First time to post but long time lurker. I was renting a property and running a business from it. It was a purpose built property to run a preschool. The first year went relatively ok. Landlord was really helpful if a bit ott. They would ring me a lot just to chat and at times the husband would talk a bit smutty and the wife would laugh but then would get defensive and give out. I’d try play things down and try laugh it off but it bothered me but as I was running the business and trying to juggle everything I just kept going. Roll on the end of year one and the land lady kept pushing me to give her a job for the next term and kept reminding me that they can pull the lease at anytime. The staff member I had for that year had no qualifications and only got the job because she said she’d to the course and would get the qualification needed. It took her until May to even start the course. Sorry I know I’m rabbiting on but this is relevant. In Ireland we get inspected by several different bodies and to work in childcare you must have a qualification. I spent the year being worried about an inspection, the landlady kept telling me she’d work for me and to let the other girl go reminding me all the time about the lease. I gave in (stupid I know) but I was worried about my business. Landlady started work and was really enthusiastic for the first few weeks. Then she started complaining about not feeling well, there was an awful smell from her nose, she felt light headed, her stomach was sore. She’d spend the day moaning and giving out then goggling her symptoms. Everyday it was a new issue. She’d call the doctor several times a week and would get appointments during work so I’d be left on my own with the kids. Most of the time the doctor would tell her she was fine and have her nothing. She’d do sinus rinses in work leaving me in the class on my own. She came into work one morning screaming at me because she was sick and I needed to get cover for her. She was roaring into my face and I stayed calm because her little one was in the setting with us. This went on for several minutes. Eventually she calmed down. I told her to go home and take time out. Her going out sick was never an issue and getting cover was never an issue. The cover I had was a lovely girl but the LL didn’t want her there because she didn’t like her. She decided to go private and got an appointment to get cameras both ways to see what was wrong. Turned out she had acid and was prescribed an antacid. Then she focused on her nose and the smell. This also went on for weeks. She got an appointment to see a consultant during work hours. She text me to say it was really bad news and she’d talk to me later. I was convinced she had cancer and was so worried about her. She came back into the job after hours and told me her sinuses were blocked. She said she’d try keep working but I said I’d get cover and not to worry just focus on getting well. She refused leave. She text me Saturday morning to say she wasn’t going to work anymore because she had to recover and couldn’t do that in work. Fine I said I’ll get cover. Roll on the following week and she started getting aggressive with me when collecting her child. Then she started letting herself in late and dropping her child directing into the class leaving the main door open. I asked her not to do that because it was leaving the kids at risk. This happened several times and one morning she got into my face huffing at me in front of a parent. She told me her husband would talk to me later but told me that in a threatening voice, then she shrugged off my arm and walked out. The parent stayed with me and asked was I ok and hugged me. I locked the door as I didn’t feel safe. This went on a few times so I sent her a solicitors letter asking her to stop. Her husband rang me roaring down the phone so I hung up on him. This happened several times so I blocked their numbers. They’d come in everyday after I’d leave and turn lights on and leave doors open, that kind of thing just to let me know they had been in there. No notice ever given. One day I went in and they took all her toys out of one of the rooms but didn’t tell me so the kids had nothing in that room that morning. I rearranged things that day to suit the kids. This went on for months so due to the stress of all this I gave my notice and emailed them to say I’m not renewing the lease. I ended up with no business after years of making a name for myself.
If you’re still reading thank you. What I’d like to know is does anyone know if I’d have a case to sue them? Years of a success and then nothing. I’m in rural Ireland so premises are rare and would not meet legal requirements to open so not easy to get a new property. What do yee think?