially as we can’t move on and sell the house.
“No-one will get mortgages as the Raac is still there.
“You can’t even get house insurance – well you can, but they won’t cover the roof.”
Arlene says the whole ordeal is having an impact on her health.
She contacted the council on June 3 when she received notification of the works, outlining her concerns.
She is still awaiting a response, for which the council apologised on Monday.
“We are sorry for the delay in responding to Mrs Jeffrey and we will reply directly to her as soon as possible,” a council spokesperson told The Courier.
Raac a known issue for decades
Throughout the crisis, Dundee City Council has maintained that homeowners are responsible for the cost of fixing the issue.
Earlier this month, The Courier revealed that Raac had been a known issue within the council in Dundee as far back as 1977.
The Right to Buy Scheme, through which these homes initially entered private ownership, did not begin until 1980.
In 1978, the City of Dundee District Council set aside £70,000 to deal with structural issues caused by Raac in three developments.
All three have been identified to contain the defective concrete since 2023.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Where communal works are undertaken to mixed tenure blocks the council re-charges a proportionate share of the costs of these works to private owners.
“At the blocks at Cart Place and Dickson Avenue the Raac has required attention due to roof mounted water tanks.
“Two of these properties had temporary protective works installed while more detailed investigations were carried out.
“This has determined that permanent remediation work needed to be prioritised to prevent further deterioration of the Raac.
“The Raac is fully supported and therefore at no future structural risk.”
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