Heartbroken couple hand over keys to home

HEARTBROKEN and devastated. These were the words of Patricia Burnett as she and her husband handed over the keys of their home.

As families brace themselves for what is expected to be the toughest budget in the history of the state, the Tipperary couple are already coming to terms with losing their repossessed home.

The unemployed couple face even further hardship today, however, with the expected announcement that welfare payments will be cut.

Packing up their belongings, Patricia and John Burnett were helped and comforted by their son, Johnny, and relatives before giving their keys to their mortgage lender. An eight-week stay on the repossession order for their three-bedroom home in Ballydrehid, Cahir, had come to an end.

Preparing to move into temporary rented accommodation, Ms Burnett described the pain of losing the family’s home after over 10 years.

“It’s D-Day and we’re finishing off the last few bits and pieces. I feel totally devastated. We haven’t been accepted on any council housing list yet.”

The couple lost their home to lender GE Capital Woodchester after falling into arrears on a €169,000 loan, originally taken out on the house in 2006 to pay for business debts.

The loan granted was a multiple of the £40,000 the family had originally paid for the home in 2000.

The High Court had heard how the mortgage had grown to €178,000 after husband John was made redundant as a truck driver.

The Burnetts must now find a monthly rent of €550, with a small amount of rental assistance, while they wait for local authority housing.