Residents of a north Dublin apartment complex have hit out after having to deal with sewerage flooding in their underground car park for a month.
The Clare Village Apartments in Clarehall experienced sewage flooding in the communal underground area in the beginning of December. A resident of the complex, who has lived there for a number of years, told Dublin Live she and other residents were concerned about “hygiene, air quality, and exposure to harmful bacteria” and contacted management company Access Property Services about the issue.
The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, told us: “We first alerted Access Property Services at the beginning of December to blocked drains causing raw sewerage to flood the underground car park.”
Sewage flooding and drains issue in the underground car park of Clare Village Apartments
The resident said any drain companies and plumbers that were dispatched over the course of December and early January “could only provide very temporary relief to stop immediate flooding for a short period of time”.
“Some of the pipes burst on people’s cars so there was raw sewerage on people’s car,” she said. “Parents were trying to lift their kids over like the sewage water with big buggies and stuff as well. It’s just really disgusting and so unsanitary.”
Access Property Services told Dublin Live that the issue is a result of a blockage in the main sewer line located outside the development. They said: “As the managing agent for the Owners’ Management Company (OMC), Access Property Services takes resident concerns seriously and works diligently to address all reported issues promptly and professionally.
Sewage flooding and drains issue in the underground car park of Clare Village Apartments
“Regarding the reports of sewerage and drainage issues in the underground car park in December: all incidents were attended to promptly, with drain companies and plumbers dispatched as soon as each report was received. Temporary resolutions were implemented on-site while investigations were ongoing.
“It was subsequently confirmed that the root cause of the ongoing issue was a blockage in the main sewer line located outside the development, which is not within the ownership or control of the OMC or managing agent. The road and associated services outside the development have not been taken in charge by Dublin City Council, despite requests from both the OMC and Tesco in previous years.
“As a result, responsibility for this section of the main sewer line has remained unclear, which contributed to delays in securing a permanent resolution. Upon identifying this, we immediately escalated the matter and engaged all relevant parties, including the local council, Irish Water, and the responsible property owner (Tesco), all of whom have since attended the site and taken steps toward resolving the blockage.
“During this period, there was also a water pump failure in the underground parking, which caused localized flooding. This was attended to immediately by our contractor and did not involve sewerage.”
The resident also raised concerns with us in relation to other maintenance and emergency response issues in the complex including a leak in their own apartment in 2024.
Sewage flooding and drains issue in the underground car park of Clare Village Apartments
The spokesperson for Access Property Services said: “Access Property Services maintains a dedicated repairs and maintenance team, supported by an on-site caretaker five days a week. Emergency contact information is displayed in common areas and on our out-of-office voicemail for urgent situations. While some issues may take longer to resolve due to their complexity or the limits of our remit, all reports are logged and addressed as quickly as possible.
“Financial and management information for the OMC is communicated transparently via the MyBlockman portal and at the annual general meetings held for residents. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify these matters and remain committed to ensuring the safety, maintenance, and well-being of all residents.”
Dublin Live has contacted Dublin City Council for comment.
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