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HOUSE-SITTERS ARE bedding down in vacant buildings all across the country as part of a security service to keep properties in top shape and deter vandals.
These ‘live-in guardians’ are charged a fraction of the rents in the areas where they are situated, with some paying as little as €100 including bills. About half of the properties are residential but there are also opportunities to have sleepovers in 40-bedroom hotels, pubs, office blocks and convents, if they take your fancy.
The service has been running since 2011, with Camelot Property Management at the helm, having successfully rolled out the system in a number of other European countries. The idea originated as an anti-squatting solution in Holland, where it is estimated that around 52,000 people are now living as guardians.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie Damian Woods, Regional Manager of the company, stressed that the service is first and foremost a security solution and not a housing solution.
Those living in the properties are not considered tenants and they sign very specific agreements so they can be asked to leave with a month’s notice if the property is sold, they can’t have any parties or pets and staff from Camelot make regular checks on the property. Just less than 200 people are currently living as guardians across Ireland at the moment.
There are people who want to live cheaply and who are prepared to live under very flexible arrangements and then there are the people who want their buildings protected and this offers a kind of preventative type of security.
This former care home is another one of the buildings for which this service is offered.
Many of the people who sign up to become guardians are young couples saving to buy a house, some are just out of bad relationships and others are splitting their time between two counties for work and need a place to stay a few days a week. All of these house-sitters are vetted beforehand and must be able to provide a passport, a utility bill and proof of employment.
For the property-owners, they stand to save up to 60 per cent on insurance premiums and can cut down on costs of hiring a private security firms for a live-in guard or CCTV operations.
Woods said this type of security can be effective in reducing vandalism and anti-social behaviour around a building because people are always coming and going. It can also stop some older properties like Georgian buildings or convents from becoming dilapidated.
Woods described it as a situation where “everybody wins” as both the house-sitters and the property owners stand to save money.
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They are going to miss the Ireland game.
By jeepers I won’t be missing the Ireland game even though I experienced the power going off in Lusaka last night. The hotel has a generator thankfully. Come on Ireland!
No. 20 up there isn’t very good at football by the looks of things.
@Niall ah Now he’s about to back heel it!
Is there anything to be said for having another mass.
Ah the old Father Ted reference. You’re very original and gas fun altogether.
You’re great crack altogether Gerard.
So original & fresh, Shaun. Nobody saw that one coming. Imagine being really predictable…
the old ostrich manoeuvre
I’d say shutting the entire economy down for 24 hours to talk to the tooth fairy will definitely work …. Why didn’t we try that back in 09 !!
Judging by some of the results we may as well have done that.
Is there anything to be said for saying another mass ted
Bring Obama over to say ‘Yes we can’ and that will sort the whole thing out.
They should get coddler whatshisface involved, he can sort this with a few strokes on the keyboard.
Still in bed I reckon, he’ll be along later with crtl c and v though!
Still in bed stroking his keyboard
It’ll be pretty straightforward:
FIAT currency
Stroke of a keyboard
Macro economic level
Neo liberal jackboot
You forgot “class warfare”.
Have they hired the guy on here that copies and pastes the essay how we can print unlimited money as chef economic advisor?
And when all else fails… Prayer
Someone should call Coddler for the solution., Surely they can just give everyone more money?
A nation holds its breath, they’re fu(ked.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster will sort out all their problems. He really exists. Really and twuly.
Silly buggers!
Should this idiot be running their country? Well it’s not like we can talk!
Wally will be along to tell us if you print more money all your problems go away :D
Ahh No…Not more economic migrants on their way to Europe!
Sure, all they have to do is introduce the universal social charge, it’ll be grand then.
Great follow through with the strike by that soccer player. Pity he never kicked the ball though
Back in the 1980′s I spent some time in Zambia, it’s a beautiful country with a stable, democratic political system & it’s people are very kind, generous & well educated.
It’s an African country that we should be supporting & encouraging as it has enormous potential. I hope that their economy & currency recovers and that they enjoy better times in the future.
funny and frightening that they think this will solve their problems! !!
You couldn’t ask them to pray for Ireland against the Argies if they’ve time?
You can’t beat a bit of divine intervention on a Sunday morning! #coybig
That is going to fix everything..clearly a sound economic recovery plan!!! Wow another idiotic government lol
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