Sir. With reference to Barry MacMahon's letter (May 6th) here he highlighted two of the problems facing home buyers. I would like to point out that Mr MacMahon is not alone in the problems he is experiencing of abuse of guide prices and searching for a house for 18 months. Many would be home makers in Dublin are encountering these problems.
Like Mr MacMahon I found that although guide prices should be within 15 per cent of the realistic selling price this figure can be 50 per cent or more. Recently an apartment in Monkstown had a guide price of £110,000 and sold for £210,000.
What is urgently required is, firstly, the establishment of a Housing Ombudsman, which would ensure fairness, transparency and redress in the home buying process. The Ombudsman should also have the power to carry out investigations on behalf of the consumer relating to auctioneers valuers, surveyors and conveyancing solicitors.
Secondly, the government needs to recognise that there is something obviously wrong when there are people like Mr MacMahon who have been seeking a family home for 18 months. In order for the Dublin property market to grow and prosper in a stable and balanced manner, the government needs to set up a Dublin Housing Initiative. The purpose of this initiative would be to access the long term demand for housing and formulate a long term plan which enables this demand to be met.
If the government fails to do this we risk a boom to bust housing market, which could leave people unable to buy houses as is the case currently or, worse still, with houses they are unable to pay for, which could very likely be the case in the near future. Yours, etc.
Fianna Fail Candidate.
Dublin South East. Harcourt Street,
Dublin 2.
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