A tenant who claimed to be an HSE employee, and whose landlords believed had falsified her name and work details, has been ordered to vacate a property in Co Kerry after failing to verify her identity.
Landlords Susanne and John Meares entered into a tenancy with a person named Denise Roche in October 2023, who had told them that she was employed by the HSE, they claimed before a Residential Tenancies Board tribunal.
After noting that rental payments were “slow coming in”, the couple discovered that the tenant’s payments were coming from a Revolut account under the name of Denise O’Brien.
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After searching the name online, they noted that a woman of the same name had a criminal conviction for fraud, adding they had seen photographs of Ms O’Brien in newspaper reports covering her court case which matched the tenant.
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In 2015, a woman named Denyse O’Brien pleaded guilty to fraud amounting to €3,000 after using the credit card of a friend’s mother.
After raising the issue of the tenant’s identity, the landlords claimed she was “evasive” and had left a voicemail claiming her name was in fact Denise O’Regan Roche.
Ms and Mr Meares did not pursue the matter initially as the tenant informed them she was moving out. The tenant then, however, gave numerous subsequent move-out dates and did not vacate the property.
The landlords subsequently issued a warning letter in May stating that she was in breach of her tenant obligations by failing to inform them in writing of her identity, claiming she had given a false name and false work information.
They gave the tenant six days to provide them with HSE work details and a passport or driving licence matching the name of Denise O’Regan Roche.
The landlords advised the tenant they were entitled to serve a notice of termination with a 28-day deadline to vacate should she not provide the requested documents.
After the tenant failed to provide the requested information, their agent issued a notice of termination on May 15th with a vacate date of June 12th.
The landlords told the tribunal that neighbours had not seen anyone entering or leaving the property for more than two weeks, adding that the lights had been left off and blinds had not been adjusted.
A week before the tribunal hearing, the landlords said they looked through the windows of the house located in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, and claimed they saw “rubbish all over the floors, including food”.
They further claimed the property was in a “state of disarray” with flies inside, adding that they were concerned it may be dangerous and could attract rodents.
Ms and Mr Meares said they were also “concerned” for those neighbouring the property.
Shortly before the hearing, the landlords said they received an email from the tenant saying she had not vacated the dwelling, and told them not to enter.
By the time of the hearing in August, the tenant had not paid rent in more than three months.
The tribunal said it was satisfied that six days was a reasonable time to allow the tenant to provide the requested documentation, “having regards to the importance of identity verification”.
The tenant, who did not participate in mediation or attend the hearing, was ordered by the tribunal to vacate the dwelling within 21 days and to pay €4,411.70 in rent arrears.
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