Kilbelin Close Tenant Awarded €16,000 Following Six Months of Homelessness in Car
A Kildare tenant forced to live in a car with his partner and young child for six months after rejecting an invalid rent increase has been awarded nearly €16,000 in damages and overpaid rent by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Dylan Keating rented the property at Kilbelin Close in Newbridge from landlord David Massey starting in December 2022, after securing approval for the Homeless Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
While the property’s previous rent sat at €1,650, allowing a legal maximum of €1,683 under a 2 per cent annual increase cap, the tenant agreed to an initial payment of €1,883 after being told another party would pay more, irishtimes.com reported. Massey accepted he overlooked the legal increase cap while claiming the higher figure was agreed from the start.
Invalid Rent Increases and Cash Payments in Newbridge
Financial demands on the tenant escalated within months of moving into the Newbridge home. The monthly €200 top-up payment rose to €466 after the landlord discovered HAP covered only €1,417 of the total cost. Keating also told the tribunal he paid a €1,000 cash goodwill payment alongside the initial top-up after Massey asked what else he could offer to secure the house. Massey disputed receiving the cash payment, claiming the tenant offered it independently.
The dispute escalated on December 23rd, 2024, when Keating received a termination notice stating the landlord intended to sell the property. Massey later reversed this decision upon learning he faced a €50,000 capital gains tax bill, instead offering a new lease with rent set at €2,150. This adjustment would have pushed the monthly top-up to €766, alongside a requested €1,750 deposit.
Tribunal Findings on Abuse of Termination Procedures
Unable to afford the new terms, the family left the property. Keating, his partner, and their child—who was under 12 months old—spent six months living in their car, while their two other children stayed with grandparents. The family eventually moved into council-provided accommodation in December.
The RTB tribunal ruled that Massey ignored legal rent provisions and used the notice of termination as leverage to force an invalid rent review. The panel ordered the landlord to repay more than €7,000 in overpaid rent accumulated between 2023 and 2025. An additional €7,500 in damages was awarded to reflect the severity of the breach and the family’s six-month homelessness, alongside €1,200 for the initial top-up and cash payment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Kilbelin Close RTB Ruling
What were the legal rent limits for the Newbridge property?
Rent Pressure Zone rules restricted annual increases to 2 per cent, setting the maximum legal rent at €1,683 based on the previous €1,650 rate. The landlord instead charged €1,883 initially and later sought to raise it to €2,150.
Why did the tenant and his family become homeless?
Keating and his partner left the Kilbelin Close property after receiving a termination notice and facing a proposed rent increase they could not afford. The RTB found the landlord used the sale notice as pressure to enforce an invalid rent review.
What financial penalties did the landlord face?
The RTB ordered David Massey to pay nearly €16,000 in total, comprising over €7,000 in overpaid rent, €7,500 in damages for the family’s six-month period living in a car, and €1,200 for initial cash payments.
Keep reading