It’s not just homeowners who are Trapped by Raac… it seems Aberdeen City Council is also between Raac and a hard place.
The local authority has revealed it has only managed to acquire four privately owned Raac houses through its voluntary acquisition scheme.
The Press and Journal has reported extensively that many of the homeowners have opted not to engage with the council scheme to buy back their homes, due to low offers and hopes of other solutions being offered.
An ACC spokeswoman confirmed that of the 138 privately owned homes, only 13 owners have accepted offers, and to date, only four of those are in council ownership.
This means that so far less than 9.5% of homeowners have accepted offers generated by the Valuation Office Agency, and less than 3% of privately owned Raac-riddled Balnagask homes have been acquired by ACC.
60-year-old widow Seiyefa Van Der Kist owns her own home on Pentland Crescent.
She is one of the 97% still defiantly holding on to her home, refusing to engage with ACC. This is her story…
‘I feel I’ve let my husband down’ says widow Trapped by Raac
Seiyefa lives in one of the 500 Balnagask homes with roofs built using Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Raac). The cheap, bubbly concrete is now deemed unstable, and her home is to be demolished.
“Sometimes I just sit and cry my eyes out.
“I bought my house when my husband died. I put all the cash I had into it. Started doing it up and improving it.
“I feel I’ve let him down. I’m going to lose everything we worked for.”
‘My husband wanted me to buy this house – now I could lose it all’
Former Rentokil operative Seiyefa moved to Torry from Stonehaven in 2012.
A year earlier, the love of her life, husband Will Van Der Kist, died following a long battle with lung cancer.
“My husband worked in oil and gas and travelled all over the world. We had a lovely life together but cancer took that from us.
“He was just 60 when he passed away. I used the money he left me to buy my home. It’s what he wanted me to do. Now I could lose it all.”
‘I put down a deposit of more than £50k. It’s all I had’
To purchase her £108,000 three-bedroom Pentland Crescent “hen house” Seiyefa used “every penny” she had, to raise a deposit of £56,000.
“My late husband was very good with finances. We talked about what I should do with the money I would get when he passed.
“He wanted me to buy a home.
“I found a house I really liked in Torry, used all the money I had as a deposit, and bought my home.
“I still owe a substantial amount on my mortgage.”
‘They want us to take it and shut up. I’m not prepared to do that,’ says Seiyefa
Speaking to The Press & Journal at a recent homeowners’ meeting in The White Cockade pub, grandmother of two Seiyefa says she won’t be engaging with Aberdeen City Council’s Voluntary Acquisition scheme.
“I’ve heard of people being offered around £60,000 for similar homes. What will I do with that? Where can I go? Do they not know Aberdeen is an expensive city?
“I feel the council just wants us to take what they offer, and shut up.
“I’m not prepared to do that.”
ACC have acquired just four private homes so far
If today’s Aberdeen City Council figures are correct, it seems she’s not the only one.
Just four of the 138 Raac-riddled private homes are now back in the hands of Aberdeen City Coucil.
But for Seiyefa, it’s not just about the money.
“I love where I live. I have great neighbours. When my husband died I came here and right away I found neighbours – like Roberta and her husband – who became like parents to me.
“They have loved me and looked after me.
“The thought of leaving Roberta makes me very sad.”
‘I think this process is actually killing me’
Like many others Trapped by Raac, the process has also affected Seiyefa’s health.
“I’m quite tired most of the time. I wake up at night – most nights – tossing and turning and then I can’t get back to sleep. When I do drop off, I sleep late.
“I’m lucky because I can just about manage off my husband’s pension. If I was working I’d have lost my job.
“It’s just so worrying, all the time.
“It’s the unknown that’s killing me. I really think it’s killing me.”
‘My home is the last thing that reminds me of Will. I won’t let them take it’
For now, Seiyefa says she’s grateful for “small mercies.”
“I was about to pay for my bathroom to be done up and then I saw the news about Raac on TV. So I’m grateful for that.
“And I’m grateful for all the support people are showing us. We just need everyone to keep signing the petition and keep telling their stories.
“I can’t let them take the last thing I have that reminds me of my late husband.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “We are committed to continuing to engage with all council tenants, owners and private tenants who have been affected by RAAC and keep them informed of any new updates. Anyone who is concerned about RAAC should read our Frequently Asked Questions online.”
- You can download your free Trapped by Raac poster here.
- Read more from our Trapped By Raac campaign here.
- While the urgent aim of this campaign is to support the homeowners, we know this crisis has impacted the lives of hundreds of council tenants too. We haven’t forgotten you. Use the form below to get in touch to share your story too.
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