'Sanity has broken out': Landlord and tenant settle over alleged hammer threat during attempted eviction

Judge suggested they might regret decision to take case to High Court as there would be 'reputational aspect' to case

Mr Justice Micheál O'Connell made the comment at the High Court on Thursday, after a successful second round of settlement discussions between lawyers for both sides. File picture

A judge said "sanity has broken out" as a tenant, who alleged he was threatened during an attempted eviction, settled his dispute with his landlord, who denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Justice Micheál O'Connell made the comment at the High Court on Thursday, after a successful second round of settlement discussions between lawyers for both sides. 

Mr Justice O'Connell warned both sides at the opening of the case that they might regret taking their dispute to the High Court and urged them to reach a settlement. The case was expected to last four days.

Imtiaz Khan, a practising solicitor and principal of Dublin-based IMK Law, had submitted to the court he went to his rental property on Main Street Ongar Village, west Dublin, last February, for a “peaceful and voluntary handover” of the property.

However, tenant Muhammad Amjad, a father of six, represented by RNL Solicitors, alleged Mr Khan arrived at the rental property accompanied by eight other individuals and carrying a hammer. Mr Khan denied that he had been carrying a hammer.

The case was taken by Mr Amjad against Mr Khan and his property company IMK property investment Ltd over an allegedly unlawful eviction action.

Before the case opened on Tuesday, Mr Justice O'Connell suggested that they might "regret" the decision to take the case to the High Court and suggested the matter would be suitable for mediation. He told them there would be a "reputational aspect" to the case, which would have involved witness testimony.

Mr Khan’s barrister, Alan Cormack SC, had submitted his client’s primary concern on the day in question was the “safety and welfare” of Mr Amjad’s children and other residents of the complex.

The property needed to be vacated so works could be safely carried out, and IMK Property determined the tenancy should be terminated due to the “extensive nature” of the repairs, he submitted.

Ercus Stewart SC, with David O'Brien BL, said that his client had wished any lease termination regarding his family to be done “properly” and had immediately contacted rental watchdog Threshold and Fingal County Council about an alleged unlawful eviction.

Mr Amjad submitted that Mr Khan, upon an alleged forcible entry to the property on February 28, then issued “explicit threats to strike me if I did not vacate within three minutes”. He claimed his children were “visibly traumatised” after witnessing the incident as his wife slept during the Muslim month of Ramadan. He said she was awoken by shouting.

Mr Amjad said Mr Khan and IMK Property had issued a purported notice of termination of the lease but claimed it was invalid and not initially communicated.

Mr Khan and IMK Property submitted the plaintiff’s claims were “extremely serious and entirely untrue”, causing “considerable stress and reputational damage”.

Mr Khan submitted that no incident was reported to gardaí about the events of February 28. He claimed an inspection on behalf of Fingal County Council in February 2025 found the property was not compliant with regulations and needed a gas safety check, carbon monoxide, and smoke alarms installed.

He claimed the tenants, since 2013, were properly served with notice of lease termination and there was no “coercive or intimidatory campaign”, as alleged by Mr Amjad.

Upon hearing of the written agreement between both sides today after hours of negotiation, Mr Justice O'Connell said "sanity has broken out" and agreed the matter to be adjourned to October.

Outside court, through his solicitor, Reza Nezam, Mr Amjad said he was "delighted" with the settlement.