Piece of concrete fell on my car - please help!!!

slawn

I live in Carrington apartments in Santry. Since we moved in it's a constant battle with the Developer. Our apartment was leaking at least 6 times already (today I've noticed that our guest room is leaking again). Every time they fix it it leaks again. But what I'm writing about is much worse. Almost a year ago a piece of concrete fell on our car in the underground car park. Since then we are trying to sort it out. After numerous phone calls, emails etc. nothing has been done. They won't fix the car – they said I should claim it back from the building insurance but because of the amount of claims already (a lot of the apartments are leaking there) the insurance premium increased to €1500 and to fix our car would cost €700 – so they said we won't get this done. I pointed out to them that another piece of concrete is hanging over our car – they didn't fixed it so we are basically waiting for it to fell of. Few days ago I've noticed a piece of concrete on the floor in the underground car park (this time it didn't fell on our car and it's in different place). To put this into perspective the size of both pieces (the one that fell on my car and the one that fell on the floor lately) is so big that if it would hit you it would kill you easily. At the moment by pregnant partner is afraid to go down to our car park and every time she wants to use our car I need to go down and take it out.


I really don't know what to do with them any more... I'm ringing them, trying to talk to them but they simply ignore me. They won't reply to my emails, if I will finally get though to them they say they will come back to me, but they never do. At this stage this is live threatening and I want something to be done, but I don't know where to go, who should I contact...


I'm the owner of the apartment and I'm really sick of the way they treat me and the amount of problems we are having - if you know what can I do or where should I go please help!!!!

Ste.phen

Surely you claim this on your car insurance, and your car insurance company will chase down the developer/management company / their insurance? leave the legwork to the people you pay to do it

slawn

thx Ste.phen... the thing is that we've had the cheapest car insurance we could get (it is old car), so I don't even know if we would be able to claim it back from them, also it was alomost a year ago. What I'm looking for is some kind of Building Inspectors or something like that... like I said at this stage this is live threatening and I want somebody to look at that... surely there needs to be some insitution like that here in Ireland - I just can't find it....

wyndham

How old is the development? Is it covered by homebond?

slawn

Hi wyndham - it is 2 years old and it is covered by homebond...

wyndham

Surely the structural defects (leaks and loose concrete) should be covered by homebond insurance then? I don't see how this is affecting your home insurance and why it should increase your premium? Is there a management company?

slawn

thanks wyndham. First I was talking to the Developer - like I said no luck there, so I went to the Management Company. The Management Company contacted the Developer for me and the Developer came back to them that this should come of the Building Insurance and Management company told me that because of the multiple leaks in other apartments (which were much bigger then mine) and other faults the insurance excess (I wrote premium in previous post - sorry my fault - it meant to be excess) increased and basically that I won't get anything as my problem is worth 700 and excess now is 1500... that's why I've decided to put this on boards.ie as I really don't know what are my rights, what can I do and where should I go. I'm new to this as this is my first property - so I have no previous experience in dealing with this type of stuff. I fell really helpless.... but thanks for the Homebond info - I will try to contact them. Do you know maybe other institutions where I can go to - to point out that this is serious health risk and that nobody wants to do anything with it??? Thanks for your help...

knipex

Not to be awkward but if lumps of concrete are falling from the roof of the underground car park (one which the entire building essentially rests) then you have far far bigger problems than the damage to your car.

Do you own the apartment or are you renting ?

edit.

Talk to your solicitor.

wyndham

Well, your residents committee are active on here:

http://www.neighbours.ie/dublin/forumdisplay.php?area=15&f=4233

One has been set up with 6 members from carrington. Any issues relating to carrington should be taken up with firstly the management company and then also with the residents committee so we can be aware of any issues people may have. The e-mail addy is: carringtonresidents@gmail.com

Solicitor is really the person you should be talking to at this point. The building is falling down around your ears, literally.

slawn

I know that this is a bigger problem... I'm not worried about the car anymore, but I want them to fix the underground car park roof and assure me that this won't happen again... Like I said my partner is afraid to go to the car park at this stage... Solicitor is the last place to go - I can't really afford going to a solicitor, but if this will be my olny hope I will....

JoeyJJ

Contact The FrontLine or Tonight with Vincent Browne, they love some sensationalism journalism and may but on a feature. They'll love the pregnant afraid to go to car angle. Sorry I know its not nice but If you can't/won't go to a solicitor then not sure.

Dublin_Gunner

slawn wrote: »

I know that this is a bigger problem... I'm not worried about the car anymore, but I want them to fix the underground car park roof and assure me that this won't happen again... Like I said my partner is afraid to go to the car park at this stage... Solicitor is the last place to go - I can't really afford going to a solicitor, but if this will be my olny hope I will....

Call a local solicitor and explain the problems. See if they'll do it on a no-win no-fee basis, and explain that you have very little money. I'd be VERY surprised if they turned your case down.

Oh, get in contact with a local counsellor about the issues. I'm not sure who your options are in Santry, but a google, or a post in the political fora should get you some names.

PCPhoto

slawn - from the sounds of it the apartment building may be unsound and could be a health hazard.

(ie. parts of car park falling down - some/most apartments have leaking pipes)

it might be a case of the entire building may need to be shut down and you could potentially be homeless.

I think you need to get to a solicitor (as the property you have purchased is not fit for habitation.... get out of there before the building collapses and someone is injured/killed)

(apologies for the slight sensationalisation but I'm only going on the information you have given - leaking ceilings, concrete falling down)

bryaner

Pretty sure the leak is the balcony above you if there is one.

Victor

You might consider taking to the Dangerous Buildings Officer in the relevant council.