‘Take banks to task of derelict repossessed homes across Cork’
BANKS MUST BE ‘TAKEN TO TASK’ OVER HOMES LEFT DERELICT, SAYS CLLR
IRISH banks need to be “taken to task” for their lack of action in returning vacant houses under their ownership back into the housing market.
That’s according to Cork county councillor John Paul O’Shea (FG) who has vented his frustration at the manner in which officials with one particular bank had “passed the buck” over one such property in Banteer.
Over the past few months Cllr O’Shea has written to the bank in question on a number of occasions in a bid to find out what plans they have for the house, which has lain idle since being repossessed more than five-years ago.
“The property in question has been allowed to deteriorate into a very poor condition. Following my representations the exterior of the house has been cleaned up but this has only scratched the surface. Nothing has been done to the interior to make it inhabitable,” said Cllr O’Shea.
“Despite writing numerous emails to the bank I am still none the wiser about who even owns the building in question now, much less about any plans to with rent it out or sell it on,” he added.
Cllr O’Shea said this was just one example of what he described as the “perceived reluctance” on the part of banks to bring many repossessed houses back up to a liveable standard.
“I have attempted to engage with other banks about repossessed houses in the North Cork area that have been allowed to fall into a derelict condition. However, this has proven to be incredibly frustrating. Often my requests for information or updates are ignored, while at other times bank officials simply pass the buck. Perhaps it’s a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ with derelict properties in rural areas,” said Cllr O’Shea.
“Not only are these properties a visual blight on our countryside, but they serve no purpose as they are. Surely it would be in the banks interests to bring these properties up to standard so they can be sold or rented to the public.”
Cllr O’Shea said that in light of his experiences over recent months he has written to the CEOs of the AIB, Permanent TSB and Start Mortgages asking them to take immediate action on the properties under their direct ownership.
“It is high time that banks in possession of derelict properties around the country are taken to task and put resources into bringing them back up to a liveable standard, so they are no longer a visual blight on our countryside and they can be rented or sold and put back into use,” said Cllr O’Shea.