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Development Land

My neighbour has built on our party wall without consent. What can I do?

See the question below recently submitted to the Irish Times Property Clinic:

My neighbour has built on our party wall. I asked the builder to stop building as I had not agreed to this. My neighbour never asked me if it was okay to raise it, became very abusive towards me and put the wall up anyway. What are my rights?

 

Noel Larkin replies: This scenario is all too familiar. Regrettably the red mist can descend when discussions over raising boundaries start. The fact there can sometimes be confusion over where the actual boundary lies can add to an already tense situation.

In this case you seem sure the wall being built on is a party structure. In other words the wall is jointly owned by you and your neighbour and your consent would be needed to raise it.

It sounds like the work is now complete. Your neighbour’s decision to push on with the works despite your protestations and without consent leaves this matter unresolved between you. This is an unpleasant position to be in. The alteration of or interference with a boundary fence can have a direct impact on neighbourly relations. To turn a blind eye now will allow things to fester.

The negative feelings you have about the extension are understandable particularly as you have not agreed to this and your objection was ignored. A quiet life is enhanced by good relations with your direct neighbours. The route to a satisfactory resolution may be in reviewing the actual impact of raising the wall on your property. The type of extension you describe, where this involves raising the shared wall, is a very standard type of development. This simple type of development rarely has any significant impact on the adjoining property.

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Development Land

As apartment owners, what should we look for in our management company’s accounts?

See details below in relation to a query issued to the Property clinic from a reader:

We recently sold our house, where we had lived for 40 years, and downsized to an apartment nearby. We have now received documentation from the owners’ management company in relation to various administrative matters in advance of a planned AGM in the coming months. The documents include financial statements in relation to the last financial year.

Neither my husband nor I have a financial background and we are wondering where to start as regards understanding these. Is there anything specific we should look out for?

Answer:

The system in place in Ireland for the management of multi-unit developments (MUDs) is that they are managed via owners’ management companies (OMCs). These are normal companies, registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO), and as such require financial statements to be lodged with the CRO annually. Such statements are, by their nature, technical, and, like yourselves, many property owners do not have any experience in how to engage with them.

It is good that you are engaging with the OMC because, as with any company, good financial management is fundamental to good general management and it is important that members of the company monitor this. If an OMC is not well managed financially, then it will not be able to undertake the tasks set out for it under the lease agreements for the development. And, if it is not building a good sinking fund for long-term investments, then poor financial management will come back to haunt property owners.

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Development Land

Cost of building three-bedroom Dublin home jumps by €41,000 in four years

The cost of building a three-bedroom semi-detached house in the greater Dublin area has increased by €41,000 over the last four years, a new report has found.

The cost now stands at €371,000, an increase of 12pc compared with four years ago.

The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), which published the report, said the increase has been largely driven by a rise in hard costs, including bricks and mortar, which jumped by 19% or 29,000 euro.

Read the full details in the Irish Independent. 

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Development Land

Social housing expected to attract considerable private investment

There is likely to be “considerable investment” in Irish social housing from private interests – both domestic and international – in the coming years, according to CBRE Ireland.

In a new report, published on Monday, the real estate group said there had been “increased demand” over the past six months, with investors “keen to acquire residential units and schemes let to local authorities on long-term leases”.

This is in line with trends elsewhere in Europe and the UK, where the investment market for public housing is well established, and institutional capital, pension funds, private equity and other specialist investors regularly invest in public housing provision.

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Surveying

Rents edge up in June as house prices fall

Renting a home continued to cost more in June while house prices declined despite a substantial increase in activity in the property market last month, according to a report from property website Daft.ie.

Rents rose just 0.2 per cent in the 12 months to June with the average monthly listed rent now €1,402.

The price of homes to buy was 3.3 per cent lower in June than the same month a year ago, a reversal from a marginal gain in May. The average listed sale price across the State is €253,868.

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

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Uncategorized

Affordable homes pledged by the new Government will cost between €160,000 and €250,000, according to the Housing Minister.

Darragh O’Brien says many people are “stuck in a rip-off rental trap” and the new Government wants to address that.

He told Newstalk Breakfast the aim is to “give hope” to those who may have wondered when they’ll be able to afford a home.

Read the full details in the News Talk

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Uncategorized

Mortgage seekers face tighter criteria over Covid-19 wage subsidy

Several Irish lenders have introduced tighter checks and stricter conditions on mortgages for those in receipt of Covid-era wage subsidies.

In some instances, borrowers will have to produce evidence from their employers that their wage is sustainable after subsidies elapse. In couples where one person is on a wage subsidy, some lenders will insist the second partner is able to cover the entirety of the mortgage with their wage.

It comes after The Irish Times revealed on Monday that AIB had put in place a de facto block on mortgage lending to those in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme (TWSS).

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

 

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Uncategorized

Homeowners now rushing to take out up to €30,000 of mortgage equity to do renovations

There has been a surge of interest from people looking to release equity on their homes when they switch mortgage.

People doing this are typically taking out €30,000 and using it to carry out home improvements.

Despite taking on a larger mortgage, they are ending up in a situation where they are paying less in repayments a month because they are moving from high interest rates to much lower ones.

Read the full details in the Irish Independent

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

 

Categories
Development Land

Property prices rebound in May in biggest monthly rise since 2015

Property prices staged a minor rebound in May having fallen sharply the previous month, while the stock of rental properties available in the month continued to rise as the Covid-19 crisis all but shut off the tourism tap.

The latest data from property website Daft.ie showed that sale prices rose by an average of 3.7 per cent in May, in contrast to a 5.5 per cent fall in April. However, the average listed sales price of homes was still 1.6 per cent lower than a year ago, coming in at €245,545.

Read the full details in the Irish Times

If it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote

Categories
Uncategorized

Property set to reopen on June 8th!

Further to last week’s publication of the Joint Sector Protocol for Property Services Providers and the Valuation Sector jointly developed by SCSI, the PSRA and IPAV, we wish to advise members that it is our position that the reopening of the property sector fits into Phase 2 of the Government’s roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

This will facilitate the safe reopening of the sector in Phase 2, currently scheduled to commence on Monday 8th June 2020, subject to public health guidelines.

The SCSC Protocol

With this in mind, if it’s a Structural Survey Report (Building Survey Report, House Survey Report, Home Survey  Report, Property Survey Report, Condition Survey, Commercial Survey or Land Survey, ABL Surveyors are a firm of Chartered Building Surveyors with vast experience who will provide a professional, cost effective and efficient service to all our clients. Each inspection is carried out by a Chartered Building Surveyor (Building Surveyor, Home Surveyor, House Surveyor, Property Surveyor, or Land Surveyor) who has vast experience in their relevant field of Surveying.

We have offices in Navan, Dundalk and Dublin and also cover the surrounding counties and will travel nationwide if required.

ABL Surveyors are a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and holds full professional indemnity insurance cover.

In the event that you require any of these services, ABL Surveyors are the right choice for you so please contact us for a quote