asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that certain public utility societies have taken deposits from intending house purchasers, giving the impression that their houses, when completed, would be valued, by the local authority, for purposes of the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts, at a figure which would call for no further deposit from the intending purchasers and that repayment of loan charges would be within the purchasers' ability to pay; that subsequently the houses were valued at some hundreds of pounds less than the sum indicated when purchasers entered into the contracts; that purchasers were then called upon to find the additional sum and, not being able to do so, were informed that they had broken their contracts and that they must forfeit their deposits; and if he will introduce proposals for legislation to stop this sharp practice and order a return in full of deposits made, as much hardship has been caused to thrifty working people, whose savings have been taken in this manner.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Utility Society Deposits.
I have no information of any specific case of the kind referred to by the Deputy where a member of a public utility society was forced to forfeit his deposit. If the Deputy will furnish details to me of any case where a public utility society has been guilty of the practice mentioned I will be prepared to investigate the matter fully. I would like to draw the Deputy's attention to the advertisements, which, at my request, are published periodically in the newspapers by the Dublin housing authorities advising persons intending to seek advances under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts to ascertain from the housing authority the amount of the loan, if any, which will be advanced before they enter into a contract to purchase a house.