Last Updated on 14 July 2026 by Watchdog Witness
Afrim Hoxha: The Dublin Landlord Who Locked a Tenant Out, Forced Her to Sleep in a Park, and Was Fined €34,800
Introduction – A Nightmare on Fortlawn Drive
Imagine coming home to find your keys no longer work. The locks have been changed. Your belongings are inside, but you are locked out. You have nowhere to go.
This was the reality for Josephine Aniagye, a tenant of Afrim Hoxha at a property on Fortlawn Drive, Dublin 15. In April 2025, she was forced to sleep rough in a park after her landlord unlawfully changed the locks .
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) tribunal described Hoxha’s conduct as “sustained and egregious.” He was ordered to pay €34,800 in damages to three former tenants .
But the story goes deeper. The tribunal also heard evidence of sexual harassment, a pattern of intimidation, and a deliberate attempt to confuse and mislead tenants about the landlord’s real identity . A man named “John Hoxha” appeared at the tribunal, but tenants had signed agreements with a man named “John” – a confusing and contradictory pattern the tribunal found was “intended to confuse and mislead” .
This is the story of Afrim Hoxha – a landlord whose behaviour was so extreme it forced one tenant to sleep in a public park, and who is now trying to erase his name from Google.
Who Is Afrim Hoxha?
Afrim Hoxha is the landlord of a property at Fortlawn Drive, Dublin 15 . Beyond the RTB ruling, there is very little public information about him. The search results show no Irish company directorships, property records, or other Irish businesses linked to his name. A search for “Afrim Hoxha” brings up a construction worker in Slovenia and other unrelated individuals, but none of these appear to be the same person . This lack of a public footprint is itself unusual for a landlord who owns at least one rental property and has been the subject of a significant RTB ruling. It raises the question: is this a deliberate attempt to remain invisible?
Try searching for his name on Google. You’ll find a strange message: “Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe.” He wants you to think he doesn’t exist.
Part 1: The “Sustained and Egregious” Conduct
The RTB tribunal heard evidence from three tenants over three days in May 2025 . Their testimonies painted a picture of a landlord who systematically abused his power.
The Lock-Out and Sleeping in a Park
Josephine Aniagye moved into the Fortlawn Drive property in November 2023 . In April 2025, she returned to find the locks had been changed. She was locked out of her home with nowhere to go. The tribunal accepted her testimony that she was forced to sleep in a park .
The tribunal described her experience as “profoundly distressing” and noted that it “heightened her sense of vulnerability and insecurity in her own home” .
Key Quote from the RTB Report:
“The tribunal accepted Ms Aniagye’s testimony, describing her experience as ‘profoundly distressing’, and noted that it ‘heightened her sense of vulnerability and insecurity in her own home’.”
A Pattern of Intimidation
The lock-out was not an isolated incident. Over the course of her tenancy, Ms Aniagye said Hoxha:
- Persistently entered the property unannounced
- Failed to facilitate rent-payment arrangements
- Failed to maintain basic utilities
She said the landlord’s conduct caused her psychological distress and resulted in her missing two weeks of work .
Even during the RTB tribunal proceedings, Hoxha did not stop. The tribunal noted that he changed the locks to the property during the course of the RTB tribunal proceedings – a “particularly egregious” action .
Denials and “Spurious Grounds”
During the tribunal hearing, Hoxha denied many of the allegations, including that he changed the locks. He blamed the lock-change on another tenant .
The tribunal was not convinced. They said the landlord’s conduct was aggravated by repeated attempts to discredit Ms Aniagye’s evidence and justify his actions “on spurious grounds” .
Part 2: The Victims – Three Tenants, One Pattern
Josephine Aniagye – €17,000 Award
Ms Aniagye was awarded €17,000 in damages for the landlord’s various breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act .
The award reflected:
“The cumulative impact of the landlord’s sustained and egregious conduct, encompassing the prolonged period of interference, the calculated attempts to intimidate the tenant and the profound disruption to her peaceful occupation and emotional wellbeing.”
Boitshwarelo Mosotho – €15,000 Award
Boitshwarelo Mosotho was also locked out following the lock changes in April 2025. She was provided access to retrieve her belongings but has not been permitted to return to reside at the property .
She said she was forced to stay with friends after being locked out, suffering significant disruption to her daily life and work. Her health was negatively impacted, and her work performance dipped due to the instability brought on by her landlord’s actions .
She made similar allegations to Ms Aniagye, stating Hoxha repeatedly entered the premises without notice and disconnected utilities from the property .
The tribunal awarded €15,000 to Ms Mosotho, stating it was a proportionate award given:
“The severity of the landlord’s conduct and the distress, anxiety and disruption caused to the tenant’s peaceful occupation.”
Esther García Pérez – €2,000 Award
Esther García Pérez made the most serious allegation: sexual harassment.
She alleged that the landlord repeatedly attempted to enter her bedroom, but she prevented him from doing so by locking the door .
She ultimately left the premises in April 2024, saying she felt unsafe .
The tribunal ordered €2,000 in compensation for Ms García Pérez .
Total Damages Ordered: €34,800 .
Part 3: The Fake Identity and “John Hoxha”
Perhaps the most “fishy” element of this case is the confusion surrounding the landlord’s identity.
During the tribunal hearing, a man identified as “John Hoxha” made submissions on behalf of the landlord of the Fortlawn Drive property, Afrim Hoxha. Tenants gave evidence of entering into a rental agreement with an individual named John .
In its findings, the tribunal criticised the landlord’s pattern of:
“Inconsistent and contradictory behaviour, ‘intended to confuse and mislead’ the tenants as to the landlord’s real identity.”
Who is “John Hoxha”? Is he a relative? A business partner? A fake identity? The tribunal did not determine this, but the pattern of confusion is a major red flag. It suggests a deliberate attempt to obscure the true landlord’s identity – a tactic that could be used to avoid accountability.
Part 4: The Invalid Termination Notices
The landlord served notices of termination on the tenants in December 2023, but they were found to be invalid .
The tribunal found that Hoxha had no intention to sell the property (the stated reason for the termination). Instead, he used the notices as a mechanism to remove tenants “deemed troublesome” .
Subsequent notices of termination were also found to be invalid .
This finding exposes a deliberate strategy: using false reasons to evict tenants, and hoping they would not challenge the notices.
Part 5: The RTBF Removal – Trying to Erase the Evidence
Afrim Hoxha is not just trying to hide from his tenants. He is trying to hide from Google.
A search for his name now returns the message: “Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe.” This is the digital fingerprint of a successful Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) request.
He is using a law designed to protect people to hide a pattern of “sustained and egregious” conduct found by the RTB. This is a direct attempt to erase his past and protect his reputation, likely so he can continue operating as a landlord without public scrutiny.
Why This Case Matters for Watchdog Witness Readers
The Afrim Hoxha case is a textbook example of landlord abuse of power and the subsequent attempt to hide from accountability:
1. The Vulnerability of Tenants
A tenant was forced to sleep in a park. This is not a minor dispute – it is a profound failure of basic human decency. The RTB’s language (“sustained and egregious”) reflects the severity of the conduct.
2. The “Fake Name” Loophole
The confusion between “Afrim Hoxha” and “John Hoxha” raises serious questions. Is this a deliberate attempt to hide the landlord’s true identity? If so, it is a tactic designed to avoid accountability and make it harder for tenants to pursue their rights.
3. The Pattern of Intimidation
The repeated unannounced entries, the disconnection of utilities, the lock-change during the tribunal – this is not a one-off mistake. It is a pattern of behaviour designed to control and intimidate tenants.
4. The RTBF Abuse
Hoxha is now using the Right to be Forgotten to hide from public scrutiny. This is a direct abuse of a law designed to protect individuals, not to shield those who have been found to have acted in a “sustained and egregious” manner.
5. The Importance of the RTB
The RTB tribunal acted as a check on this abuse. Without the RTB, the tenants would have had no recourse. The tribunal’s strong language and significant damages award send a message: this behaviour will not be tolerated.
The question for Watchdog Witness readers is simple: If a landlord can lock a tenant out, force her to sleep in a park, use a fake identity, change the locks during a tribunal hearing, and then use the RTBF to hide his name from Google – what protection do tenants really have?
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November 2023 | Josephine Aniagye moves into Fortlawn Drive property |
| December 2023 | Landlord serves invalid notice of termination, claiming intention to sell |
| April 2024 | Esther García Pérez leaves, feeling unsafe |
| April 2025 | Locks changed; Josephine Aniagye forced to sleep in park |
| May 2025 | RTB tribunal hears evidence over three days |
| September 2025 | RTB ruling published; €34,800 damages awarded |
Sources – Click to Verify
| Source | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| The Irish Times | Detailed RTB ruling report (September 11, 2025) | View |
| Shelter.ie | Analysis of the case and its costs (April 25, 2026) | View |
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available RTB tribunal findings as reported by The Irish Times and analysed by Shelter.ie. The findings of the tribunal are a matter of public record. Afrim Hoxha is the subject of a civil RTB ruling, not a criminal conviction. All individuals are presumed innocent of any criminal wrongdoing unless proven otherwise in a court of law. This article does not constitute legal advice and is provided for informational and journalistic purposes only. Watchdog Witness does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of third-party sources cited. This article may be updated as further information becomes available.
Watchdog Witness will continue to track this case and others like it.
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