RAAC

Does a 1960s or 1970s flat automatically have RAAC because of its age?

No. IStructE says RAAC has been used since the late 1950s, most commonly as precast flat-roof panels, not that every building of the period is made of it. System-built housing, timber roofs and ordinary concrete exist in the same decades. Age is a reason to ask what the roof is made of. It is not an identification.

Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.

What is the fuller explanation?

Ex-local-authority flats and offices converted to homes are where buyers hear the word, because public buildings of that era are where investigations have been concentrated. A brick walk-up with a timber roof is a different building. The survey should describe the construction it could see. If it says “concrete flat roof, deck not identified”, ask for the identification. If it says “timber flat roof”, do not add RAAC in your own summary.

IStructE’s advice to owners who are unsure of the construction is to have an inspection and a risk assessment, and if RAAC planks are present to have a structural engineer assess them. “Unsure” is the trigger, not the year on the lease. Do not tell a lender the block is RAAC because it was built in 1968. Tell them what the survey and the engineer actually found.

What should you ask your surveyor?

What is the roof structure you could see?
Are you unsure, or are you describing timber or another deck?
Is this a house, a converted block, or a flat under a concrete roof?

What are the typical next steps?

Use the survey’s construction words in any lender form. Do not upgrade them.
If the deck is unknown and the building is of the period, ask the freeholder what investigations they have. Then decide if you need your own engineer.
Do not walk away on the year alone. Do not ignore an unknown concrete deck.

Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.

Also asked about this

Are 1960s houses all system-built?

No. Many are ordinary brick cavity houses. System building is a specific question. The survey should not use “1960s” as the name of a system.

Does a concrete floor between flats mean the roof is RAAC?

No. Floor slabs and roof panels are different elements. Ask about the roof you are actually under.