Aberdeen City Council’s potential revival of a flat buyback scheme in troubled high‑rise blocks has sparked a mix of relief, anger and scepticism on social media, with many residents welcoming the principle but doubting that meaningful help will arrive quickly enough.
Public relief but fear of “financial ruin”
Many owners commenting on Facebook and X say the idea of a renewed buyback option is the first proposal in years that could prevent them being “financially ruined” by repairs running to several times the value of their homes.
Typical posts highlight that flats worth around £50,000 may face long‑term improvement costs of £270,000–£350,000 each, with some users describing the situation as “untenable” and “a trap nobody can sell their way out of.”
Others stress that being able to sell back to the council but remain as tenants would provide crucial security for older and low‑income residents who feel they have no realistic alternative.
Anger over years of delay and suspended buybacks
A strong current of anger runs through the online reaction, with residents accusing the council of acting only after years of warnings from flat‑owners and tenants. Commenters repeatedly point out that the council’s general buyback scheme has been formally suspended since 2024 and is not due for a broad review until early 2026, arguing that this has left people in high‑rises “stranded” while costs and uncertainty mounted.
Several contributors describe the new discussion of a targeted high‑rise buyback scheme as “too little, too late” and demand clear timelines rather than “another consultation and another report.”
Across Facebook groups and local discussion threads, residents question who would actually qualify if a new scheme is created, and on what terms. Owners worry that compulsory survey‑based valuations could come in so low that they still cannot clear existing mortgages, while others fear that only certain blocks – such as the city‑centre Category A‑listed towers including Gilcomstoun Land – will be prioritised.
Some social media users argue that any renewed scheme must also cover other high‑rise and “non‑traditional” post‑war homes, warning that a narrow focus would simply shift the burden onto a different group of owners.
Safety, demolition fears and calls for clarity
The reactions are also coloured by wider safety concerns, including fire safety and the RAAC concrete problems affecting hundreds of homes in Balnagask. Contributors link the proposed high‑rise buyback to past council discussions about possible demolition of certain multi‑storeys, with some fearing that owners could be pressured into selling cheaply ahead of any decision to clear blocks. Others insist that, if demolition or major reconstruction is being seriously considered, the council must publish a clear 30‑year plan for each building so residents are not “left living year to year in limbo.”
Latest developments
Since our article was published last month, the council’s own documentation confirms that any renewed, high‑rise‑focused buyback scheme is still at an exploratory stage rather than formally approved policy.
A report to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee proposes that detailed buyback proposals for city‑centre multi‑storeys be developed and brought back to councillors in August 2026, with options that could allow selling owners to remain as tenants.
At the same time, the council’s general buyback scheme remains suspended pending a broader review in early 2026, meaning no concrete new purchase programme for the affected high‑rise owners has yet been launched – a gap that continues to fuel frustration online.
