627. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that a person (details supplied) receives a prompt and adequate response from the property agents to their request for a detailed breakdown of the fire levy charges. [37618/26]

I fully acknowledge the difficulties that homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes are facing, and the stress that is caused when defects arise in relation to their buildings. The Government is committed to helping those whose lives have been impacted by this issue.

In this regard, Government approval was received on 18 September 2024 for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to place the defects remediation Scheme on a statutory footing, further to commitments contained in the Programme for Government and Housing for All.

The Scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the Scheme.

The General Scheme of the Bill completed pre-legislative scrutiny earlier this year, and it is expected that the legislation will be placed before the Oireachtas this year.

The Government is committed to consideration of remediation costs already incurred as part of the drafting of the Bill. Remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the statutory scheme will be covered, once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the Scheme.

OMCs remain the responsible legal entities for the management and maintenance of their developments, including decisions relating to the funding and delivery of remediation works. As such, decisions regarding the raising of levies, the timing of works, and any associated financial arrangements are matters for the OMC directors and their members.

The regulation of property services providers (auctioneers, estate agents, letting agents, and property management agents) falls under the remit of the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), the statutory body established under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 (the Act).

The Act and its accompanying regulations require licensed property management agents to comply with strict standards of conduct and financial accountability in their dealings with their clients, in this case an Owners' Management Company (OMC).

It is important to note that the agent takes their instruction from and engages with the mandated person detailed in the Letter of Engagement.

Where a person is dissatisfied with their property service provider, it is open to them to submit a complaint to the PSRA by email to info@psr.ie. A copy of the PSRA’s Complaint Form is available on our website at www.psr.ie.