The landlord of a hair and beauty salon operator was perfectly and legally entitled to re-enter premises and change the locks, the High Court has heard.
Mr Peter McLaughlin says that he is in dispute with Sinead Connolly, who has operated the Sin E Hair and Beauty Salon from Unit 2 at the Charlesland Shopping Centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow for over a decade, over €77,000 in arrears of rent.
Last week Ms Connolly asked the High Court for various orders including one allowing her and her staff temporarily back into their workplace, so they can access the salon's equipment.
She also wants to be let back into the property for the next four weeks to deal with the salon's customers.
She brought the action after agents of her landlord entered her salon and changed the locks of the premises.
She told the court that she has secured a new premises, from where she plans to operate her business, but that would not be ready for another month. The premises in the shopping centre had remained shut during the lockdown.
New premises
When the matter returned before Mr Justice Senan Allen on Monday the court heard that Mr Peter McLaughlin, represented by Eoghan Cole Bl, did not break back into the premises as alleged.
In a sworn statement Mr Mc McLoughlin said he had engaged the services of a security company and had peaceably re-entered the property, which he was fully and legally entitled to do.
The court also heard that the landlord was quite happy to make arrangements to allow Ms Connolly to collect all her businesses' possessions and equipment from the property.
Mr Justice Allen, adjourned the matter to later this week, to allow Ms Connolly fully consider and reply, if she wishes, to Mr McLoughlin's affidavit.
The judge, in reply to Ms Connolly, who is representing herself in the proceedings said it was a matter between the parties if the applicant could go back into the property for a further four weeks.
He suggested that this was something Ms Connolly, of West Courtyard, Tullyvale, Cherrywood Co Dublin should ask her landlord about, as it was not a matter for the court.
Last week the court heard that Ms Connolly and her four staff have been unable to access the premises since the locks were changed. It was also accepted that the parties are in dispute over alleged arrears of €77,000.
