LIVID apartment owners in Carlow town are threatening to sue a management company after clampers moved into their estate.
Residents in Chaplestown Gate, Tullow Road, a complex made up of both houses and apartments, are fuming after the management company responsible for River View Apartments introduced clamping.
A letter addressed to apartment owners from Burren River Management Company Ltd, who are represented by Falcondale, a Newbridge based property company, instructed that clamping would be introduced from 24 May 2010.
The letter stated that “owners would be entitled to one free permit per unit if their management fee is paid up to date”. Residents also had the option to buy a second permit for €25. However, solicitor Victor Clarke, who represents one apartment owner, says the clamping is illegal.
Mr Clarke said the deed of easement, a legal document which grants right of passage, has not been handed over from the original developer to Burren River Management Company Ltd.
“The next step is that my client will instruct us to issue proceedings against the management company. They have no right to clamp my client’s car or any of his visitors.”
Mr Clarke said several letters warning Burren River Management Company Ltd that under no circumstances are they to clamp his client’s car have been issued but these have not been responded to.
House owners in the estate, who are entirely separate to the apartments, have also fallen victim to the clampers.
“We are livid over it,” said residents’ association spokesperson Niall Larkin (pictured).
“I own my own home and I got clamped after parking outside it, as did my neighbour. It’s the management company for the apartments who are doing this and I just wish they would keep away from us.” Niall had to fork out €120 before NCPS would release his car, despite pointing out that he was a homeowner.
“It is infuriating. We bought a house practically in the country to get away from that sort of thing.”
Despite contacting Falcondale, the company who wrote to apartment owners, “for and on behalf of Burren River Management Company Ltd”, The Nationalist were instructed to write to the management company at Falcondale’s address. “Burren River Management Company Ltd do not have their own telephone number,” a Falcondale representative stated.