Landlord's horror after discovering 'more than 10,000 beer cans' dumped in property

The cans, which had apparently built up over a lengthy period of time, were found discarded in the house in north Dublin.

The Herald obtained the shocking images after the disgusted landlord called Joe Duffy's Liveline on RTE Radio One yesterday.

He claimed that some of the cans contained urine and were discovered after the property was vacated.

The beer cans - a variety of lager brands, including Tennent's, Karpackie and Carling - covered an entire bed and were also found dumped across the room.

The massive build-up of drink cans also covered much of the floor.

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said that this is not the first time landlords had suffered "catastrophic damage" to their properties.

"A lot of people have no respect for the properties they rent and leave them in appalling conditions for their landlord to foot the bill," Mr Flynn told the Herald.

"Landlords don't have a voice, but we really need to hear the other side of the situation.

"They're often afraid to speak out because of the backlash they could receive.

"Dublin City Council also spends millions a year refurbishing properties damaged by tenants.

"It's not just people on the dole, it's often people with high-powered jobs.

"Nobody wants to go down the RTB route when there's a dispute.

"When it comes to damaged properties, many landlords just pay the difference out of their own pockets. This is really a bigger issue that needs to be highlighted."

Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe said: "I do occasionally hear of rental accommodations being left in atrocious conditions, but also hear of awful conditions of some places being rented.

"I think we need a mature rental market.

"This will mean less cowboys and Indians on the landlords' side of things, but also on the tenants'."

Workers' Party councillor Eilis Ryan said that such incidents can sometimes come part and parcel with being a landlord.

"If someone is making money out of a property, these types of things are what they just have to deal with," the councillor said.