‘I’m not moving out’: Tenants plan to stay in Dublin apartment block past eviction date

Several tenants living in Tathony House have said they plan to remain in their homes despite an eviction notice to vacate the Dublin apartment block by the start of June, as they have nowhere else to go.

Last October tenants living in more than 30 apartments received an eviction notice to vacate the property in Kilmainham, Dublin 8, by June 2nd, as the landlord intends to sell the entire building.

Faizan Khalid (30), who moved to the Republic from Pakistan in 2014, has been a tenant in the building for five years.

“I’m not moving out. I tried to contact my friends, I don’t think it is possible to find somewhere to live … Even if I go a bit outside of Dublin,” he told The Irish Times. At present, he rents an apartment in Tathony House with a friend, each paying €500 a month.

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Mr Khalid, who works in a Spar shop in Dublin, said he had tried unsuccessfully to find suitable, alternative rental accommodation.

“I don’t want to go somewhere when I’m sharing a room, living in a bunk bed in a hostel, or a mattress on the floor,” he said. “My life is here, everything is here, it’s really hard for people to find a space to live,” he said.

While some residents had moved out, other neighbours were “lost” and did not know what would happen to them, he said.

Mr Khalid said while he planned to overhold and remain in his apartment past June 2nd, he was scared he would still end up homeless.

“I’m afraid I could go to work [and] when I come back my door will be locked, my stuff will be outside, I’ll be literally on the roads,” he said.

“I will sleep in my car, there is no other option … There is not enough housing out there,” he said. “I think there should be no evictions, housing is a basic need,” he said.

The tenant said he would now advise any friends or relations in Pakistan against moving to Ireland, due to the “ridiculous” housing shortage.

James O’Toole (48), another Tathony House tenant, said he and his partner also planned to remain in their rental home beyond the date of the eviction notice.

Mr O’Toole is a community worker and People Before Profit activist. He said he was not “going to volunteer for homelessness” by leaving his apartment.

“You can say ‘I’ll crash on my mam’s couch for four weeks’, [but] it could easily become four months, a year,” he said.

Mr O’Toole said he and his partner had a maximum rental budget of €1,500 a month but had only been able to find lettings for “tiny” apartments and “single rooms” for that price in Dublin.

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The looming threat of eviction had led to many “sleepless nights” as June approached, he said. “I really think people should overhold,” he said.

Several residents had lodged a case with the Residential Tenancies Board, who rule on tenancy disputes, but a date for a hearing had not yet been set, he said.

Large numbers of tenants countrywide remaining in situ despite eviction notices would “throw” pressure on to the Government to address the crisis, he said.

The flat complex is owned by Tathony Holdings Ltd, a company owned by Brendan McDonnell and Ronan McDonnell.

The eviction notice sent to tenants stated it was not subject to the Tyrrelstown Amendment, a law introduced to prevent the termination of 10 or more tenancies in a property at the same time to sell, without the tenants staying in place.

The eviction notices stated there was an exemption if the sale price would be 20 per cent below market value with the tenants in situ, and as complying with the amendment would cause the landlord “undue hardship”.

Ronan McDonnell, who tenants said they had dealt with concerning Tathony House, did not respond to a request for comment.