A Clare County Councillor has been ordered to repay a tenant over €5,000 in overcharged rent.
Applicant Tenant, Bartosz Milinski took the case to the Residential Tenancies Board in respect of a property on Main Street, Doonbeg.
The tenant argued that a rent review served by his Landlord, Cllr Rita McInerney increasing his rent from €650 to €1,500 was invalid and did not represent market rent for the dwelling.
The RTB ordered that the applicant be repaid the sum of €5,100 within 28 days.
The tenancy had commenced in April 2016 at a rent of €550 per month, this increased to €650 in July 2019, while the rent review bringing the rate to €1,500 didn’t come into effect until June 1st 2025 having been served that March.
During the mediation , both parties also agreed that no security deposit had been paid by the tenant.
In March this year , Cllr McInerney served the tenant with a termination notice as she required the property for her own occupation. The RTB determined the termination was valid and that the tenant should continue to pay a rate of €650 per month or €21.37 per day unless lawfully varied until the property is vacated.
