Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Pre-Purchase Fire Safety Survey

  • 30-09-2019 9:49pm
    #1
    VonLuck
    Registered Users Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭


    Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

    Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.


Comments

  • #2
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

    Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

    Not without opening up and invasive works, which the MC wont allow.
    You'd have to check the tops of all compartment walls, penetrations, service risers, smoke shafts, fire alarm, Cavity Barriers plus more

    Most of this material is hidden within the fabric of the structure so not exactly something you can check on a visual inspection.


  • #3
    Xterminator
    Registered Users Posts: 4,716 ✭✭✭Xterminator


    +1 on that.

    you are talking about pre purchase permission to drill holes etc, as required to determine is building is up to code.

    not feasible.


  • #4
    Bluefoam
    Registered Users Posts: 7,694 ✭✭✭Bluefoam


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

    Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

    If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.


  • #5
    buzz11
    Registered Users Posts: 748 ✭✭✭buzz11


    VonLuck wrote: »
    Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

    Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.


    Because you are buying a unit in a shared development, it would be the responsibility of the Owners Management Company to deal with fire safety and compliance but whether they face up to matters such as this varies from one development to another.

    Your should research the OMC to check how its running and what issues the see arising.. lots of threads on here about OMC's

    The seller of the apartment might provide you with details on the OMC but then again they may not be obliged to do so or even be that involved.

    The question you raise is a major disadvantage in buying into multi unit developments because its such a blind process.


  • #6
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,849 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Bluefoam wrote: »
    If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.

    Then there's about 10-20 years of buildings that you can't buy. There were so many corners cut by builders/engineers/councils that any building from the mid 90s is a fire safety risk.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Bluefoam
    Registered Users Posts: 7,694 ✭✭✭Bluefoam


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Bluefoam wrote: »
    If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.

    Then there's about 10-20 years of buildings that you can't buy. There were so many corners cut by builders/engineers/councils that any building from the mid 90s is a fire safety risk.

    Exactly, don't buy them.


Advertisement