UK: On 13 January 2026, Renfrewshire Council’s Chief Executive, Alan Russell, issued a formal response to the UK RAAC Campaign Group following our open letter raising urgent concerns about RAAC-affected homes in Linwood, Erskine, and surrounding areas.

While the letter acknowledges that RAAC is a “complex and challenging matter”, it ultimately confirms what hundreds of affected homeowners already feared: Renfrewshire Council does not intend to take responsibility, provide financial support, or offer a pathway out of this crisis for private homeowners.

Acknowledgement Without Action

The Council states it “understands the concerns” of tenants and private homeowners and claims reassurance that Bridgewater and Linstone Housing Associations are taking a “proactive, solution-focused approach”.

Yet for residents living daily with structural uncertainty, this reassurance rings hollow.

Homeowners continue to report:

Cancelled or delayed meetings

No costed remediation plans

No clear timelines

No acquisition or buy-back offers

No explanation of what happens if they fail financial probity checks

Acknowledging distress without addressing these realities does not protect families — it prolongs anxiety.

AHSP: A Door Firmly Shut

Perhaps the most significant element of the Council’s letter is its firm rejection of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) as a solution.

Renfrewshire Council states:

AHSP is being dismissed as ineligible to acquire RAAC-affected homes, despite local authorities being able to apply for funding on behalf of housing associations. With political will, such funding would enable the housing association to act, allowing it to offer RAAC homeowners a fair price using its own funds, as a direct consequence of the grant.

All AHSP funding is already fully committed to new-build housing

There is no flexibility within the current Strategic Housing Investment Plan

This position directly contradicts the lived experience of homeowners who have been repeatedly advised — including by government correspondence — to “liaise with the local authority” and explore available funding mechanisms.

The message to residents is clear:

There is no funding, and there will be no reprioritisation.

Passing the Buck — Again

The letter refers residents to the Scottish Government’s “RAAC in Housing” Group, describing it as “the most appropriate forum” for national discussion.

However:

This group does not provide direct financial support

Homeowners are not represented

It offers no immediate solutions for people facing £20,000–£30,000 repair bills

It does nothing to address collapsing property values or mortgage lock-in

Pointing to a discussion forum is not the same as providing a lifeline.

The Reality for Homeowners

For affected families, the Council’s position translates into impossible choices:

Stay in unsafe homes

Take on unaffordable debt — if loans are even available

Lose all equity built up over decades

Face long-term financial harm with no public safety net

Many residents are elderly, on fixed incomes, or raising families. Selling is not an option. Moving is not an option. Paying for repairs may not be an option.

Yet the Council concludes there is “no provision” to provide financial support.

What This Letter Really Confirms

Despite careful wording, the Council’s response confirms:

Renfrewshire Council will not lead on acquisitions

It will not reprioritise funding

It will not provide financial assistance

It considers the issue largely a matter for housing associations and national government

In other words, private homeowners are left stranded between institutions, each deflecting responsibility.

Our Position Remains Unchanged

The UK RAAC Campaign Group maintains that:

Councils must be active partners, not passive observers

Funding mechanisms must be adapted to meet an emergency not of residents’ making

Homeowners must be represented in all discussions

“Understanding concerns” is not a substitute for action

RAAC is not a theoretical policy issue. It is a structural failure affecting real homes, real families, and real lives.

Until there is a coordinated, funded, cross-agency response, the crisis in Renfrewshire will continue — not because solutions are impossible, but because responsibility is being avoided.