New charges against landlord Marc Godart and linked firms

Tom Tuite

Dublin City Council has brought fresh charges against Luxembourg landlord Marc Godart and two linked companies over unauthorised short-term lettings and for breaking fire safety laws.

The prosecutions, listed before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court, involve failure to comply with an enforcement notice to cease using Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8, for short-term letting purposes.

According to court documents, the notice was supposed to be obeyed by April 28th last year.

The council is prosecuting Mr Godart and two firms, Reuben Hot Desks Ltd and Green Label Property Investments Ltd.

Judge Halpin noted from prosecuting solicitor Michael Quinlan said that evidence needed to be furnished to the defendants.

Judge Halpin adjourned that matter until September for a plea to be entered.

The council also initiated a separate fire safety prosecution against Green Label Property Investments Ltd about another building: Unit 1A, The Forge, Railway Street, Dublin 1, a "potentially dangerous building".

The charge alleges that on May 8th, the firm had yet to comply with a fire safety notice dated June 29th, 2023.

Judge Halpin ordered that this case resume in October to give the defence time to consider the evidence and a plea.

Later hearing dates in the non-jury District Court will be set if they contest the cases.

In February, Mr Godart had another prosecution dropped for "egregious" breaches of planning laws with unauthorised Airbnb lettings in Dublin.

However, two other firms he directs, Green Label Short Lets Ltd and Capel Grand Inn Ltd, accepted responsibility; they were fined €7,500 and agreed to pay "substantial" legal costs.

DCC also brought those proceedings before Dublin District Court.

That case stemmed from complaints about unauthorised short-term lettings booked through the Airbnb website at three properties in Dublin 1: 11 Capel Street, Block G, The Foundry, Beaver St, and Unit 2A, The Forge, Railway Street.

A council inspector detected the offences after surveying the building between June 4th and 6th last year. His work revealed that some bedrooms were windowless and others were in former shopfronts.

Several tourists from Ireland, mainland Europe, and North America had used them for one to seven days. By the time that hearing concluded, work had already taken place or was about to start to bring the short-term lettings in line with regulations.

In another prosecution before Dublin District Court earlier this year, Green Label Short Lets avoided a criminal conviction over a former commercial building in Dublin that broke fire safety laws after being repurposed for residential lettings.

The court heard that the Beaver Street property was converted but lacked a range of vital fire safety measures, including an alarm system and viable escape routes. The firm pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to the Fire Services Act.

The case was struck out after it donated €500 to charity and paid €3,884 toward the council's legal costs.