Nine properties at Ballymacool undergoing DCB testing ahead of proposed sale to council – Highland Radio – Latest Donegal News and Sport

It’s been confirmed by a landlord this afternoon that nine Houses at Ballymacool in Letterkenny are currently undergoing rigorous block testing after he was given assurances by Donegal County Council that they remain committed to the purchase of the houses under the Tenant in Situ Scheme.

Phil Boyle of Twin Estates says he expects the test results to be available by the middle of September.

In a statement, Mr Boyle says he has engaged a chartered civil engineer to remove core samples from the nine houses at Ballymacool, and they have now been sent to an accredited laboratory for testing and analysis in accordance with I.S. 465.

He says based on previous experience, he is confident the results will be good, and has been assured that if that is the case, then the Council will proceed to acquire the properties.

Mr Boyle says he’s been working with the council since last October 2023, when the company decided to sell a number of houses in the area, and says he wants to assure the families facing eviction that he is doing everything possible to ensure that the council proceed with the purchases.

Mr Boyle says five other houses that were for sale were purchased privately by the sitting tenant, and four other houses were offered to the Housing Agency under the Cost Rental Tenant in Situ Scheme, but they have declined to proceed.

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Statement in full –

Landlord gives mica testing the green light after assurances from the County Council.

9 Houses in Ballymacool are currently undergoing rigorous block testing after the landlord was given assurances from The Donegal County Council that they remain committed to the purchase of the houses under the Tenant in Situ Scheme.

They have assured Mr Phil Boyle that they are anxious to move to the next stage of the acquisition process in relation to 9 properties identified at Ballymacool, Letterkenny.

Phil Boyle of Twins Estates has engaged a chartered civil engineer to remove core samples from 9 houses at Ballymacool and to carry out testing on these samples as per IS-465: 2018. 

He has been informed by his engineer that the testing normally takes up to 12 weeks.  Results are therefore expected in the middle of September 2024.

The core samples have now been sent to an accredited laboratory for testing and analysis in accordance with I.S. 465.  After testing a Professional Geologist/Laboratory Report is produced and submitted to the Council. The County Council’s Chartered Structural Engineer will then review the Geologist/Laboratory Report and provide advice to the Council so that they can either proceed or not proceed with the acquisition.

Mr. Boyle has been given assurances that if the tests yield good results, then the Council will proceed to acquire the property through the normal conveyance process.

Mr Boyle is quite confident that the results will be good.  I have sold a number of houses in the same estate and have had testing carried out.  All tests to date have produced good results.

I have been working with the County Council since last October 2023, when the company decided to sell a number of houses at Ballymacool, Letterkenny.  The Council identified 9 houses as being of interest to them at that time.

With regards these 9 houses and I want to assure the families facing eviction that I am doing everything possible to ensure that the council proceed with the purchases.

I completely understand that the notices of termination issued last October had taken residents by surprise and was causing them great stress.  The huge demand for housing in Ireland coupled with the current “Mica” issues in Donegal makes seeking new accommodation so much more challenging.

43,000 homes have left the rental market over the past five years, almost 10,000 last year according to figures from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).  Increased regulation, high taxes and an archaic, inept legal system is the main reasons that thousands of landlords leave the rental market each year. 

Mr Boyle stated that 5 other houses that were for sale were purchased privately by the sitting tenant.

Mr Boyle also offered 4 other houses to the Housing Agency under the Cost Rental Tenant in Situ Scheme but unfortunately, they have declined to proceed with their acquisition.