Wednesday 15 April 2009

Social housing clawback ends

PEOPLE who buy affordable apartments in the Dublin Docklands will not have to pay back the local authority a portion of any profit they make reselling their homes.

Falling prices means some of the 'affordable' units are no longer cheaper than buying on the open market, and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) is to sell 75 units over the coming weeks, with 34 to be available without the clawback clause.

Affordable homes are for people on lower incomes and are sold at a discount to the market price.

If sold within 20 years the local authority receives a percentage of the sale price, but with falling property prices many are now comparable with buying on the open market.

Yesterday the DDDA said it was changing the conditions attached to affordable housing in the Docklands with ownership restrictions "abolished" for some apartments.

Open viewing days will be held next month, and homes will be offered to anyone on Dublin City Council's affordable housing list who registers before this Friday at www.ahome4u.ie.

"In these difficult times the DDDA is making every effort to ensure that qualified applicants can take advantage of our schemes and so have adjusted the conditions accordingly," chief executive Paul Maloney said.

"This forms part of our strategy to deliver 20pc social and affordable housing and encourage a vibrant community to take up residence in the area."

One, two and three-bedroom apartments are on offer in developments including Longboat Quay, Butler's Court, Hanover Quay, Forbes Quay, and newer developments, The Waterfront and Spencer Dock.

But the clawback restrictions will not apply to 20 homes available in Spencer Dock, 14 in The Waterfront in the Grand Canal Dock area and with some apartments in Longboat Quay and Butler's Court. Prices range from €210,000 to €295,000.

Meanwhile, the Circuit Civil Court has ruled that people who bought apartments in blocks run by a management company may now have complaints against the company regulated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).

Judge Jacqueline Linnane yesterday ruled that owners were tenants of a management company, and not excluded from the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.

The ruling came after Gary Mallon, the owner of an apartment at Elmfield Court, Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin in Dublin, was sued by S&L Management Company for allegedly not paying service charges.

Counsel for S&L said the relationship between the management company and the apartment owner was not that of landlord and tenant.

PAUL MELIA and RAY MANAGH
Irish Independent

www.buckplanning.ie

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