Apartment owners demand Government redress to the tune of billions of euro

The ‘Not Our Fault — Apartment/Duplex Defects Campaign’ is to hold a public conference in the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght, Dublin, for those affected on November 19. Picture: Pexels

Apartment owners facing levies of tens of thousands of euro for essential remediation to their homes have united to demand the Government step in to provide support in a situation they have been left through no fault of their own.

The ‘Not Our Fault — Apartment/Duplex Defects Campaign’ wants to highlight the situation that as many as 100,000 homeowners currently face — living in homes built between 1991 and 2013 that could have a range of fire safety, structural safety or water ingress defects.

It said many people living in such blocks may be unaware of the defects in the construction of their home. The campaign is to hold a public conference in the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght, Dublin, for those affected on November 19.

In July, a report was published by a working group commissioned by the Government. It estimated the overall cost of addressing these deficits will range between €1.56bn and €2.5bn.

Barbara Allen, who owns an apartment in the Hunterswood estate in Dublin 23, said people in her situation face huge fear and economic uncertainty over the prospect of having to raise large sums of money to pay for essential remediation works.

Ms Allen is a full-time carer for her mother, and lives in her home near the Dublin mountains with her daughter. In her case, she said she was initially told her balcony would have to be removed, and the levy in respect of this would be about €20,000. Then they were told further fire remediation work would cost tens of thousands more, she said.

“What we need to know is our homes will be fixed,” she said. “I did everything I was supposed to. I paid market price for my apartment.

“It was perfectly fine for years. In the space of two years, we’re told it’s not fit for purpose. Every penny has gone into a home for myself and my daughter. And it’s gone. That rug was pulled completely from under my feet. I woke up every morning and the first feeling I had was sickness in my stomach.” 

Ms Allen said she loves the area she lives in, and much of the estate is occupied by houses which have no issues identified with them. But it is the apartments and duplexes “that have been left woefully short,” she said.

Michael, who lives at the Metropolitan Apartments in Dublin’s Kilmainham area, said people affected by this issue want transparency over what this is all costing and how much the homeowner is being saddled with, along with a pledge of Government support ahead of the new year.

“We feel enough is enough with the lack of information we get,” he said.

Ultimately, it’s to explore 100% redress for everybody because we feel that is what is needed.” 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil last month that the Government had taken the “clear position” that these issues were not the fault of residents and that “residents facing such a situation should be looked after”.

“Because of the need for people to live in their primary residence and to have a roof over their head, the Government is going to come forward a with very comprehensive scheme to deal with this, just as we have in respect of mica and other areas as well.” 

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien fully acknowledges the difficulties homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes are facing, and the stress that is caused when defects arise in relation to their buildings.

In this regard, the Government is committed to helping affected homeowners, the spokesperson added.

An inter-departmental and agency group has been established with a view to bringing forward specific proposals on apartment defects to Government by the end the year. This group held its first meeting on October 18.

Mr O’Brien is expected to receive the proposals from the inter-departmental group by the end of the year.

The spokesperson said an advisory group was also being established to develop a code of practice in line with recommendation 8 of the working group’s report, in the context of the Fire Services Acts, to provide guidance to building professionals and local authority building control / fire services, including guidance on interim safety measures.

The minister met with representatives from the Construction Defects Alliance and the Apartment Owners Network on October 19 to update them on progress and has committed to liaising further as the process develops, the spokesperson said.

The minister has also written to Insurance Ireland inviting them to a meeting to discuss this matter.