The agreement in principle was made yesterday at a reconvened Special Meeting at Aberdeen City Council and could also mean homeowners who have already agreed terms will be offered the money retrospectively, subject to a report being presented to the committee on how the offer complies with the council’s statutory duties.

The potential offer includes an additional payment of £44,000 for a four-bedroomed property, £37,000 for a three-bedroomed, and £20,000 for a one-bedroomed, on top of the existing market value, legal and professional fee payments already in place.

The announcement comes after the Scottish Government reached a £10 million funding agreement with Aberdeen City Council to help meet costs associated with RAAC-affected properties.

Convener of the council’s Housing, Communities and Public Protection Committee, Councillor Miranda Radley, said: “We are pleased to be able to offer this additional payment to RAAC private homeowners in principle.

“We are grateful to the cabinet secretary for housing Màiri McAllan for the invitation for the council to bid for £10m and verbal reassurance for further resources, as it meant we could make this additional payment available.”

Council co-leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “Council staff have been working with the Scottish Government on how the £10m could be used.

“The additional funding the Scottish Government very recently made available means it may now be possible for the Council to make an improved offer to homeowners. We very much hope this will help homeowners in these very difficult circumstances and allow them to move forward with their lives.”

The payment also included that advice will be sought from external auditors on best value considerations for the additional payments, as they will be coming from the council’s capital funds. Any new builds or improvements to council housing properties come from the ringfenced housing revenue account.

It will be reported to a council committee in the coming weeks whether and how the council can deliver the additional payment as part of the acquisition process, and how affected homeowners would be able to claim the payments and the timescale for them.