Two women who have been living rent free for months in a Dalkey, Co Dublin, house with panoramic sea views, were told to get out by a judge on Wednesday.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane, who normally gives only seven days to those who renege on rent payments said she would allow Christa and Laraine Johnson to spend Christmas and New Year in the property.
She said she would let them remain in the house - Twin Trees, Nerano Road - until January 6th but they would have to have made their arrangements for new accommodation by then.
Barrister Paul Binchy, for landlord James Foley, told the Circuit Civil Court that Mr Foley was seeking to enforce a determination of the Residential Tenancies Board of January 16th last.
Mr Binchy said the board’s order was made on foot of a written agreement reached in November 2015 between Mr Foley and the Johnsons whereby the two would vacate Twin Trees by June 3rd last.
Judge Linnane said that under the agreement the Johnsons had also agreed they would continue to pay rent at €1,600 per month until the day they vacated.
Cooling-off
She said the agreement, which expressly provided a 21 day cooling-off period between them, represented a full and final settlement of all issues outstanding between the parties and after which there would be no appeal.
The judge said the two defendants had not disputed that they had not paid any rent from the period of June 3rd to present and it was only at the date they were supposed to vacate the property that they had written to the board claiming they had signed the agreement under duress.
Judge Linnane said no steps had been taken by the Johnsons during the 21 day cooling-off period and it was now mandatory on the court to enforce the determination order of the board.
The court made an order for possession of Twin Trees in favour of Mr Foley, who has an address in Florida, but granted the defendants a stay until January 6th. She also granted judgment for €11,200 unpaid rent against the Johnsons in favour of Mr Foley.