Prime Time: Nightmare to Let RTÉ Investigates

GGTrek

Doltanian wrote: »

Cabaal wrote: »

Whats worse is SF have a majority in that council, will they be so quick to condemn how they've acted like they would if FG or FF were in the council in a majority?

Extremely bad management by DCC

Sinn Fein are no different to the rest of the political classes,
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/priory-hall-sinn-fein-distances-itself-from-builder-tom-mcfeely-26783818.html

Hear, hear!

Arthur Daley

At this end of the market and slightly above, things can get rough at times. It helps to be a bit of a tough nut. So there can be a fair amount of either ex IRA or Garda involved.

Boater123

steddyeddy wrote: »

Regulation regarding inspection is needed. I also don't know if this breaks any laws. If it doesn't than stronger laws are needed.

As Graham said, there is regulation. Local authorities are supposed check all rental accommodation in their area is to a certain acceptable standard, and not just on the foot of a complaint.

Though offering accommodation of a standard that should not solicit a complaint, I can state that I have never had a property under go an inspection from a LA in 26 years. Post RTA 2004, I expected them but no, none, ever.

IMO, there is just not enough inspection, presumably due to lack of funding.

road_high

handlemaster wrote: »

Would be Nice to see the other side for a change. There's to much of the bad landlord stereotyping

RTE must be full to the brim with lefties with chips on their socialist shoulders. They can hardly make a programme these days without the "homeless crisis", it's their new angle for misery after we had "austerity" and water charges. The misery junkies must have a weekly dose of moral outrage as sustenance.

handlemaster

road_high wrote: »

handlemaster wrote: »

Would be Nice to see the other side for a change. There's to much of the bad landlord stereotyping

RTE must be full to the brim with lefties with chips on their socialist shoulders. They can hardly make a programme these days without the "homeless crisis", it's their new angle for misery after we had "austerity" and water charges. The misery junkies must have a weekly dose of moral outrage as sustenance.

Regarding the homeless situation how many churches in ireland are there ? And how many are been used for the homeless. .. like the bible would teach to help thoses in need ?

Wanderer78

handlemaster wrote:

Regarding the homeless situation how many churches in ireland are there ? And how many are been used for the homeless. .. like the bible would teach to help thoses in need ?

And why haven't we been just building homes since it was spotted many years ago that we would need them?

lawred2

handlemaster wrote: »

Regarding the homeless situation how many churches in ireland are there ? And how many are been used for the homeless. .. like the bible would teach to help thoses in need ?

Are you seriously suggesting that?

Topgear on Dave

Wanderer78 wrote: »

And why haven't we been just building homes since it was spotted many years ago that we would need them?

It takes years to deliver housing. Planning takes months, planning objections take months, building takes months. Not easy.

AndyBoBandy

I watched the show via the player and have a couple of points I’d like to make (I feel I must add that I’m not a landlord, I was a tenant before but am not now)

Yes some of the crowded accommodation was dreadful, but people are perfectly happy to live there, paying a lot less than they would for an apartment of their own. A lot of these people are working to support families back home, if they could pay less for a lesser standard of accommodation, they would. This is a fact and happens in almost every city in the developed world, and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.
If there was no market for this type of accommodation, it wouldn’t exist.

The woman with the mice running around her kitchen: if you live in filth, expect rats/mice to also want to live there. The video she showed of the mouse on her counter also showed the same counter filthy.

All this show is going to achieve is encourage more landlords to set up their properties like this, as the amount of money to be made is staggering.

Wanderer78

Topgear on Dave wrote: »

It takes years to deliver housing. Planning takes months, planning objections take months, building takes months. Not easy.

it hardly takes ten years to pull all that together?

__..__

handlemaster wrote: »

Regarding the homeless situation how many churches in ireland are there ? And how many are been used for the homeless. .. like the bible would teach to help thoses in need ?

My local parish priest lives on his own in a 5 bed house with 3 reception rooms and two living rooms. And never shuts up about the rest of us helping others in need, especially when passing around the collection bags.

__..__

Wanderer78 wrote: »

it hardly takes ten years to pull all that together?

Nope. It's just to pass the time until the minister changes over, then the clock and promises start all over again.
Coveny destroyed the rental sector and then ran.

TurnAblindEye

The Poor Man who was 20 Years living in the same place No Fire Alarm with no washing facilities, Hole in roof, water running down Live Electric Fittings for over 504 days, & the State Know, What is Wrong with the Law that People who We the Tax payer fund, have to live like this. Just seen other footage of the same house, Something Very wrong in the Dublin County Council, who did not step up to help,

steddyeddy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I watched the show via the player and have a couple of points I’d like to make (I feel I must add that I’m not a landlord, I was a tenant before but am not now)

Yes some of the crowded accommodation was dreadful, but people are perfectly happy to live there, paying a lot less than they would for an apartment of their own. A lot of these people are working to support families back home, if they could pay less for a lesser standard of accommodation, they would. This is a fact and happens in almost every city in the developed world, and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.
If there was no market for this type of accommodation, it wouldn’t exist.

The woman with the mice running around her kitchen: if you live in filth, expect rats/mice to also want to live there. The video she showed of the mouse on her counter also showed the same counter filthy.

All this show is going to achieve is encourage more landlords to set up their properties like this, as the amount of money to be made is staggering.

So in other word because there's a market for it it's OK to treat people like this. If there was no market for herion it wouldn't exist, but it does and is a big problem for society.

AndyBoBandy

steddyeddy wrote: »

So in other word because there's a market for it it's OK to treat people like this. If there was no market for herion it wouldn't exist, but it does and is a big problem for society.

Where did I say it was ok?

steddyeddy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Where did I say it was ok?

"but people are perfectly happy to live there, paying a lot less than they would for an apartment of their own. A lot of these people are working to support families back home, if they could pay less for a lesser standard of accommodation, they would. This is a fact and happens in almost every city in the developed world, and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.
If there was no market for this type of accommodation, it wouldn’t exist."

This bit. You seem to be suggesting that the fault lies with the market demand and not with the regulation. Saying the conditions are dreadful and then following with "but they are happy".

Sleeper12

I do appliance repair & I see all types of properties. I see top class homes. I work for some landlords that ring me the day the tenant says that the shower is broken. I have had landlords pay me to repair a shower that is under warranty because they don't think it right that the tenant would be without a shower for 3/4 days waiting to have it repaired for free under warranty. You get the picture. There are some great landlords.

Sadly I have seen many properties like the ones on the documentary. I have never witnessed overcrowding to that extent but I replaced a broken pump in a shower & 3 months later I was called back again. The carbon brushes had worn down in 3 months. Carbon brushes last for around 1000 hours. That means that the shower ran for 40 full 24 hour days out of around 100 days. I was shocked to say the least. The mold I see everyday along with threadbare carpets, dodgy electric fittings & pretty much everything on that program. I've seen handy men work on Gas boilers & on fuseboards. Work that you need training to do & where safety certs should be issued.

IMO the insurance industry should step up & demand to see periodic inspections by REC electricians & Gas inspections by RGI gas installers. That would take care most of the safety issues.

Overall I find the quality of most rented accommodation in Dublin poor to say the least. I certainly wouldn't want to live in them

AndyBoBandy

steddyeddy wrote: »

"but people are perfectly happy to live there, paying a lot less than they would for an apartment of their own. A lot of these people are working to support families back home, if they could pay less for a lesser standard of accommodation, they would. This is a fact and happens in almost every city in the developed world, and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.
If there was no market for this type of accommodation, it wouldn’t exist."

This bit. You seem to be suggesting that the fault lies with the market demand and not with the regulation. Saying the conditions are dreadful and then following with "but they are happy".

Nice try,

Yes, people are happy to live in those conditions, it’s still not me saying it’s OK is it?

steddyeddy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Nice try,

Yes, people are happy to live in those conditions, it’s still not me saying it’s OK is it?

Great then. It's a spectacularly irrelevant point. We live in a first world country. Those conditions are not acceptable and the market demand is irrelevant.

AndyBoBandy

steddyeddy wrote: »

It's a spectacularly irrelevant point.

Yet you still felt the need to pull me up on it twice!

Ok then.

Of course it’s not ok to have people living in those types of apartments, but people will go to extreme lengths to save themselves a few euro, and if by staying in one of these places someone can send home an extra €100 per month (which could be the equivalent of a months salary to them at home) they will do it. That’s the sad reality of the situation.

James 007

I wonder what are peoples thoughts on if:
1) The property met all fire safety regulations
2) For the No. of persons, 10 showers in the place instead of 2
3) The No. reduced to say 30 No. overall
4) Adequate storage space provided in a large wardrobe room
5) Larger communal kitchen/sitting room area

I'm saying if the house was brought up to comfortable type hostel accommodation, would it be deemed acceptable. Cleary there is a market for this type of accommodation, obviously it needs to meet all the usual legislation etc.

As pointed out earlier, the less rent to be paid is better for a lot of south American students and workers who come to save as much as possible.

steddyeddy

James 007 wrote: »

I wonder what are peoples thoughts on if:
1) The property met all fire safety regulations
2) For the No. of persons, 10 showers in the place instead of 2
3) The No. reduced to say 30 No. overall
4) Adequate storage space provided in a large wardrobe room
5) Larger communal kitchen/sitting room area

I'm saying if the house was brought up to comfortable type hostel accommodation, would it be deemed acceptable. Cleary there is a market for this type of accommodation, obviously it needs to meet all the usual legislation etc.

As pointed out earlier, the less rent to be paid is better for a lot of south American students and workers who come to save as much as possible.

How would you make a property fire safe if it had 64 people living in it? Apart from that, no it wouldn't be acceptable. There's other safety implications, you make a ghetto out of single properties and there's health implications.

Idbatterim

Claw Hammer wrote: »

What raises standards is competition. When there is a sufficient supply of accommodation available there is no market for the rogues to tap into. All of this screaming for more inspections is just a distraction from the dismal failure to keep a sufficient supply of accommodation available.The politicians and their officials have been like rabbits caught in a lamplight for years. They will do anything but get housing built. That is the cause of rogue landlordism.

100% and that was exactly my point. Rte need to get the culprits of the crisis on tv and grill them. No finger pointing at private landlords or developers etc which is simply a smoke screen and diversion to tactic!

What a great bunch of lads though in dcc. All they have done is thrown 60 people out of their accommodation and if only these fool tenants hadn't simply gone for the high quality reasonably priced massive abundant supply of other housing stock lol!

This situation is only going to get worse ...

makon_mc

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Yes some of the crowded accommodation was dreadful, but people are perfectly happy to live there, paying a lot less than they would for an apartment of their own.

No person would be happy to live in such horrible conditions.

I'm an immigrant myself living in Ireland almost 14 years now.
When I arrived renting market was different - Landlords didn't ask questions it was easy to rent a room or house, but still I arrived with just 450euro in my pocket and could not afford monthly room fee + one month deposit. So I ended in similar accomodation, renting room from romanian gypsies, as it was the only one place where I could pay weekly and where I could pay deposit for one week only.

I have moved out to proper location as soon as i could afford, but if not them I would be homeless straight away despite having job from day 2 after I arrived.

I can perfectly well understand those young people - It is very difficult now to rent a room, not even mentioning entire house. - landlords are asking for bank references, previous landlord references, bank statements, month or even 3 months wort depoit up front - It is not that easy if you only arrived and don't have huge savings.

It is basically Landlords market, and nobody can blame those people that they are living like a rats. The only people who can be blamed are officials, who let current housing crisis happen....

Of course LL on this show are greedy b#####, but I don't blame them - there is a demand - they provide cheap accomodation. I'm pretty sure that people living there leave as soon as they are up on their feet same as I did years ago.

It is just sad, that officials do nothing to create cheap accomodation - I think it is not so difficult to create single or double rooms in academic like style, where those in need could spend some time.

Finally - even if few friends from these houses went together to find a decent house - they still wouldn't rent it - just check how many different documents agencies and landlords require these days.

James 007

steddyeddy wrote: »

How would you make a property fire safe if it had 64 people living in it? Apart from that, no it wouldn't be acceptable. There's other safety implications, you make a ghetto out of single properties and there's health implications.

I have said if you reduce the numbers to 30 and have the rooms set up like a hostel situation. There is clearly a market for foreign students who just want to find their feet like one of the previous foreign national poster has mentioned. Regulated hostel style accommodation to me should be made available at low level rents. Are there any health implications with current hostels, I dont think so.

If accommodation is set up correctly with proper beds and storage and ample communal space then it could work.

Sleeper12

We have hostels. They are different to rented accommodation. Different laws covering them

Mrs OBumble

Sleeper12 wrote: »

We all hostels. They are different to rented accommodation. Different laws covering them

Not all that different in practise.

When I was first here, I got a job before I got a flat (sensibly enough). The job needed me to travel for a few weeks initially, so I didn't have time to find a flat. Ended up staying in a back-packer hostel for 2 months while working. I had thought that I'd need to to go BnB, but found that the hostel was better because it had a kitchen and lounge. There were lots of other working people staying there too. Some foreign. Some Irish who regularly spent a few nights a week in the city, and like me found that the hostel setup was better. Others were saving to travel, or had family problems (recently separated) etc.

It tends to upset middle-class luvvies who think everyone needs their very own toilet and bedroom.

And it's not great for long-term living. But hostel style accommodation has a place in the market, just needs to be done with fire safety in mind.

handlemaster wrote: »

Regarding the homeless situation how many churches in ireland are there ? And how many are been used for the homeless. .. like the bible would teach to help thoses in need ?

Few if any churches have showers, laundries or planning permission to be used for residential living. Many are heritage buildings and could not have such things retro-fitted, even if planning was granted.

Take a good hard look at who is behind many of the homeless charities, and you will find churches and church-people (Bro Kevin, Sr Stan, Peter McVerry et al) vastly over-represented.

Also, take a look at the number of food-parcels given out by church vs secular organisations.

__..__ wrote: »

My local parish priest lives on his own in a 5 bed house with 3 reception rooms and two living rooms. And never shuts up about the rest of us helping others in need, especially when passing around the collection bags.

Mine lives in a 2brm flat.

Neither of us know how much help they dish out to impoverished people who they meet day to day.

Perhaps you need to get on the parish council and get the property portfolio re-configured. If you let out the 5brm house to a homeless family, keep us briefed re what happens when they stop paying rent. (There's a damn good reason why churches don't like to be landlords.)

Sleeper12

Mrs OBumble wrote:

Not all that different in practise.

Hostels are inspected regularly. Regular fire inspections and such

Eric Cartman

A lot of people seem to give out about the 40, 60 whatever amount of people living in a property. A lot of these are constructed about by tenants with no landlord knowledge.

Talking to a Brazilian lad in a pub a while back, he explained how there were 12 of them staying in a 2 bed apartment (without the landlords knowledge) , he explained how this was the third time they had done this and had been kicked out previously, his argument was that they were used to it and it saves a lot of money, even if renting a 2 bed place was 200 a month each (as they were each paying between 12) they would still live 12 together for 33 a month each. They just wanted to get the cheapest bed in the city regardless of overcrowding or amenities.

utmbuilder

There is much more to this story, without being too cryptic , some students use some "colleges" which are just visa factory's, not to mention key board members have links to terrorist funding allegedly, these colleges are turning over a couple of million each

students come in, and bobs your uncle do an online course, spend the rest of the time working and trying to make ends meet

Apart from the funding bit, students should.nt be brought here without services being provided, or without them being able to afford to live in some what livable conditions