Local businesses and tradies angry about handling of Shane Crothers Homes collapse
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Since Everything Geraldton published news about the demise of Shane Crothers Homes, multiple business owners have come forward and expressed anger at the situation, claiming they are owed many of thousands of dollars and have been kept in the dark.
Some of the business owners we spoke with did not want to be named, but shared that they are extremely angry over how they felt they had been treated, and the money they are owed.
Based on the number of businesses that have contacted Everything Geraldton, lots of people have not been paid.
There's also mystery surrounding who exactly is the administrator for Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd, with several creditors speculating that an administrator HAS NOT taken control of the company yet as Mr Crothers asserted.
Company Director Mr Shane Crothers stated to Everything Geraldton last week that Shane Crothers Homes had entered into voluntary administration, but at the time of publication of this article the business is not listed with ASIC as being in administration, nor is anyone we have spoken to aware of who the administrator is. According to ASIC, no Form 505 Notification of appointment or cessation of an external administrator has been lodged.
The following information is from ASIC for creditors (people owed money) regarding voluntary administration, and it explains a little about what happens when someone who owes you money enters administration.
ASIC says the administrator will contact people within days. It's been over a week, and no one has heard anything, and Mr Crothers isn't returning calls.
This is also from ASIC:
It says administrators have 8 days to call a meeting for creditors. Tomorrow (Wednesday 10 May) will be the eighth business day since the public was informed by Mr Crothers that Shane Crothers Homes had entered into voluntary administration, and no meeting has been organised yet.
Everything Geraldton received a copy of the correspondence Mr Crothers sent out to clients, claiming that he had sold the company, AND it had entered into administration. Accountants we have spoken with are confused how the company can both be sold, and have entered into voluntary administration.
There has been no word on who the buyer of "the business" is, and what it is exactly the mystery buyer has purchased. Mr Crothers claims the unnamed new builder will be employing SCH staff immediately.
Everything Geraldton has since tried multiple times to get in touch with Mr Crothers. None of our phone calls have been returned.
When we spoke with Mr Crothers last week we directly asked if people currently building with Shane Crothers Homes would have their projects completed. He said he was unable to answer that question, even though he had already assured clients that the unnamed "new builder" would see the homes through to completion.
Everything Geraldton did some digging on what public information is available for Shane Crothers Homes.
Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd is fully owned by KALBANK HOLDINGS PTY LTD, which is in turn fully owned by Shane Alfred Crothers.
(Kalbank Holdings is also not listed as being in administration with ASIC.)
The principal place of business listed for Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd with ASIC is 144 Flores Road.
This property, interestingly, is not owned by Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd. According to Landgate the property is owned by CHAPMAN ROAD SMSF WARRANT PTY LTD.
SMSF stands for self managed super fund.
This self managed super fund, according to public records on ASIC, is owned by Debra Michelle Crothers and Shane Alfred Crothers.
Individual creditors, some of whom say they are owed hundreds of thousands, are fearful they may not be able to touch the property at Flores Road because it is owned by a separate superannuation fund, and not Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd.
In the ASIC filings for CHAPMAN ROAD SMSF WARRANT PTY LTD, Mr Shane Crothers is registered in one role as living at 189 Parmelia Boulevard, White Peak, and in another as living at 15 Basile Court, Wandina.
15 Basile Court is registered with Landgate as being owned by Lisa Jane Vince. This property was also advertised this year as being for rent. 15 Basile Court is, however, still the registered address ASIC has for Debra Crothers and Shane Crothers.
189 Parmelia Boulevard is registered with Landgate as being owned by Debra Michelle Crothers, and is "Subject to Dealing".
189 Parmelia is also currently advertised for sale. (Link.)
Based on publicly available information we could find, none of the properties associated with Mr Shane Crothers or Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd are held in the names of Shane Crothers or Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd.
We have been informed by creditors that other properties also exist.
All of the ownership information we have published is publicly available online. No private information has been published.
There are also questions surrounding the future of the businesses "Devpro Unit Developments" and "Devpro Design & Construct".
Everything Geraldton has not been able to contact the office number at Devpro, with the phone simply giving an engaged signal.
Devpro Unit Developments and Devpro Design and Construct are both trading names for WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD.
WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD also lists its principal place of business as 144 Flores Road.
The current directors of WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD are Shane Alfred Crothers and John Preston Crothers.
Almost 50% of WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD is owned by KALBANK HOLDINGS PTY LTD. (120,000 shares) (which is in turn owned by Mr Shane Crothers.)
Crothers Bros. Holdings Pty Ltd owns 40,000 shares. (which is owned by Lorraine Crothers and Geoffrey Crothers.)
JP and KH Crothers Pty Ltd own 40,000 shares. (which is owned by JOHN PRESTON CROTHERS and KATHRYN HELEN CROTHERS.)
LORRAINE KAYE CROTHERS owns 25 shares.
SHANE CROTHERS HOMES PTY LTD owns 25 shares (which is in turn owned by Kalbank Holdings, which is in turn owned by Mr Shane Crothers.)
A.C.N. 008 685 836 PTY LTD owns 50 shares. (Yes, that's the name of the company. It's previous name was GERALDTON BRICKWORKS PTY LTD). (it is owned by STARFIELD NOMINEES PTY LTD which is registered at the same address as Lorraine Crothers and Geoffrey Crothers. A liquidator was appointed in 2014.)
It is unclear if WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD / DEVPRO is still trading. They also have not been contactable.
"When I asked about the money he owed me, he laughed."
Daniel Tyler from Bubbles Plumbing and Gas says he's owed between $14,000 and $15,000 by Shane Crothers Homes, and feels like he's been kept in the dark.
He says he heard rumours about Shane Crothers Homes closing, and he rang Mr Shane Crothers on Monday morning of last week (2/5/16) to find out the story.
"I did speak to him Monday morning. I rang at around 8:30. He told me he'd gone into voluntary liquidation. But in the letter he said administration. They're totally different things. When I asked about the money he owed me, he laughed and said “well you won't see that will you.” It was like he didn’t care.
"[Since then] I haven’t heard a thing from him. You ring their office, and it just goes on an answering machine.
"No administrator has contacted me, and I haven’t been able to find out who the administrator is. I’ve looked on ASIC and there’s nothing registered on there as being in administration."
We asked Mr Tyler if he expected to be paid eventually.
"I’ve got no idea, I’ve got no idea about the whole thing because no one’s saying anything. A lot of people are owed money through town, and no one knows, they’re all in the dark as well.”
PLEASE NOTE:
Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address.
Everything Geraldton has been advised that Shane and Debra Crothers do not live at 15 Basile Ct, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address.
Shane Crothers Homes
Kalbank Holdings
Chapman Road SMSF Warrant Pty Ltd
Waverly Corporation
Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address.
Crothers Bros. Holdings
Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address.
A.C.N. 008 685 836 Pty Ltd
Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address.
JP & KH Crothers Pty Ltd
