What is a serviced site?

[Soarer]

Morning all.
I did a search for this topic and nothing came back, so apologies if it's been asked before.

We're currently looking at a site that's being sold as either "fully serviced" or "serviced"...can't remember the exact wording on the sign!

Anyways, when I asked about the price, I was quoted what they are looking for. But then the auctioneer said "there's also a fee of €14000ish for the services to be connected". So it's asking price + €14000.

Now I'm not up on sites, but if someone is selling a "serviced" site, shouldn't that €14000 be part of the asking price?

 

[Vanilla]

It's just a matter of interpretation.

They might mean that once the connection fees are paid they will lay on the pipes or that the pipes/cables are already in place, just need to be connected.

Or more commonly the site is already serviced with sewerage/water/esb and paid for.

But there are VAT implications for a serviced site as opposed to non-serviced so sometimes that accounts for site being sold without.

At the moment you should be in a strong position to negotiate.

 

[Soarer]

Thanks Vanilla.

Asking the auctioneer again, the site is "serviced" for the asking price. The €14000 extra is a council contribution, for the privilege of using the pubilc services/getting planning permission.

At least the site is as described.

 

[sallins]

You should also to see drawings of the services into the site covering electricity, water supply,telephone,storm and sanitary sewers, manhole locations and similar and have them vetted by a competent professional. Serviced site can mean virtually anything, but what you are probably looking for is a site where you can make utility connections without major additional site works.

 

[bertie1]

Thanks Vanilla.

Asking the auctioneer again, the site is "serviced" for the asking price. The €14000 extra is a council contribution, for the privilege of using the pubilc services/getting planning permission.

At least the site is as described.

Those are most likely planning contibution fees attached to the house. You will most likely be charged againfor the different connections when you go to connect them up ( road opening licence for the water & sewers, connnection fees for both etc)

 

[Silvergirl]

We had this issue with Cork Co Co after we purchased a serviced site, when we went for planning permission. We asked our architect to contest this, because as far as we were aware the developers had paid this contribution, enabling them to sell the sites as serviced, thankfully they withdrew their request for 17.5K. This was in 2006. Maybe in the current climate developers are not paying all the charges they were at that time, as they've had to reduce the sale price of sites. (afaik the contribution is for esb, water, street lighting that's the point of the contribution)