COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager to actively support the management company directors and residents of Foxford Court in seeking to address serious building defects which require urgent repair. While it is noted that South Dublin County Council has no legal interest in this development other than as mortgagee, the Council does have a duty of care to residents since this development was sold as affordable housing and the council should not therefore simply refer residents to either ‘Homebond’ or to the developer but should instead actively support the residents on this matter?

REPLY:

The 52 properties in Foxford Court, Lucan were sold under the Affordable Housing scheme. South Dublin County Council facilitated this development and provided the opportunity for eligible applicants to purchase affordable housing through a private sale. The properties were sold under the Homebond Scheme with a 10 year structural guarantee which is standard on the sale of all newly built private dwellings. The Foxford development is still within this time period and therefore any complaints in relation to defects should be directed to Homebond for their consideration.

Similar to other private Multi-Unit Developments around the County, the management and maintenance of the development is the sole responsibility of the Management Company. The Council has no legal interest in this development other than that as mortgagee for some of the dwellings and therefore there is little that the Council can do directly to resolve the problems being encountered in this private development.