€270,000 for house but driveway not included

Residents who forked out €270,000 for their homes seven years ago have been told they do not actually own the driveways to their houses.

Due to a mapping error in the Property Registration Authority — formerly the Land Registry — the residents in the privately built estate in Limerick have to get permits to allow cars on the driveways outside their front doors.

Fifty-two families who bought three-bed semis at Kilteragh in Dooradoyle seven years ago have been affected.

One resident, a Garda detective, said he has been told that cars using his driveway will be clamped by the estate management company if they do not comply with the company terms, which include a €3 per day parking fee for visitors to his home.

More than 150 houses in the 600-house/apartment estate are affected by the mapping error and more residents are expecting letters from the Property Registration Authority.

The houses affected were the final phase of the estate and are at addresses in Ardbracken, Clonmore, and Glendare.

Residents received a letter dated April 2 from the Property Registration Authority advising them they were proposing to update their maps records.

“Our records indicate that an error has occurred during the registration of the above folio,” the letter read. “Enclosed find an extract map showing a portion of property shaded in green that is currently registered in error on your folio. The authority intends to exclude said portion from your folio.”

The revised map proposes to exclude front driveways and residents have 21 days to appeal. Residents have called an emergency meeting for next Tuesday night with a view to engaging legal advisers.

Vincent Brick, a detective stationed at Henry Street Garda Station, whose house is in Ardbacken, said: “I am devastated. This is bizarre. I signed a contract with the developer and the builder which clearly shows my entire property map with its driveway. They are now saying I just own from my front door to my back garden wall. This is a land grab.”

Mr Brick said the site row was sparked when he challenged the estate management company PMI about parking charges last October. He said he was advised if there was a breach, cars in his driveway would be clamped.

Mr Brick said: “I told them they could not come into my property and clamp cars parked in my driveway and the estate management company told me I did not own my driveway, that it was part of the common land in the estate.”

As part of the annual €250 residents pay to PMI, residents get four car park passes, and 12 free visitor passes a year. Visiting cars are then charged €3 after the free passes are used up.

Mr Brick said if he does not own his own driveway, he can not prevent anybody parking there.

He said: “There is a whole issue of access to our own homes involved here.”

Labour councillor Joe Leddin and Fianna Fáil councillor James Collins have called on Limerick County and City Council to take the estate in charge.

PMI could not be contacted yesterday.