No deviation in engineer fees for pyrite affected homeowners says Council official

A local councillor has said that a number of pyrite-affected homeowners have received letters from engineers looking for additional fees.

The Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme covers all professional fees, however, Cllr Michael Loftus told yesterday’s meeting of the Ballina Municipal District that homeowners have been getting letters from engineers to say they won’t get their fees covered.

“Homeowners are getting a lot of emails that seem to be looking for extra money for fees, in some cases an extra €10,000,” he said.

Director of Housing with Mayo County Council Tom Gilligan said he was ‘disappointed’ that certain engineers had sent out such letters without consulting with his department.

“Fees are part of the Scheme and I am disappointed that these letters went out without me being consulted. There is to be no deviation in fees,” he said.