Residents of an award-winning South Dublin housing estate opened by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Housing in 2024 have hit out at what they say are persistent issues – from having no hot water for days to plumbing problems producing raw sewage.
Last year, the Shanaganagh Castle Estate won the Placemaking Initiative of the year award at the 2025 Business and Post Property Awards.
However, residents of one block say they have previously had to go without hot water for multiple days, and that there have been multiple issues with apartments, from leaks to broken and warped flooring and kitchen appliances not working. A renter we spoke to claimed one occupant has had no washing machine for over two months, whilst plumbing issues have caused raw sewage to back up into toilets.
“Raw sewage is backing up people’s toilets and nothing is being done. It’s just terrible. Meanwhile, you have councillors and the LDA going around the estate taking pictures of themselves for getting some award. They’re classing this development as the jewel in the crown but they won’t actually speak to the residents so the whole thing is a total shambles,” said a resident.
“What has been really annoying is that the block that I live in has had no hot water since Saturday. Nobody did anything about it for too long. Some have intermittent hot water but I had to wait four days to get a shower.”
According to those living in the sought after development, some apartments have broken doors and windows, while a costly parking system has not yet been fully implemented. People have also found themselves unable to use their own energy supplier for hot water and heating, being tied in to Yuno Energy.
The resident expressed deep and growing frustration with the management company hired by the Land Development Agency (LDA), the State’s affordable housing delivery body.
The leasing and property management company, based in Ballsbridge, says its mission is to create renting experiences that are “easy, flexible and support our residents’ lifestyles without defining or hindering them”. However, residents are disappointed and angry at management.
One resident said: “The single worst thing amidst all of this is Occu, the management company hired by the LDA to manage the cost-rental apartments.
“They do not respond promptly. They constantly pass the buck. There is a ticketing system to report faults with many residents saying they have multiple tickets open for months with nothing being done.”
The opening of the estate was widely reported in the media two and a half years ago. The estate provides nearly 600 homes including affordable purchase, cost rental and social homes. Of the 597 houses and apartments, phase one of the project had 51 affordable purchase homes, 195 cost rental apartments and 35 social apartments.
However, occupants have pointed out that the rent charged in the estate is up to €1,650 per month, and the description of the estate as “affordable” has been challenged by a TD.
The remaining 316 homes, all of which are apartments, were made available in two subsequent phases in 2025.
The first homes on the development were launched by then Taoiseach Simon Harris and Darragh O’Brien, having been developed by the Land Development Agency (LDA) and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLR) as the largest public housing project Ireland had seen for some years.
LDA and DLR said in a statement that prices for affordable purchase homes would begin at €334,600 and go up to €495,000, whilst the application of government supports through equity contributions and rents for cost rental apartments started from €1,250.
A resident explained: “Once finished by the builders, the estate was passed over to the management company Occu which looks after rental apartments. In my experience, they have been utterly appalling.
“The LDA is a Government company employing thousands of people and they’re advertising for people all the time. They need to ask questions about why they are using Occu…They have a ticketing system for reporting issues, and I have four tickets currently open with them, nothing being done about any of them,” the renter added.
“There’s nothing you can do about it because the LDA is employing them, but questions need to be asked of the LDA regarding why they are employing a company that has so many complaints. If you look them up online, it seems almost everyone complains about them, so why are the LDA using them?”
Residents say that Councillor Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, has been helpful in listening to complaints but issues have continued.
“Cllr Gildea has been in contact with the CEO of the LDA over getting leaks fixed before Christmas. But surely it’s Occu who is meant to be taking care of those things.”
Parking is also an issue on the development, according to residents, who are paying €120 per month for a parking space “with no security.” They say that parking is nowhere near sufficient and that the system has not been fully implemented, leaving residents who are paying €120 per month for a space to constantly find it being used by someone unauthorised to do so.
“Electric charging is still not implemented after more than eight months of waiting. And even when it is, people are unable to use their own electricity supplier but will be tied into a more expensive one,” said a resident, who told us there have also been numerous break ins to cars. According to the resident, management have “refused to release what CCTV is available”.
“There’s only about half the spaces to the number of apartments, so there are rows constantly between people who have no space parking and people who have one. The spaces are also wired for electric chargers, but no-one can get the electric chargers installed – and even when you do get it installed, you have to pay a rate that is higher than your own electricity because you’re tied into one supplier.” said a resident of a cost-rental apartment.
“It was very difficult to get a place in this development and people did so by winning a lottery. The way to get a cost rental is a nightmare and you’re then winning a lottery. Applications for this estate were oversubscribed – two to three thousand people applied.
The development was subject to some criticism, as in order to lower the price of affordable housing, the State takes an equity share in the home which comes off its price.
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin previously slated the cost of the new affordable home scheme in Shankill, arguing that when a person has to repay the equity share, the actual purchase price of the homes ranges from “€478k for a two-bed home to €550k for a three-bed home.”
“While the initial purchase price is lower, the state takes an equity share of up to 30% of your home,” said Ó Broin as he traded blows with the housing Minister.
“If you want to own the home outright you can only pay the equity down in €10,000 lump sums. If you don’t buy out the equity your children will have to pay it when they inherit the home.
“Buyers beware, is neither home ownership nor affordable housing. It is overpriced market housing that is unaffordable to the vast majority of working people,” he added.
In a statement responding to a request for comment, a spokesperson for the Land Development Agency, said:
“Shanganagh Castle Estate is an affordable housing development delivered collaboratively by the Land Development Agency and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. The management of the cost rental apartments is delivered by Occu Living Ltd. (Occu).
“Occu operates an easily accessible app for tenants to report and log any issues which they may experience. Over the Christmas period, an out of hours contact service was in effect to provide continuity of service.
“All of the issues outlined were fully resolved once Occu was notified and any outstanding tenant queries are being addressed to minimise inconvenience to residents,” it added.
“Parking provision for developments such as Shanganagh Castle Estate is strictly governed by national planning policy. The level of car parking available was clearly communicated to all new residents before signing their lease and reflects an evolving approach to urban living that aligns with the Government’s sustainable development goals and compact growth strategies.
“The design of Shanganagh Castle Estate is part of a broader Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy that prioritises reduced car dependency, enhanced public transport access, and investment in active travel infrastructure. This is a deliberate and nationally endorsed move away from car-centric development models, particularly in areas like Shankill that are directly served by high-capacity public transport — in this case, the DART through the recently opened Woodbrook station, multiple bus routes, and strong cyclist connections.
“As the first major direct delivery project to be completed by the LDA and the largest public housing project in decades, the LDA is in regular contact with all local public representatives in relation to Shanganagh Castle Estate.”