Evicted Dublin couple own 20 properties in Ireland – and at least 13 in London

Report highlights vast empire after they refused to pay mortgage

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Elderly property owners Brendan and Asta Kelly camped outside their South Dublin home

Photo by Irish Independent

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The elderly couple evicted from their Killiney mansion last week have been outed as big time property speculators – with up to 13 London apartments still on their hands.

Brendan and Asta Kelly camped outside their luxurious South Dublin home after they were forcefully removed by the former Anglo Irish Bank.

The retired couple owe the bank over $3million and haven’t paid their mortgage in over two years – despite owning over 20 other properties in Dublin.

Kelly, 71, has vowed to fight the bank all the way in his ongoing row over the payment.

But the Irish Times has now reported that the pair could own as many as 21 apartments in London as well after a buying spree which began in the late 90s.

The paper reports that the couple, who previously owned an export business, are also the owners of 13 apartments in the Isle of Dogs area of London.

The report states the couple bought these apartments in the late 2000s.

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

The Irish Times says that 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.
 
They also raised finance from an English financial institution.

Their Dublin eviction made headlines across the world with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny even commenting on it.

He described the circumstances behind the eviction as ‘peculiar’ and said 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 also stated at the time that his 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,” said Noonan.

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