An overholding tenant who allegedly assaulted a neighbour in Co Cork and kicked down their fence over a belief they had reported her to social services has been ordered to vacate the property.
Gardaí responded to “at least” 22 incidents at the property in Brookhill, Carrigaline, during the course of Donna Lonergan’s tenancy, a Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) tribunal heard.
Lonergan received a notice of termination over alleged antisocial behaviour in October 2024, giving her a month to vacate. However, she remained in the property by the time of the RTB hearing last January.
Eimear Kiernan, a representative of approved housing body Co-operative Housing Ireland, told the tribunal a warning letter was issued to Lonergan in September 2023 following an incident involving a neighbour.
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Kiernan claimed Lonergan and her partner trespassed in the neighbour’s garden, “assaulted” them through a window and “smashed a vase”.
Detailing further incidents attended by gardaí, Kiernan claimed Lonergan used a hammer to break her own window after returning from a holiday as she could not find her keys, a tribunal report published on Friday notes.
Neighbours called gardaí at the time, she said, though Lonergan disputed this, saying she called them herself. She told the tribunal that 15 of the 22 calls were made by her due to incidents within her own home involving her former partner.
Kiernan told the tribunal Lonergan received a verbal warning in June 2024 after she allegedly “kicked” down the fence between her home and that of a neighbour, who she suspected had reported her to social services.
Issues began to escalate the following month, Kiernan said, claiming there was another assault of a neighbour, as well as allegations of “parties”, “screaming” and “drunken visitors” to the property and street.
Sinead Chambers, representing Lonergan, argued the notice of termination she received was invalid as it did not state the reason or details of the alleged antisocial behaviour. She told the tribunal Lonergan “reacted badly” when she confronted the neighbour over a “suspicion she held”.
Chambers said her client had made “huge efforts” and there have been no incidents since, saying Lonergan was “managing the stress”.
Lonergan told the tribunal she had not engaged with her neighbours for 18 months, adding that the alleged trespassing incident came before the courts and was dismissed.
She said she had no convictions for assault, though this was disputed by the landlord’s representative, who said a second case was before the courts.
The tribunal said it was satisfied Lonergan engaged in antisocial behaviour during her tenancy and found her to be in breach of her obligations.
Noting that the landlord submitted “extensive complaints” received about Lonergan’s behaviour, the tribunal accepted the landlord owed a “duty of care” to its other tenants and staff.
Deeming the notice of termination valid, it ordered Lonergan to vacate the property within 56 days.
