Courts / Kildare / Report
Tenant wins €23k after landlords ordered him out during HAP dispute
Summary
In a Workplace Relations Commission ruling, William Gallagher, a tenant in County Kildare, was awarded €23,000 after landlords Jenny Brennan and Matthew Hannigan unlawfully refused to sign the State housing assistance payment (HAP) form. Gallagher had been denied HAP, which the council had approved in December 2023, and had paid €15,000 of rent out of pocket. He sent a formal discrimination notice under the Equal Status Act, after receiving eviction notices eight days later. The tribunal found the landlords' refusal and delay constituted serious housing‑assistance discrimination, awarding Gallagher €15,000 for loss and €8,000 for penalisation, totaling €23,000. Gallagher's evidence was deemed credible, and the landlords were ordered to pay the compensation. The case highlights the legal protection against discrimination in housing assistance.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Tenant wins €23k after landlords ordered him out during HAP dispute. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- December 2023 Other
- 2 January 2024 Other
- 3 January 2024 Other
- 19 June 2024 Other
- December 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 2025 Other
- 28 April 2025 Other
- 2025-10-23 Publication
Why: Under questioning at the hearing, Ms Brennan accepted that when IHREC wrote to her in December 2024, she replied that she had not filled out the HAP form because she had "more valid things to focus on". CNI source report
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