Apartment owners face massive repair bills

DEEP concern surrounds a meeting next week when the owners of apartments in Sandyford are expected to be faced with a proposal to pay millions of euro to address fire safety issues and structural defects in their homes.

Deputy Josepha Madigan (FG) said that assistance is now needed for Beacon South Quarter apartment owners who she said could be asked to pay up to €30 million due to poor planning at the time of construction.

“I have learned that apartment owners in Beacon South Quarter are to be presented with a bill of €10 million at an AGM on Monday, February 6, with future bills of up to €20 million expected,” Deputy Madigan stated. “The costs arise from a failure to provide sufficient water ingress and fire safety structures in the original construction of the residential development in Sandyford.

“It is simply not fair that they be faced with the costs relating to issues that should have been resolved in construction. They bought these homes in good faith, many at inflated Celtic Tiger prices. For many, this is a bill that they simply will not be able to afford.

“I am calling on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Government to fully consider options to assist these apartment owners. The owners and residents of Beacon South Quarter need help. We have seen solutions found for residents of Priory Hall and Longboat Quay in similar situations.”

Cllr Chris Curran (SF) also expressed his “deep concern” for the occupants of multi-unit developments following the problems emerging at The Beacon apartments in Sandyford.

“There seems to be trend developing where apartment owners are being left to pick up the pieces of structure and design defects, with Priory Hall and Longboat Quay being prime examples,” he stated.

“To expect owner occupiers to fund such extensive repair bills is ludicrous, especially given that the local authority would have signed off on the plans and the developers long since departed.”

Cllr Curran warned of many more similar incidents as complexes age. He also encouraged owner occupiers to become more involved in their management company to ensure that standards are being met, the law is being upheld and that their complexes are being maintained to a high standard.

A spokesperson for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said they had granted planning permission for the Beacon South Quarter development in November 2004, in accordance with the plans and drawings submitted.

“The developers of Beacon South Quarter were required to have in place a full design, construction and supervisory team,” the spokesperson stated. 

“They were responsible for ensuring that buildings and building works were carried out in accordance with the relevant planning permissions, with the Fire Certificates and the  Disability Access Certificates granted, and that the buildings were constructed in accordance with the Building Control Act and Building Regulations.

“Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council owns a number of apartments in the Beacon South Quarter development. The council, together with all of the other property owners in the development, has been informed by the management company of proposals to create sinking funds to address water ingress and fire compliance works.

“It is understood that the proposals are to be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the management company.  

The spokesperon added that the Dublin Chief Fire Officer has requested a copy of the report.