“Abusive” tenants living in a Cork housing estate, described as being “full of hatred”, followed and video-recorded neighbours who passed their home, it has been alleged before a Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) tribunal.
The tribunal heard matters were “relatively calm” at present and neighbours were “mainly residing indoors” while older residents in particular felt they could not pass the tenants’ house for fear of being recorded or shouted at.
The unnamed tenants, who have lived in the estate for five years, were “full of hatred, specifically towards people from other countries”, a resident of the estate for 19 years, said.
The resident was at the RTB to represent the community as there were a lot of families affected by the tenants’ behaviour, she said.
‘Ireland is a beautiful country. And for all the weirdness, I find the people to be really helpful’
Half a million euro for a ‘moderate’ retirement? The lump sums you need to save
Marine Le Pen banned from standing for office for five years and sentenced to four-year jail term
Blocking Irish listeners from BBC Sounds app a ‘slap in the face’
She said the tenants, who moved to the Monastery Terrace estate on Blarney Road in 2020, recorded those who passed their house on their phone, including while she walked her dog.
On one occasion, she said she was confronted by the tenants who “verbally abused” her and said that over time they became more abusive to other residents “in particular if they were not from Ireland.”
She said one of the tenants would tell passersby that it was “his street and that pedestrians were on his land even though they were on the public footpath”, the tribunal report published on Friday stated.
Describing the interactions as “non-stop”, she said the tenants frequently told neighbours to “return to their own countries”, something she alleged has occurred “hundreds of times”.
Camera footage submitted as evidence was described by the tribunal as showing “unpleasant interactions”, which involved people “shouting at each other, recording each other and provoking one another with the aim of producing a reaction”.
A 68-year-old resident of the estate, said she was once followed by the tenants who shouted verbal abuse at her “for no reason” as she walked on the footpath.
She told the tribunal she did not pass the house on foot any more, saying she was now suffering from a medical condition as a result of the actions of the tenants.
In July, the first resident alleged that during a dispute her brother’s throat was “grabbed” by one of the tenants.
Joan O’Donovan, for the landlord, Tuath Housing Association, said following the incident in July a notice of termination was served and an RTB dispute was lodged.
However, nobody was prepared to come forward to act as a witness unless their statements could be given anonymously.
As no witnesses came forward to substantiate the claims of antisocial behaviour, the RTB adjudicator did not have sufficient evidence to uphold the validity of the notice of termination.
Although the landlord did not dispute the tenants’ behaviour, the tribunal did not find Tuath Housing Association to be in breach of its obligations as it had attempted to terminate the tenancy.
