Raac homeowner: 'I'll never see inside my house again'

A woman who was evacuated from her home after the discovery of Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) says she knows she will never see inside it again.

Frances Reid, 58, was shocked to receive a phone call in August 2023 asking her to pack a bag with a week's worth of clothes and leave her home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire.

One year on, she is still living in temporary accommodation while paying the mortgage on a property she cannot live in - which she believes will eventually be demolished.

Ms Reid said she and her fellow homeowners are in "financial and emotional turmoil" waiting to hear what the future holds.

Ms Reid lived in her flat for 17 years and planned to be mortgage free when she retired.

She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland that after the evacuation of her home, she temporarily stayed on a friend's couch.

When she was not able to return to her home a week later, she was forced to present herself to the council as homeless and was given emergency accommodation.

Ms Reid now lives in temporary accommodation while continuing to pay the mortgage for her flat in Chapelle Crescent.

"It's hard when you've lived somewhere for 17 years with all your home comforts around you - you feel safe, you feel secure," she said.

"I’m pretty much a nomad at the moment, I have no idea when and where I’m going to end up."

Clackmannanshire Council said a 2023 survey showed that Raac in "poor condition" was found in three blocks of flats, containing 30 homes.

Ms Reid's flat as well as properties in the Park Street and High Street areas of Tillicoultry were declared unsafe and have been unoccupied since October 2023.

In recent weeks, residents received a written update, outlining the options being considered for the future of the properties.

Displaced homeowners arranged a meeting with Clackmannanshire Council representatives.

But this was cancelled the day before the group were due to meet, leading frustrated homeowners to protest outside the council headquarters in Alloa.

Ms Reid said she believes the council does not have a timeline for future plans, with homeowners left fearing they will never get to return to their homes.

She said: "I know I’m not getting back into my home. I know my home is going to be demolished, I’ll never see inside my house again."

"The best way to move this forward is to give us a fair deal for our homes.

"We’re all in a financial and emotional turmoil - a fair deal is to give us a home for the home that we’ve lost."

Clackmannanshire Council said that although this meeting was postponed, the council is eager to establish a regular meeting schedule with residents

A spokesperson said: “We will continue to provide appropriate support and updates where available to those directly affected.

“Officers have prepared an update for councillors, which has now been shared with the local stakeholder group, and a further paper, to consider the future of the Raac evacuated properties, will be brought to council as soon as is possible."