Landlord Fined €6,000 for Failing to Evict Troubling Tenants

A landlord in Co Laois has been ordered to pay €6,000 in damages after a tribunal found he failed to take action against tenants whose alleged antisocial behavior created ongoing distress for neighboring residents. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) tribunal delivered this ruling following a dispute raised by several residents living in a development in Mountmellick.

Residents, represented by Ann Kiernan, expressed their frustration, stating they “wished their nightmare would end.” Kiernan, speaking on behalf of five others, claimed that issues with the landlord’s tenants had persisted since their arrival over a decade ago. Initially, this included reports of drug use and dealing, but the situation escalated significantly over time.

Kiernan highlighted disturbing incidents, including the alleged theft of her cat, which she claimed was taken into the tenants’ apartment and “was never seen again.” She also recounted frequent disturbances such as shouting, fighting, and disruptive driving at night. According to Kiernan, law enforcement, including the Armed Support Unit, had responded to calls from residents on multiple occasions.

The situation reached a point where residents felt intimidated and threatened. Kiernan detailed a troubling incident in which a neighbor was physically assaulted. Although Spollen issued a notice of termination for the tenants due to their behavior in October 2024, Kiernan alleged that he had not taken the necessary steps to enforce this termination, describing his approach as “sitting back and making excuses.”

In response, Spollen claimed he was “unaware” of many of the incidents mentioned and expressed his own desire to have the tenants vacate. He noted that the tenants had overstayed their lease since November 2024 and mentioned he had been threatened when attempting to address the issue. Despite these claims, he had not filed an official complaint with law enforcement.

The tribunal found Spollen in breach of his landlord obligations, noting that he failed to diligently pursue the termination of his tenants’ lease. The panel characterized the tenants’ behavior as not only “egregious” but also long-running, leading to “considerable distress” for the residents.

To address the suffering caused, the tribunal awarded €1,000 each to the six affected residents, acknowledging the inconvenience and emotional distress they experienced, particularly related to sleep deprivation and loss of quiet enjoyment in their homes.

The tribunal also indicated that residents could lodge further disputes with the RTB if the issues continued, highlighting the ongoing nature of their concerns.