Landlords with 18 properties evicted for not paying their mortgage...

[ludermor]

THE COUPLE who were evicted from their home in Killiney, Co Dublin, last week own a substantial number of apartments in London.

Brendan and Asta Kelly, St Matthias Wood, Killiney, Co Dublin, were evicted from their home in relation to debts owed to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, which now incorporates the former Irish Nationwide Building Society.

Last week it emerged they had purchased up to 21 properties in Dublin, most of them in south city areas, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and are still the owners of the bulk of these apartments.

It has now emerged that the couple, who are aged 71 and 63 respectively, are also the owners of 13 apartments in the Isle of Dogs area of London.

It is believed the couple bought these apartments in the late 2000s. Efforts to contact them yesterday were not successful.

They own nine apartments in the Locke's Wharf development in the London docklands. They have one apartment in George's Wharf and three in West India Quay.

The couple remortgaged many of their Dublin apartments a few years ago with Permanent TSB but it is not known whether any of the funds thus raised went towards the London properties. It is understood they also got finance from an English financial institution.

There was enormous public interest in the eviction of the couple and their subsequent decision to camp outside the detached property in Killiney that they bought in 2004 with the help of a mortgage from Irish Nationwide.

Last week Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the circumstances behind the eviction as "peculiar". He did not understand why the couple had not made arrangements to live elsewhere since they were served with a repossession order two years ago.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the Government would distinguish between those who wanted to stay in their homes and professional landlords. "We have no pledge to keep people in 21 different homes and we must distinguish between people who can't pay and people who won't pay."