Government's fire safety remediation scheme for sellers?

magpie17

My apartment was unfortunate enough to be one of the many requiring recent extensive fire remediation works. The OMC demanded 20k for this work, and selling was not an option, as understandably nobody was prepared to buy an apartment which was deemed unsafe and under construction. Instead, I had to take out a loan, which I am struggling to pay off. Happily, the works are completed, so the apartment can be sold. I have the opportunity to leave the area anyway and want to put this all behind me.

However, given that the government is now rightly committing to refunding people for these payments, I want to make sure I do not end up losing out on the refund. Does anyone have information on how this scheme will work for people who sell after their work is completed? Will the money go to the OMC and new purchaser, or the person who paid this bill originally?

I would appreciate any information anyone has on this subject.

DubCount

The government statement on this said .... "Government have approved the principle of allowing remediation costs already incurred or levied to be covered under the legacy defects scheme, within the scope and defined parameters of said scheme."

What this actually translates to is anyones guess at this stage. How far back will the go? Will former owners levied by contactable? If its claimed by the OMCs, will there be any obligation on them to remit it to current/former owners?

I reckon it could be a long time before there is any clarity on the "grand announcement"

magpie17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120143912#Comment_120143912

The announcement say "the remediation of apartments and duplexes with fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects, constructed between 1991 and 2013", so the dates for the build are clear, but the payment process is the issue. Most info I can find is under Press Releases on gov.ie, but I can't post the link.

For the sake of fairness, they will need to be very careful about how they process this. Simplest approach would be to have OMCs register with the Housing Agency, then for people to submit claims directly to the agency, which are subsequently cross-checked with the OMCs to validate that the person submitting the claim is the person who the OMC has on record as paying. But if this will happen is anyone's guess.

I think the hope is that the OMCs will claim for works already completed and issue refunds to those that paid. I presume the OMC carried out/arranged the remedial works for your apartment and you paid the OMC. If you sell make sure the OMC are aware that you are the one that paid and that they have a forwarding address for you.