The Court of First Instance has overturned a Rent Committee ruling that allowed the eviction of attorney Eric Jansen from his Beacon Hill apartment, finding that his landlords acted unlawfully by cutting off water and electricity.
In its October 27 judgment, the Court ruled that landlords Dr. Hidde Pieter Deketh and Sharon Deketh-Banfield failed to provide valid legal grounds for ending Jansen’s 17-year lease at Fan Coral Road 17-2. The Court said the landlords’ claims of rent arrears, nuisance, and plans for “own use” were unsubstantiated.
Jansen, who has lived in the apartment since 2008 and is reportedly in poor health, said the eviction efforts and utility disconnections caused severe personal hardship. The Court agreed, calling the disconnection of essential utilities “disproportionate and unlawful.”
The alleged arrears—about US $2,350—were deemed too minor to justify eviction, especially since Jansen’s law firm had offered to settle them. The Court also dismissed claims of disruptive behavior, noting no prior warnings had been issued.
The landlords were ordered to pay ƒ2,950 in legal costs. While the ruling ensures Jansen cannot be evicted, his utilities remain disconnected as enforcement proceedings continue.