A working group set up to examine defects in housing has launched a series of online surveys for homeowners, landlords, and other parties involved in the sector.

The surveys will feed into a report that the group will send to the minister on the issue.

The Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing was established by Darragh O’Brien (Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, pictured) as part of the Government’s commitment to examine defects in housing. It is acting on the recommendations contained in the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing titled, Safe as Houses.

Chairman of the working group Seamus Neely is encouraging Law Society members to take part. Mr Neely is a former chief executive of Donegal County Council.

“The participation of members will greatly assist the Working Group in executing its task,” he said.

Nature and scale of defects

As part of its terms of reference, the working group has been asked to establish the nature and scale of fire-safety, structural-safety, and water-related defects in purpose-built apartment buildings – including duplexes – built in Ireland between 1991 and 2013.

It is also examining the difficulties associated with the discovery of such defects, and the costs and levies involved in fixing them.

Separate surveys

The group is now seeking to hear about the experiences of:

• Homeowners (both current and former),
• Landlords (including private investors/owners, institutional/commercial, approved housing bodies, and local authorities),
• Directors of owners’ management companies (OMCs), and
• Property-management agents.

It is asking people for information on their experiences of defects relating to fire safety, structural safety, and water ingress in apartment buildings.

The group is looking for information, regardless of whether defects in those properties are currently known, unknown, or where no such defects have arisen.

There is a separate online survey for each group. The surveys are running for six weeks – from Monday 31 January to 5pm on Monday 14 March.