A man who saved for a decade to buy a flat in Shannon, only to be told a week after signing the papers that he’s facing a €14,000 bill for fire safety works, fears he may lose his family home.
Rabii Hendoui is one of the residents of the Brú na Sionna (shun-ah) estate who got hit with a combined €2.25 million bill last last year after the defects were identified.
Despite a meeting held this week on the matter, many residents feel as though they’re left in limbo.
They’ve been speaking with Clare FM’s James Mulhall:
It was just a week before Christmas when bills arrived at the doors of the 240 properties in the Brú na Sionna estate.
The fire safety defects emerged during a survey conducted by engineers, and now each resident is being told they must pay thousands of euro, with the exact amount depending on the size of their properties.
Rabii Henduoi bought his duplex apartment, which he shares with his wife and two young children, just a week before his bill of €14,000 arrived.
A schedule of works has been set out by Clare’s county fire officer to begin by March 10th.
But residents say there is no way they will be able to come up with the money on time.
Danka Kochenova has been living in Brú na Sionna for a decade with her young family and fears what may happen down the line.
Meanwhile, Cora Devanney runs The Toddle Inn Creche in the estate and has been hit with a €28,000 bill for the works.
Despite 10 years of building up a successful business, she says the current situation is already taking its toll and she fears she’ll lose customers.
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