Spencer Dock ownership

handsomedevil1

Hi.
I am looking into buying apartment and considering Spencer Dock, Dublin 1 (for myself). I heard there are some issues with ownership there, but can't find any information.
Does anyone know?

dubdev

It depends what you mean by "issues". There are pros and cons to anywhere. I rent in spencer dock but
personally I wouldn't buy any apartment in Ireland for any money, as they are usually overpriced shoeboxes that are built to unsatisfactory standards, and are usually riddled with leaks, cracking and noise issues, not to mention fire compliance problems. It can also be difficult to get house insurance on an apartment as a result of this.

The pros of Spencer Dock are:

Central location. A 20 minute walk or 10 minute LUAS into town.
It's in demand, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future considering all the construction going on around the Docklands, so think good resale value.
It's well maintained with lovely courtyards and the property management company are engaged with the residents.
You can get good returns on rent.

The cons:

You'll be paying top dollar to live overlooking Sheriff st. It can be dog rough
at night and the green area in front of the entrance to spencer dock is overwhelmed with little scumbags drinking, diving into the canal and blaring music whenever the sun comes out. See http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/watch-car-drives-into-dublin-canal-in-apparent-joyriding-1.2952443

and

https://youtu.be/l9gMdYVQCtw


There is a well documented and ongoing issue with short-term letting like AirBnB causing disruption to residents at night. The management company have implemented a ban but there are still non-compliant owners - see http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/spencer-dock-residents-banned-subletting-12057505

There are structural issues with leaks, mould, cracks in walls and bad smells which have been ongoing from day 1. There seems to be some sort of window replacement programme going on for penthouses due to leaking issues.

Access to the complex by car is awfully poor. Legally, you can only access it by North Wall Quay. However, you can't turn right off the Samuel Beckett bridge, if coming from the bridge you have to go all the way around the back of the complex and come back onto the quay using New Wapping st, but that's closed for construction works at the moment... If coming from the North City, you have to sit in traffic for ages on Guild st. What most people do is go onto Mayor st bridge and (illegally) go onto the LUAS track and take the left turn onto Park lane that runs up to Spencer Dock. There is also a bus depot about to open directly opposite the main entrance !
See http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/developer-johnny-ronan-and-pwc-fail-to-block-docklands-bus-depot-plan-34750967.html A couple of times a year there is a night-run event where all surrounding roads are blocked off as well, so you're hemmed in or out for the day while that goes on.

No Visitor parking. You either use pay and display on street parking, in nearby streets, spend tens of thousands on a parking space or rent a space for around 100 a month.

As you can see, I would strongly recommend you reconsider your decision if you haven't made one already.
Ignore the estate agent blurb about "great central location" and proximity to the LUAS. Unless you work in the docklands or north city centre and can walk or get the LUAS to work, you'll either be sitting in traffic or going across South of the liffey to get your bus. The LUAS interconnector is opening soon which will hopefully make access to the southside of city a bit better.

Our plan is to move out within a year or two and buy a house on the southside once we've saved enough.

Bob24

@dubdev I am also considering buying there but a bit wary of the proximity of Sheriff Street.

Do you have any anti-social behaviour or safety issues creeping inside the development?

And what about the immediate surrendings? Would you say there is any safety issue walking back there from town in the evening?

Spencer Dock resident

yes there are major issues with water ingress and construction defects

Spencer Dock resident

you can have a look at the water damage to the Spencer Dock apartments on Facebook at spencerdockresident

Spencer Dock resident

I live at Spencer Dock and the construction defects that are causing continuous water ingress and subsequent permanent water damage is so bad I was forced out of my apartment

new_dubliner

I am looking into buying apartment and considering Spencer Dock. On SpencerDockResidence facebook, report the water ingress and fire safety problem found. I can't any information in 2019. The problem is solved? Management company repaired it? Many thanks.

happyfriday74

If you are buying an apartment your solicitor will look for MUDs(i.e a Q&A from the management company) replies and they should let you know whats going on.

The Enbalmer

new_dubliner wrote: »

I am looking into buying apartment and considering Spencer Dock. On SpencerDockResidence facebook, report the water ingress and fire safety problem found. I can't any information in 2019. The problem is solved? Management company repaired it? Many thanks.

After reading that you still want to buy there?

Lunacy.

Bob24

The Enbalmer wrote: »

After reading that you still want to buy there?

Lunacy.

Really depends on how bad the issues are, so the poster is probably right to try to figure out a bit more.

A development where issues have have been found, which has been carefully inspected by several surveyors, and for which each issue has been remediated isn't necessarily bad as at least you know it's been reviewed carefully and nothing more has been found (of course that is assuming no major/unfixable issue has been identified and everything has been remediated already).

I think the reality is that half the developments from the Celtic tiger area have issues, and if you come across one which has no know issue it might just be that it was never carefully inspected or that the time bomb hasn't exploded yet.

Having said that and coming back specifically to Spencer Dock, I've read a bit about it before and from my superficial understanding it seems pretty bad (but then again on top of my head I could quote 3 other large developments in the Docklands with similar known issues - Gallery Quay, Longboat Quay, and Canon Hall - and there are probably a few more for which it is just a matter of time before issues are identified).

new_dubliner

It is true. Look like the apartments created from the Celtic tiger area have issues. I found some news. The Longboat Quay apartments have major deficiencies with their fire safety standards. Residents were told to pay around €18,000. It happened in 2015. The resident and director of the Longboat Quay Management Company said each unit may need to make a contribution of €10,000 to €18,000 if funding for the works is not forthcoming from either the building’s receiver or the Dublin Docklands Authority.

Water leak happens in some luxury apartment in Dublin’s south docklands at the end of last year. The apartments are part of a broader campus, including offices for US investment bank JP Morgan

I am thinking whether buy the property around dockland area! I suppose majority of apartments have similar known issues in there.

Bob24

Definitly not an issues specific to the Docklands.

Priory Hall is the worst one in Dublin and Beacon South Quarter a huge development with worrying issues ... both in different locations.

And there are many smaller developments all accross the country which you don’t hear about in the press.

happinessfr

Bob24 wrote: »

Definitly not an issues specific to the Docklands.

Priory Hall is the worst one in Dublin and Beacon South Quarter a huge development with worrying issues ... both in different locations.

And there are many smaller developments all accross the country which you don’t hear about in the press.

Any updates to South beacon quarter? Has the issues been resolved?

abhisheksingh

Hi,

any idea how long it might take for the ongoing litigation on Spencers Dock apartments to be resolved? and how approx the owners may have to pay? Need to consider these as I'm considering to buy a 2 bed apt there.

supevee

Hi, did you ever get a response to your question. I'm in the same boat (planning on buying a 2 br at spencer dock) and wondering the same thing. Thanks!

Jack008

Does anyone know the status of the Spencer Dock apartments in the end of 2023? Did they fix the issues?