Structural defects in boom-era flats

Sir, – I read with interest the detailed exposé concerning the serious flaws with a large number of residential construction developments dating back to the Celtic Tiger era ("Boom-era apartment owners left with large bills to fix defects", News, March 4th).

It is astonishing that the burden for remedying such defects is falling on the individual apartment owners or tenants.

Why was a latent defects insurance policy not arranged for each project?

Such cover would have substantially mitigated the financial cost, if not the inconvenience of remedying the damage. Latent defects insurance is a compulsory insurance cover for residential developments in France.

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Perhaps the Government should also consider enacting the necessary legislation to make it compulsory in Ireland.– Yours, etc,

CÍAN CARLIN,

London.