Scot Lib Dems call for plan to notify property owners about concrete risks

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called on the Scottish Government to set out an immediate plan for letting private property owners, both residential and commercial, know about the risks posed by dangerous reinforced concrete (RAAC) and what action needs to be taken.

In response to a series of parliamentary questions from Mr Cole-Hamilton lodged in early July about whether the government would notify private property owners of the risks posed by RAAC, the Scottish government’s housing minister Paul McLennan declared that “Building safety is a matter for the building owner”, while minister Patrick Harvie said that “Maintaining the safety of buildings is the responsibility of building owners, and this includes responsibility for any assessment of the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in private sector buildings”.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“It’s not good enough for the Scottish Government to simply say that it’s a matter for business owners to ensure their premises are safe.

“If concrete beams in a block of flats collapse the idea the government could simply go “that’s not our problem” is ridiculous.

“This concrete was in use for decades. We need an immediate government plan for notifying property owners about what to look out for and clear standards set for what a dangerous property looks like and what action needs to be taken.”