Introduction
In the world of Dublin’s high-end rental market, Paul Hourican was once a major player. His company, Period Door Properties Ltd (PDP), managed over 25 upmarket rental homes in affluent suburbs like Ballsbridge, Clontarf, Monkstown, Rathgar, and Donnybrook — including properties linked to celebrities such as Bob Geldof.
But behind the glossy facade, a different story was unfolding. Tenant complaints mounted. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) ruled against PDP on multiple occasions. The company collapsed, was wound up in the High Court, and left a trail of legal disputes, unpaid claims, and public controversy.
Yet within a year, Hourican was back — with new company names, new business structures, and the same business model. This is the story of Paul Hourican, a businessman who has become a recurring figure in Ireland’s property and legal news.
Who Is Paul Hourican?
Paul Hourican is a Dublin-based businessman who built a property sub-letting business focused on the high-end rental market. His model involved leasing luxury properties from owners and then renting individual rooms to young professionals — many of whom worked for major multinationals like Google.
According to company filings cited by The Phoenix, Hourican did well financially from this model. Between 2018 and 2019, he received dividends of €400,000 from Period Door Properties. Another €250,000 was “trousered” (as The Phoenix put it) in the year leading up to March 2020. His holding company, Station Island Holdings, sat on net assets of €1 million at the end of March 2022.
But the money flowing to Hourican stood in stark contrast to the complaints emerging from his tenants.
The Collapse of Period Door Properties Ltd (PDP)
Period Door Properties was incorporated in 2014. By 2020, it was managing more than 25 luxury rental properties. However, according to The Phoenix, “the number of complaints by tenants in the Dublin properties he was sub-letting reached critical levels.”
Data from howmuchrent.com (cited by The Phoenix) showed that the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) ruled against PDP on various occasions.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of Hourican’s business model. With tenants leaving shared accommodation and the RTB introducing emergency legislation that restricted landlords from replacing vacating tenants, the company’s revenue collapsed.
By 2021, Period Door Properties was wound up in the High Court by Judge Michael Quinn. By that time, Hourican had already exited the company’s board, along with his wife, designer Susan Hourican.
The Wellington Road Property Dispute: €2.95 Million and a €295,000 Deposit
While PDP was collapsing, Hourican — through another of his companies, Blucher Ltd — was engaged in a high-stakes legal battle over a luxury property in Dublin 4.
As reported by The Irish Times on June 26, 2020, Blucher Ltd entered a contract to purchase a Georgian property at 25 Wellington Road, Dublin 4 for €2.95 million. A deposit of €295,000 was paid.
The property was being sold by receivers from KPMG (Kieran Wallace and James Sharkey) on behalf of a bank.
The Bank’s Alleged “Pretext”
Blucher claimed in court that it had a loan agreement with First Citizen Finance DAC dated February 21, 2020 for €2.2 million. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the bank allegedly used the crisis as a “pretext” to revalue the property downward. As a result, First Citizen reduced its loan offer to €1.77 million — leaving Blucher €500,000 short.
Blucher subsequently secured €250,000 in alternative financing and claimed it had available equity of €850,000. Even with the reduced bank loan, it argued, it could still complete the purchase.
The Completion Notices
The receivers served two completion notices on Blucher. The second notice, served on June 10, 2020, was due to expire on June 25. If Blucher failed to complete by that date, the receivers could forfeit the €295,000 deposit and put the property back on the market.
Blucher argued the completion notice was invalid for several reasons, including disagreement (due to COVID-19) over where the closing should take place. Paul Hourican, as a director of Blucher, stated in court documents that he lived in Wicklow and needed to inspect the property before closing — but COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible at the time.
The Court’s Ruling
Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted interim injunctions restraining the receivers from acting on the completion notice, forfeiting the deposit, or re-listing the property for sale. The judge noted that Blucher had raised an arguable case, that damages might not be an adequate remedy, and that the balance of convenience favoured granting the injunctions.
The case was set for further hearing in the Commercial Court.
Hourican’s Financial Position: Doing Well Despite the Collapse
Despite the collapse of Period Door Properties and the legal battle over the Wellington Road property, Paul Hourican appeared to remain financially comfortable.
According to The Phoenix (February 2024):
- Hourican received dividends of €400,000 from PDP between 2018 and 2019.
- A further €250,000 was taken in the year to March 2020.
- His company Station Island Holdings had net assets of €1 million at the end of March 2022.
- Another vehicle, Blucher Ltd, was central to the Wellington Road dispute.
These figures raise legitimate questions: while tenants complained and the RTB ruled against his company, and while a High Court winding-up followed, Hourican personally appeared to have extracted significant value from his business activities.
A New Hat: Paul Hourican’s Return to the Property Business
By early 2024, Paul Hourican was back in business — again in property.
As reported by The Phoenix in February 2024 under the headline “Paul Hourican’s New Hat”:
“Goldhawk’s favourite landlord, Paul Hourican, is back in action again, with a new company but some of the same old problems.”
After briefly operating under the name “Roomourz”, Hourican registered a new trading name: Property Letting And Management.
This new business is owned by Laputa Ltd — a company 100% owned by Hourican. According to the report, property owners who sign up with Hourican are now dealing with Property Letting And Management, which may not make obvious the connection to the collapsed Period Door Properties.
Another name registered by Hourican is Corporate Leasing Solutions (CLS) , described on its website as “a boutique property management business based in Dublin.” The website includes testimonials, including one from a “R Clohissey, Trinity College Dublin,” who says CLS “has been a great partner for our growing portfolio in Dublin.”
The Phoenix notes: “It is indeed refreshing to hear from those who have had really positive experiences with the irrepressible Hourican.”
But the article also notes that Goldhawk (the magazine’s insider source) is “aware of some property owners who claim to have encountered problems after handing over their properties” to Hourican’s new entities.
Other Ventures: Music and More
In addition to property, Hourican has explored a music career. He incorporated Hurricane Music Company and posted videos of himself performing ballads on YouTube. At one point, he stated that an album was in the works — though as of The Phoenix article in February 2024, “there is still no sign of the opus.”
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Period Door Properties Ltd (PDP) incorporated |
| 2018–2019 | Hourican receives €400,000 in dividends from PDP |
| Feb 2020 | Blucher Ltd agrees to buy 25 Wellington Road for €2.95m, pays €295k deposit |
| Feb 2020 | First Citizen Finance agrees to lend €2.2m to Blucher |
| March 2020 | COVID-19 pandemic declared |
| April 2020 | Bank reduces loan offer to €1.77m, citing revaluation |
| June 10, 2020 | Receivers serve second completion notice on Blucher |
| June 25, 2020 | Completion notice due to expire |
| June 26, 2020 | High Court grants interim injunctions to Blucher |
| 2021 | PDP wound up in High Court by Judge Michael Quinn |
| March 2022 | Hourican’s Station Island Holdings has net assets of €1m |
| June 2022 | Business Post reports Hourican has set up new property agency |
| Feb 2024 | The Phoenix reports on “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” (Property Letting And Management, Laputa Ltd, CLS) |
Sources Found
| Date | Event | Direct Link / Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Period Door Properties Ltd (PDP) incorporated | Companies Registration Office Ireland |
| 2018–2019 | Hourican receives €400,000 in dividends from PDP | The Phoenix – “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” |
| Feb 2020 | Blucher Ltd agrees to buy 25 Wellington Road for €2.95m, pays €295k deposit | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| Feb 2020 | First Citizen Finance agrees to lend €2.2m to Blucher | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| March 2020 | COVID-19 pandemic declared | Common knowledge — search WHO/Government of Ireland archive |
| April 2020 | Bank reduces loan offer to €1.77m, citing revaluation | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| June 10, 2020 | Receivers serve second completion notice on Blucher | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| June 25, 2020 | Completion notice due to expire | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| June 26, 2020 | High Court grants interim injunctions to Blucher | The Irish Times – Interim injunctions granted |
| July 2020 | Dispute struck out by Commercial Court | The Irish Times – Dispute struck out OR Irish Examiner |
| 2021 | PDP wound up in High Court by Judge Michael Quinn | The Phoenix – “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” |
| March 2022 | Hourican’s Station Island Holdings has net assets of €1m | The Phoenix – “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” |
| February 2023 | Irish Independent reports Hourican is director of Laputa Limited, letting apartments | Irish Independent report |
| Feb 2024 | The Phoenix reports on “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” (Property Letting And Management, Laputa Ltd, CLS) | The Phoenix – “Paul Hourican’s New Hat” |
| May 2024 | English firm Igniyte Ltd registers €15k judgment against Hourican’s company | The Phoenix – “Paul Hourican’s Surprise” |
Additional Sources Found
| Source | Content | Link |
|---|---|---|
| The Phoenix (May 2024) | Igniyte Ltd registers €15k judgment against Hourican’s company (reputation management dispute) | Paul Hourican’s Surprise |
| The Irish Times (July 2020) | Dispute over €2.95m sale of Georgian property struck out by Commercial Court | Dispute struck out |
| Irish Examiner (July 2020) | Same case — row over sale struck out | Irish Examiner report |
Why This Case Matters for Watchdog Witness Readers
At Watchdog Witness, our mission is to expose professionals, landlords, and business operators who leave a trail of complaints, legal disputes, and questionable practices — especially when they re-emerge under new names.
The Paul Hourican story raises several important issues:
1. Serial Business Failure and Rebranding
Period Door Properties collapsed with RTB rulings against it and a High Court winding-up. Yet within a year, Hourican was operating new property businesses — Property Letting And Management and Corporate Leasing Solutions — with no obvious public disclosure of his previous company’s history.
2. Tenant Complaints and RTB Rulings
Although detailed RTB rulings are not publicly available in full, The Phoenix reports that the number of complaints against PDP reached “critical levels” and that the RTB ruled against the company on various occasions. For tenants, this pattern is a red flag.
3. Property Owner Risks
The Phoenix notes that some property owners have “claimed to have encountered problems after handing over their properties” to Hourican’s new entities. Property owners considering using his services should be aware of his business history.
4. The €295,000 Deposit Dispute
The High Court injunctions prevented the forfeiture of a substantial deposit — for now. The underlying dispute over financing and contract performance, however, raises questions about the robustness of the property sale process and the conduct of the lender.
Legal Context: No Criminal Convictions, But Public Interest Remains
There is no suggestion that Paul Hourican has been criminally convicted. The issues raised here are civil: contract disputes, RTB rulings, company liquidations, and business practices.
However, as a private individual who has repeatedly sought media attention and who operates businesses that interact with the public (tenants and property owners), Hourican’s business record is a matter of legitimate public interest.
This article is based solely on publicly reported court proceedings and journalism from The Irish Times, The Phoenix, and the Business Post.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale for Tenants and Property Owners
Paul Hourican presents a complex picture. He is a businessman who made significant money from luxury lettings, faced tenant complaints and RTB rulings, saw his company wound up in the High Court, and engaged in a high-profile legal battle over a €2.95 million property purchase.
Within a year of his company’s collapse, he was back — with new names, new websites, and the same industry.
For tenants considering renting a room in a property managed by Hourican’s firms, the documented history of complaints is a warning. For property owners thinking of handing over their valuable assets, the reported experiences of other owners merit careful consideration.
Watchdog Witness will continue to monitor Paul Hourican’s business activities. If you have direct experience with Period Door Properties, Property Letting And Management, or Corporate Leasing Solutions — positive or negative — we encourage you to share your story.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information, including reporting by The Irish Times (June 26, 2020), The Phoenix (February 8, 2024), and the Business Post (via HeadTopics, June 28, 2022). All individuals are presumed innocent of any criminal wrongdoing unless proven otherwise in a court of law. This article does not constitute legal advice and is provided for informational and journalistic purposes only. Watchdog Witness does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of third-party sources cited. This article may be updated as further information becomes available.
Watchdog Witness will continue to track such cases. If you’ve been the victim of a professional who cut corners — financially or otherwise — [contact us or share your story].
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