A judge has ordered a firm linked to controversial landlord Marc Godart to pay €51,000 to five former tenants illegally evicted from a property in Dublin three years ago.
The enforcement order granted at Dublin District Court on Friday by Judge Marie Quirke follows lengthy proceedings taken by the ex-tenants against Green Label Short Lets Limited.
Mr Godart, a Luxembourg-based businessman, directs the property company.
Johnpaul Okolie, Favour Orimolusi, Nicholas Udomboso, Anjolaoluwa Agore and Michael Modozie had rented rooms at a house on Windsor Terrace, Fairview, but were evicted on October 31, 2021.
Mr Okolie, a compliance officer with legal training, and his housemates initiated an action in the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), which agreed that the firm had not complied with the 2004 Residential Tenancies Act.
Their barrister, Niall Quinn, told Judge Quirke the tribunal had determined that Green Label Short Lets Limited would have to pay €51,000 to the five former residents. However, it went unpaid, resulting in the five successfully bringing the application for an enforcement order before Judge Quirke, who also awarded legal costs in their favour.
The tribunal had determined that the residents were not served with a valid notice of termination of their tenancies, and it also upheld their complaints that the landlord breached their rights concerning the peaceful and exclusive occupation of the property and the standard of the dwelling.
The overall award included an order to return their security deposits, which ranged from €350 to €850, plus damages, amounting to around €10,000 each.
Speaking after the case, Mr Okolie, who had a room in the house for almost a year, welcomed Judge Quirke’s ruling and commented that he hoped it would act as a deterrent.
He added that he had experienced homelessness, relied on friends and hostels after his eviction and faced difficulties finding new accommodation due to the housing crisis.
It was the latest case involving one of Mr Godart’s firms in civil actions or criminal prosecutions to come before Dublin District Court about rental properties in the capital.
He has not been required to attend the proceedings but has been represented by counsel.
Last month, Judge John Brennan imposed a fine of €1,500 and made an order for costs of €3,601 against Reuben Street Hot Desks Ltd, of Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8.
The company, owned by Mr Godart, was prosecuted by Dublin City Council (DCC) and pleaded guilty to providing short-term or Airbnb lettings without planning permission at Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8.
A fire safety prosecution concerning another building, Unit 1A, The Forge, Railway Street, Dublin 1, a “potentially dangerous building”, is still before the court.
Earlier, in a council prosecution, Green Label Short Lets avoided a criminal conviction over a former commercial building in Dublin that broke fire safety laws after being repurposed for residential lettings.
The Beaver Street property was converted but lacked a range of vital fire safety measures, including an alarm system and viable escape routes. The company pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to the Fire Services Act.
The case was struck out after it donated €500 to charity and paid €3,884 toward the council’s legal costs.
In February, Mr Godart had another prosecution dropped for “egregious” breaches of planning laws with unauthorised Airbnb lettings in Dublin.
However, two other firms he directs, Green Label Short Lets Ltd and Capel Grand Inn Ltd, accepted responsibility; they were fined €7,500 and agreed to pay “substantial” legal costs.
DCC also brought that prosecution which stemmed from complaints about unauthorised short-term lettings booked through the Airbnb website. They were at three properties in Dublin 1: 11 Capel Street, Block G, The Foundry, Beaver St, and Unit 2A, The Forge, Railway Street.
A council inspector surveyed the building between June 4 and 6 last year. His work revealed that some bedrooms were windowless and others were in former shopfronts.
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Several tourists from Ireland, mainland Europe, and North America had used them for one to seven days. By the time that hearing concluded, work had already taken place or was about to start to bring the short-term lettings in line with regulations.
In February last year, the court directed the businessman to comply with an previous RTB ruling that Diana Jere and Andre Buchanan were entitled to €13,563 damages.
It went unpaid until July 18 this year, when their barrister told Judge Quirke that Marc Godart had to be brought to court “kicking and screaming” to compensate the two former tenants. Judge Quirke also ordered him to pay €4,000 plus VAT and vouched outlays.
The RTB had given its original findings in December 2022 over their “unlawful eviction” from a rental property on Emmet Street, Dublin 1.
