F'in builders

[nozspark]

Just had a builder go into voluntary liquidation on me and he owes me nearly £1000, is there any way that I can get my hands on this money or should I just wave it goodbye??

Forgot to say he was a ltd company and has now set back up in a different name - probably sold all his stuff to himself on the cheap!!

Barsteward.....

 

[Spark123]

You might have a fighting chance with it being a Ltd company, your best bet is to contact your local CAB or seek legal advice.

 

[nozspark]

I just don't want to throw money at this if there is no way of getting any back.

Anyone else had any experience of this kind of thing, what did you do, what was the outcome??

 

[Softus]

Contact the liquidator to register as a creditor.

Any remaining funds will be distributed amongst all creditors.

 

[Jolly Roger]

As already posted, you need to get in contact with the liquidator and make sure that you appear as a creditor. Normally you will have submitted an invoice which you are waiting to receive payment for. If you had tha chap do some work, but agreed he'd refund you the money for some reason, your chances are slim.
Whatever the circumastacnes, the unsecured creditors come last - after the VAT, the tax man, the bank and, of course the liquidator.
Unfortunately when you trade as a limited liability company, you can do this sort of thing - wind up the business when the cash runs out and then bob up again under a new name.
Get in contact with the liquidator and see what he says. Good Luck!

 

[nozspark]

Is there any easy way to find out who the liquidator is without me having to speak to the scum bag?

 

[Jolly Roger]

Is there any easy way to find out who the liquidator is without me having to speak to the scum bag?

I'm no legal expert, but assuming you can't get this from the builder because he is no longer trading and/or you don't want to hear his voice again, try Companies House (www.companieshouse.gov.uk). If you go to the "find company informatiom" followed by "web check" it will take you to a search page where you can tap in the company name and go from there. Recent changes may well not appear, but a phone call may give you this. I would be pretty certain that as any part of a liquidation / administration order Companies House have to be notified. If you are on the books as a creditor, the liquidator has a duty to contact also.

 

[FatGit]

They normaly advertise in the local press as well. They used to advertise in the London Gazette, but I'm not sure that it still runs.

 

[Spark123]

You can also try here: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/

 

[nozspark]

Are there any other ways that this scumbag could have closed his (ltd)company down? as he wasn't very clear about what had happened as he said that the bank had closed him down!

If there is any way that I can nail him I want to do so, but I don't want to loose any more money in the process.

 

[IJWS15]

What was the limited co name - will see what I can find.

Can't be naming & shaming as it is public information

 

[Diyisfun]

Is there any easy way to find out who the liquidator is without me having to speak to the scum bag?

Dont assume hes a scum bag. He may be owed money & had others calling on him for money..You may be correct ..but get your facts first.

 

[Jolly Roger]

If there is any way that I can nail him I want to do so, but I don't want to loose any more money in the process.

The only way to recover any funds is through the official channels - not the news you want to hear, but how it is. While he was running the company you could, in theory, drop round and refuse to leave without your payment. The thing is he no longer does run the company - the receiver, appointed by the court, does. Your only route is to find out who the/she is and make sure they have details of your claim. This will cost you nothing but the time it takes to go through the process.
You have my sympathy - for what it's worth.

 

[IJWS15]

Put the ltd co name into :


http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/445e44af1b2351c2b91a3f421eb8a247/wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo

Should bring a list up with the names closest - select the company you want. Scroll down the page and click on "insolvency history" - should give you the liquidator/receiver's name & address.

 

[Reynardine]

For government debts i.e. tax, the company debt follows the company director. The debt still exists even though the company has shut down. Not sure if this also applies to trading debts.

You could try ringing the council trading standards for advice.

You could also try the small claims court.