Victoria Square apartments: Minister meets with LPS over rates

The Finance Minister has met with Land and Property Services (LPS) to discuss rates on apartments deemed defective at Belfast's Victoria Square.

Owners of the apartments were told to evacuate the building in 2019.

On Wednesday, their bid for compensation was struck out by a High Court judge.

Minister Caoimhe Archibald said she was "deeply concerned at the plight" of owners who had found themselves in a situation not of their making.

The residents were told to vacate the building in April 2019 "immediately for safety reasons" due to "a serious structural issue".

Despite being unable to return to their properties, they have continued having to pay rates, buildings insurance, a service charge, and in some cases, mortgage payments.

The builders of the apartments, which opened in 2008, Farrans and Gilbert and Ash, along with architects involved in the building, have denied any liability.

Speaking to BBC's Evening Extra programme on Thursday, one owner, Trevor McCrory, said he had continued paying the service charge to keep the building maintained and the rates.

He did try to get some form of rates exemption but was turned down.

On Friday, a Department of Finance spokesperson told BBC News NI that Minister Archibald met with the senior team at LPS on Thursday "in respect of rates at this property".

"The Finance Minister has also spoken with ministerial colleagues and is committed to working with them in relation to this matter," the spokesperson said.

Mr McCrory called for Stormont to bring the law in Northern Ireland into line with England and Wales, after the compensation case was struck out on Wednesday.

The case was brought by 30 private residents and the charity Ulster Garden Villages.

In Northern Ireland such claims must be made within six years of a building being completed.

In England and Wales it is 30 years.

"We are out of pocket substantially and we hope that if we get MLAs and MPs behind our case they will stand up for us," Mr McCrory said.

There had been some confusion over which Stormont department held responsibility for this issue, in light of calls by owners of the Victoria Square apartments for politicians to act.

But Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons confirmed his department would take on responsibility.

Mr Lyons said: "I have spoken with [Daera] Minister Muir in relation to the Defective Premises Order and agreed the transfer of functions to my department, subject to executive and assembly approval.

"We have agreed to meet again next week to further consider the process of policy development and consultation to update the legislation."