The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Raac crisis forced mum and kids out of ‘dream home’
Single mum Marie Edwards and her four children thought all of their “dreams came true” when they were given their Torry home – but three years on it has turned into a nightmare.
The young family previously lived in one of the Seaton high rises and had to wait six years for their Balnagask property.
“We came from a flat on the 12th floor to a three-bed house with a small garden. It was a huge change and it was like all of our dreams came true,” Marie said.
“It might seem like nothing but that is our dream house.”
But Marie and her children live in one of the almost 500 properties affected by the “crumbly” Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) that has prompted a clear-out of the community.
Marie was one of a handful of protesters who gathered outside Marischal College to protest against the situation this week.
A mix of both private owners and council tenants brandished posters reading “Stop the Raac, don’t let it crack” and “Our right, our homes, our fight”.
The determined residents didn’t even let a brief scattering of hailstones stop them from making their voices heard as they chanted various slogans.
Aberdeen City Council is offering alternative accommodation to its tenants affected by the potentially dangerous material.
Some residents have accepted the first offer given to them and have already moved out of the area.
However, Marie isn’t so lucky.
The anxious mum has been left in the lurch for a month without any updates from council officers, and is still awaiting her first offer.
“Quite a lot of us, especially the council tenants, would like to have our own homes back at the end of this, even if we were dispersed temporarily,” she said.
“At least then we would know that we were coming back to what we actually want at the end... None of us had intentions of moving.”
Marie admitted she loves the “community within a community” in Balnagask, and said its residents look out for one another.
She views her neighbours as her “support system” as they lend a hand with childcare and even nip out for shopping if anyone gets hit with sickness bugs.
“Private owners and council tenants are all willing to stand by each other and try to get the best outcome,” Marie said.
“We all want to help each other get what we all want at the end of the day.”
Marie revealed that the council has told its tenants to pack up their belongings, meaning many are currently living day-to-day out of boxes.
“With four children it’s a complete nightmare but we don’t have a moving date,” she said.
“It was a shock to the system to begin with but there’s so much uncertainty, it’s turmoil.”
Hayley Urquhart had her consultation meeting with a housing officer six weeks ago and is still to receive her first offer too.
Her daughter is starting academy after the summer but doesn’t know what school she will be attending.
The single mum told us that normally she is “well prepared” in buying school clothes for her children.
But now she is stuck as she doesn’t know which uniform she will need to get.
“When I contact the council it’s always ‘I don’t know’ or ‘there’s not an offer’,” Hayley said.
“That’s not good enough for me.”
A frustrated Hayley also claims the local authority hasn’t taken residents’ mental health into consideration throughout the process.
“They’ve not listened and not supported us,” she told us.
Another Torry resident, Michelle, said everyone wanted “transparency and the truth” from Aberdeen City Council.
The angry tenant told The Press and Journal that she has lived in Balnagask for 30 years and doesn’t want to move.
She also said many feel they are being “forced” out of their homes.
“We just want them to fix the problem, we’ve all got a lot to lose,” Michelle added.
“I’m in my 50s – I don’t want to have to start again.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said the local authority was “committed” to engage with all council tenants, owners and private tenants who have been affected by Raac.