A landlord has been ordered to pay €20,000 in compensation after he threatened a tenant with eviction when asked to accept a Housing Assistance Payment contribution towards the rent.
The Workplace Relations Commission determined that the landlord, Muhammad Naeem Aslam, had violated the Equal Status Act 2000 by discriminating against Ayodeji Saanu through refusing a HAP payment and by victimising him over the same issue, reports Breaking News.
However, the WRC dismissed a claim by Mr Saanu that his landlord had also subjected him to harassment.
The landlord did not appear at a WRC hearing of the matter that took place in August 2025, despite having been duly notified, reports Breaking News.
Mr Saanu told the commission that he had asked Mr Aslam to complete the necessary form for obtaining HAP in December 2023, but his request was refused.
He said he did not pursue it further at that time because he felt vulnerable as a tenant, reports Breaking News.
However, on October 1st, 2024, Mr Saanu again wrote to his landlord asking him to sign the HAP form, explaining he was due to undergo surgery the following week and would have no income to cover the rent on his own.
At that point, he was paying €2,100 a month for the two-bedroom apartment, reports Breaking News.
Although he qualified for HAP, he claimed Mr Aslam responded by saying he would not accept the payment and warned that he could be evicted if he continued, while also arranging an inspection of the property.
Mr Saanu told the landlord that refusing a HAP payment was discriminatory and unlawful, reports Breaking News.
On October 6th, 2024, he said he received a threatening message stating that his tenancy would be terminated and that he and his family would be removed from the apartment after he pleaded with the landlord to accept HAP.
When notified of the WRC complaint, Mr Sannu said the landlord responded that his solicitor would handle the matter, reports Breaking News.
He again reminded Mr Aslam that threatening a family with homelessness because of a legitimate request to sign a HAP form was unlawful.
Mr Saanu said he was subsequently served with 28 days’ notice to leave the apartment, even though he was legally entitled to 152 days, reports Breaking News.
He claimed that when he informed the landlord about the correct notice period, Mr Aslam replied that he was “adept at this sort of thing” and knew how to manage tenants of that nature.
Mr Saanu said he later received a WhatsApp message from the landlord claiming he required the apartment for his own use, reports Breaking News.
The WRC also heard there were issues with Mr Aslam providing a postal address for official correspondence.
Mr Saanu said he and his wife felt intimidated by the landlord’s conduct, reports Breaking News.
He told the WRC that he had to resume work earlier than he was medically fit to after his surgery and suffered an infection because his landlord refused to accept the HAP.
Mr Saanu added that he remained under threat of eviction, reports Breaking News.
WRC adjudication officer Louise Boyle said the landlord’s decision to arrange an inspection of the apartment was “clearly an extraordinary response” to the tenant’s complaint.
Ms Boyle said Mr Saanu had presented a credible account which was backed up by his correspondence with the landlord, reports Breaking News.
She directed Mr Aslam to pay €12,000 in compensation for discriminating against his tenant over refusing the HAP payment.
The WRC also awarded Mr Saanu an additional €8,000 for the related victimisation by the landlord, reports Breaking News.
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