Residents warned not to use their balconies
APARTMENT owners at a large Dublin estate have been “urgently” warned not to go out on their balconies because of deterioration of the structures.
In an email to owners on behalf of the management of the south Dublin development, they were told certain balconies were “unsafe”.
The email was issued on behalf of Hunterswood Management for the Hunterswood estate in Ballycullen, Dublin 24.
The letter was sent yesterday “as a matter of urgency”, after an engineering company found the balconies were “unsafe until further notice”.
However, work began at the start of the year on the balconies of more than 20 apart- ments in the complex. At some the decking boards appear to be rotten.
A representative of Keenan Property Management (KPM), writing on behalf of Hunterswood Management, said it was notified on Wednesday afternoon of the balcony issue.
Owners who leased any of the properties were told to notify their tenants, particularly during the current heatwave.
The board at Hunterswood Management CLG are due to meet “imminently” in order to rectify the situation, the email read.
“I am writing to you on behalf of the board at Hunterswood as a matter of urgency. It was brought to our attention this afternoon by the engineering company 2HQ that your balcony is unsafe to use until further notice,” the email said.
“Having recently reassessed the balconies, the engineering company have recognised that your balcony has deteriorated faster than initially expected.
“The board are meeting imminently to put in place an immediate plan of works and you will be updated on this process,” it added.
It’s understood that work by TK Building Services began on the balconies of 21 apartments in January.
The company is understood to be three-quarters of the way through fixing the balconies, which involves the current wood-based structures being replaced by steel-framed ones.
One resident at Hunterswood said he knew there was a problem with the balconies when he went out on his recently and his
foot went through it.
The man said owners had received a letter around two years ago saying inspections would be carried out on them, but everything happened slowly until they got a letter and email this week telling them not to use the balconies.
“We got the first letter around two years ago. I’m not sure what prompted it, but it said inspections would be carried out,” he said.
“Then someone came and carried out some sort of rudimentary inspection and went away again.
“There was no word for another six months or so and then there was a letter outlining how there were three categories of wear or degrading, and mine was in as category C or 3, which was least affected.
“But then I got the letter and email the other day saying not to use the balcony. It didn’t surprise me because my foot went through it a while ago when I stepped out on it,” he added.
Damage to some of the balconies is evident at Hunterswood. Many have had their cladding removed to expose the support timbers, which are water stained. But above them the decking boards on some are rotten.
KPM was contacted for comment but no response was forthcoming at the time of going to print.