Chartered surveyors have warned members about potential collapse of timber balconies.
Earlier this month it was revealed some homeowners in Ballycullen were warned to stop using their terraces until urgent repair works could be carried out.
It's understood works were already underway on certain balconies where problems with rot had been identified but engineers found the pace of deterioration was more rapid than first thought.
The Chartered Surveyors Society of Ireland has written to property management companies to urge them to thoroughly check if parts of timber balconies that are hidden behind cladding, have rotted due to water seeping in.
Meanwhile a regulations expert is calling for the building industry to be policed in the same way as the Food Safety Authority inspects bars, restuarants and cafes.
Barrister and PhD candidate Deirdre Ní Fhloinn believes properties should be checked before and after they're built
"Do we need an inspection system regime where buildings are checked after they're built to see how the construction materials are performing over time?"
Deirdre says a watchdog could enforce compliance with building standards before and after a building is finished.
