Anna Horvat, a resident of Belcamp Manor in Dublin 17, has been living on the estate since 2022. However, since the start of this year, there has been no public lighting.
The estate was originally well-lit until the developer, Beakonshaw, sold 46 out of the 54 properties to a Occu, a private rental sector company owned by SW3 Capital, which is now renting the properties for €3,175-a-month.
Ms Horvat said the estate is now “pitch black” at night-time.
“Behind our row of houses is so dark that when people are walking to and from the bus stop, they need to use the torch on their mobile phones,” she said.
“It’s been going on for nearly a year at this point and it’s just ridiculous because we have no sense of security whatsoever.
“Some people in this estate are paying more than €3,000 in rent, and they’re not even getting the basic service of lighting,” she added.
Ms Horvat said there have been multiple attempted car break-ins on the estate, with the most recent incident occurring last weekend.
“We’ve had a few break-ins into cars. I noticed a guy breaking into the car opposite our house,” she said.
“The person was jumping on the back of a pick-up, trying to get something from inside.
“It’s obvious that it will become a hotspot for that type of activity. With no lighting, it’s a safety issue, and it’s only going to get worse.
“We are leaving the light on outside the house throughout the night in all of the houses because this is the only way we can protect our cars,” she added.
Residents within the estate have contacted Fingal County Council on multiple occasions to seek help.
Labour councillor and Mayor of Fingal, Brian McDonagh, said he brought forward an emergency motion to apply pressure on the developer last October.
“Fingal went out, and the electricians said they could not get the lights working because they’re not built to standard,” he said.
“I’ve asked the council to look at going after the bond, but it’s highly unusual and there has been no joy so far.
“Normally, you’d see some progress, but this one just doesn’t seem to be moving at all. It’s a solvable issue, and yet no one is stepping up to address it.
“The developer or the company… should be exercising leverage over this. Their tenants are there, and yet they’re leaving them in a situation like this.
“The council can’t just go in and fix it on behalf of the developer because it’s not their legal property to do that,” he added.
A spokesperson from Occu said: “The landlord, management company, and all other stakeholders at Belcamp Manor are fully aware of an issue with regards to street lighting within the estate.
“The safety of residents and visitors is treated with the highest priority and there has been ongoing dialogue between the council, developer, and owner to resolve the problem.
“All parties have been working continuously to find a solution. In addition, the management company has been in constant dialogue with residents on the matter.
“Lighting within the estate meets all regulations and MPRNs have now been assigned to the lighting units so that ESB Networks are in a position to connect supply.
“We anticipate this will be completed in short order but is reliant on other parties and outside of our control,” they added.
Fingal County Council and Beakonshaw has been contacted for comment.
