Homeowners at a development in Ashtown in Dublin have expressed frustration that the company which built their apartments and houses has not offered to contribute to the cost of fixing fire safety defects recently there.
The name of Flynn & O'Flaherty is very much in evidence at Phoenix Park Racecourse.
The company was both the developer and main contractor at the complex between Phoenix Park and the Navan Road. It includes apartment blocks and houses.
The development was completed around 2006, but in the last few years, fire safety defects have been discovered in all the blocks inspected in Phase One of the development.
Fire stopping, which must by law be put in place to stop fire spreading from one part of a building to another, was deficient or even missing in some areas.
The management company has engaged experts to find out what needs to be done and how much it will cost.
The work, which must be done as soon as possible to meet the requirements of the building insurers and to bring it into line with fire regulations, will take about six months to complete.
At a recent emergency general meeting, the owners voted to proceed with the programme of works.
They were told they may be able to recoup the cost from a promised Government redress scheme. It will need legislation and it will be several years before it comes into effect.
The first bills for the work have already gone out for an initial payment of €2,422 per apartment and between €500 and €600 per house.
The owners have been told they will be asked for more. One told RTÉ News it could come to around €25,000 for each apartment.
Many of the owners are unhappy that Flynn & O’Flaherty has not offered to pay to fix the problem.
The company is still in business and is building the next phase of the Phoenix Park Racecourse.
The property manager did approach it about the defects in Phase One, but has reported back that Flynn & O’Flaherty sees no basis for its involvement in putting right the defects in the apartment blocks it built.
And because the apartments were completed almost 20 years ago, Flynn & O’Flaherty cannot legally be held responsible.
Many owners have expressed their frustration to RTÉ News, but only one was willing to speak on the record.
Max Parlione, speaking after the EGM, said: "Basically they are going to avoid paying anything, and, at the same time, the taxpayers will have to pay for fixing buildings that they have built with defects that were concealed behind walls."
The taxpayers will include those living at the Phoenix Park Racecourse.
RTÉ News has contacted Flynn & O’Flaherty several times about this story. After the recent emergency general meeting, the company issued the following statement: "We note that remediation works have been proposed by the Phoenix Park Racecourse Development Management Company.
"This is a matter for the Management Company and for the property owners it represents."
Some of the home owners at the Phoenix Park Racecourse are seeking more legal advice on the possibility of getting Flynn & O'Flaherty to pay for fixing the fire safety defects.
