A Dublin landlord who evicted tenants claiming he planned to sell his property has been ordered to stop renting it out on Airbnb.
The landlord has been given four weeks to stop renting out the Reuben House apartment block on Reuben Street in Dublin 8.
Up to 45 people had been living in apartments in the six-story building; however, they were issued with notices of termination.
The tenants say the landlord told them he was selling the property when he issued the notices.
Thanks to former tenants who came forward to share their story with me.
Evicted from their homes last August as landlord said he intended to sell.
He didn't sell.
Shoved bunk-beds into rooms and let them out on AirBnB.
DCC Planning Enforcement has issued a cessation order. https://t.co/hW9kyQ3yp9
— Darragh Moriarty (@darragh_mor) April 3, 2023
Not long later, however, the rooms were advertised as hostel-style accommodation on Airbnb.
The landlord has also applied to change the use of the apartment block to an aparthotel.
A number of the former tenants have since made a complaint.
"Disgust"
Local Labour Councillor Darragh Moriarty said the tenants are very angry.
“Disgust is the word I would use that, instead of selling up as the landlord told them he was going to, he turned it into Airbnbs and now is trying to permanently turn it into an aparthotel,” he said.
“These are actually people’s homes that they were living in and as I said, evicted with the intention to sell, when the landlord did no such thing.”
Objection
Cllr Moriarty said he will be objecting to the aparthotel application.
“Well I’ll be sticking my submission in before the deadline on April 11th strongly, strongly encouraging them that that conversion should not go ahead,” he said.
“It is totally the opposite of what the city needs – turning apartments into short-term tourist accommodation when we absolutely are crying out for housing units so that is what I hope the outcome of this situation will be.
Dublin City Council has now issued an enforcement notice ordering the landlord to stop the short-term letting on Airbnb by April 28th.
