TO RACK AND RUIN
Home buyers, subbies left devastated by builder collapse
BUYERS have been left with their houses unfinished and contractors with bills unpaid after the collapse of a Gold Coast home builder this week. Varsity Lakes-based Future Homes Residential had its licence suspended by the QBCC after complaints from at least two subcontractors. Andrew Thew, pictured above outside his Mudgeeraba home yesterday afternoon, worked as the company’s general manager and his wife Kirsty was sole director. Both previously worked for Queensland One Homes, which went into liquidation last year owing $6 million.
SUBCONTRACTORS and new home clients are counting the costs after another Gold Coast builder collapsed this week.
Future Urban Residential, a Varsity Lakes-based business, went into liquidation late on Monday, leaving homes unfinished and subbies bills unpaid.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission is investigating the collapse and has referred the case to Federal regulator ASIC.
Future Urban’s sole director, makeup saleswoman Kirsty Thew, was last night yet to lodge any documents showing the scale of the collapse, however the company was licensed to complete up to $12 million worth of work a year.
The QBCC suspended Future Urban’s licence last Wednesday after complaints from at least two unpaid subcontractors.
Ms Thew, and her husband Andrew Thew who worked as general manager of the company, are former employees of Queensland One Homes, which went into liquidation owing more than $6 million.
The Bulletin has attempted to contact the couple through their liquidator, by email and at their Mudgeeraba home.
The company’s website was taken down last week and their phones have been disconnected.
Subcontractors’ support group Subbies United last night called for any others who are owed money to come forward so the full impact of the collapse could be quantified.
Those hurt in the collapse have been dismayed by social media posts by the couple of them heading off on a cruise just after Christmas, about the time some clients and subbies say the company stopped paying its bills.
Future Urban’s licence was cancelled at the company’s request on January 30, and was reinstated briefly last Wednesday after Mr Thew became the company’s nominee licence holder.
The licence was suspended again the same day – but Mr Thew’s individual licence was still active last night.
A QBCC statement said it began investigating Future Urban Residential on February 2. “On February 21 we suspended its licence over concerns it wasn’t meeting financial requirements,” it said.
“As part of our investigations, we have referred this matter to ASIC.
“At the time Mr Thew applied for a QBCC licence, he met all the legislative requirements and we had no basis to refuse the application.”
The statement said the QBCC had also commenced exclusion action against the company and had contacted potentially-affected homeowners.
“If you’re a subcontractor and you’re not getting paid by a company you’ve done work for, it’s important you let us know – you can do this by submitting a moneys-owed complaint form which is available on our website,” it said.
John Goddard of Subbies United urged anyone with a potential claim against the company to email him on support@subbiesunited.com.au.
“Many of them will feel lost – I can put them in touch with each other and help advise them on where they can go from here.”