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Pensioner Awarded Psychological Injury Compensation for Poor Workmanship

A pensioner from Dublin has been awarded psychological injury compensation for poor workmanship after builders made a catalogue of errors during renovations to her utility room.

Mr Justice Matthew Deery at the Circuit Civil Court heard how Kathleen O’Leary (84), from Walkinstown in Dublin had contracted Cranlowe Ltd – building company with an address in Terenure, Dublin – to replace a utility room in her home to bring it up to date and provide additional security. However, shortly after Kathleen had paid the company 23,000 Euros for the work, the utility room flooded causing the electricity to short circuit due to the power supply not being earthed.

Further investigations revealed that defective underground piping allowed waste water to leak directly into the soil below her home, no ventilation had been accounted for under the floor of the utility room and none of the walls had been insulated. A further seventeen examples of professional negligence were presented at the hearing, and the court heard that when Kathleen confronted Cranlowe Ltd with a list of the errors, the owner of the company had been abusive to her and made no attempt to remedy the problems.

Judgement against the builders was awarded last year when no defence was offered, and Mr Justice Matthew Deery was told that the case was before him for assessment of damages. He awarded Kathleen 14,192 Euros in respect of what it would cost to correct the faults left behind by Cranlowe Ltd, with a further 3,500 Euros in psychological injury compensation for poor workmanship to account for the emotional stress she had experienced due to Cranlowe Ltd´s lack of care.