Social housing bosses told to check properties for dangerous crumbling concrete in light of RAAC schools crisis

Social housing bosses have been told to check their stock for dangerous crumbling concrete in light of the crisis at schools. The Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) has written to providers across the country, urging them to check their properties are safe in the wake of the RAAC saga.

Greater Manchester bodies will be looking at properties. One provider, Stockport Homes, said in a statement: "We are undertaking initial investigations/surveys for additional assurance against some stock."

Tenants are being visited in Stockport and filled in on the checks, but rehoming isn't deemed to be necessary at this stage, the Manchester Evening News understands.

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It is not thought the issue is widespread in social housing, according to RHS chief executive Fiona MacGregor in a letter to housing chiefs. "However, it may be present in a small number of buildings dating from this period [between the 1950s and 1980s], particularly in flat roof and panel structures," she added.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has hit the headlines after schools across the country were found to have the potentially dangerous material. Headteachers at eight primaries and secondaries in Greater Manchester have been dealing with the issue.

"Ensuring the safety of tenants and residents should be the highest priority for every landlord," the letter to housing bosses added. "We expect landlords to ensure that they have a good understanding of their homes, including building safety issues and whether homes contain RAAC components and the risk to tenant safety arising from these; that you develop proportionate mitigation and remediation plans where