BEWARE.Signature windows gone into Liquidation. Any lost money to theses con artists? HELP!!!

Rsmith77

Anybody else taken to the cleaners by Signature windows?

Paid a deposit of 8k for windows,just found out the company gone into liquidation.!!!! Appears I've lost all my money! The liquidator is Alan Fitzpatrick and Co and I can't even track him down, he doesn't appear to have a telephone number. Is anyone else in the same boat. Am devastated to get this news,I've saved for a LONG time for this. Can anyone pls help?

Ginger83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275956/beware-signature-windows-gone-into-liquidation-any-lost-money-to-theses-con-artists-help

Sorry to hear this. I read of a customer contacted for the balance of 15k order and they found out the day after payment. Sickening

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275956/beware-signature-windows-gone-into-liquidation-any-lost-money-to-theses-con-artists-help

This might point you in the right direction.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/xj6Ath4Lwe-TlzTBAwnzxxJ1mJc/appointments

It's an address but it should at least give you some way to contact the liquidator.

db

Any chance you paid the deposit with a credit card? You might be able to do a charge back.

gary550

Where did you get the info they are in liquidation?

No filings yet to indicate on cro

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275956/beware-signature-windows-gone-into-liquidation-any-lost-money-to-theses-con-artists-help

Where did you get this information from? I can’t find notice of a creditors meeting nor the appointment of a liquidator? Do you have a link.

This might be the guy you are looking for, although it looks like an odd entry for a professional insolvency practitioner.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-fitzpatrick-a72283154?originalSubdomain=ie

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275956/beware-signature-windows-gone-into-liquidation-any-lost-money-to-theses-con-artists-help

But you posted over 2 years ago that red flags were raised about this company so why did you not avoid them?

Hebs14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275956/beware-signature-windows-gone-into-liquidation-any-lost-money-to-theses-con-artists-help

Yes, me. I've paid in full for our windows. I got a call from one of their installation companies yesterday (sub contracted) saying they could give us a quote to install our windows if we could get them from the factory. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Then he explained that Signature had gone into liquidation. It was a bit of a shock, to say the least.

I called Signature but they're not answering, so I emailed them and got this message:

Signature Window & Doors have ceased trading and the appointed liquidator will contact all creditors to notify them of the up coming creditors meeting.

For any clients who are due to receive product in the near future a representative will be in contact to discuss this with you.

If you have any Service/Warranty issues with regards to your product please contact the following :

I will post here when I hear anything. It's a nightmare.

Do you know if your windows have been made yet? Or have you just paid a deposit?

joe1303l

Signature Windows closed abruptly on the evening of Thursday December 8th and I suspect anyone with deposits etc. paid are likely to be seriously out of pocket. I dealt with them recently but luckily my order was delivered in full and partly fitted a few weeks ago but it was several months late. I have some warranty/snag issues that I am trying to resolve directly with the factory(Megrame in Lithuania) that supplied the order. In my case a 50% deposit was paid in May at the time of order and the balance was paid a week or so before they fitted them in October. I’m amazed that this hasn’t made national news channels or newspapers etc. Their Facebook page was still up for several days after they closed but appears to be gone now.

I would advise contacting the factory directly that is making your order to establish if they are made and if you are likely to get them. Focus on trying to get your order delivered. I wouldn’t be too concerned on the fitting element as this is a relatively small cost compared to the cost of manufacturing. If anyone manages to get contact details for the receiver, please post here. The more customers that can put pressure on them to get some resolve the better. Otherwise the banks and suppliers will get whatever crumbs are left. It’s tough on suppliers etc. too but they often have insurance for such events and it’s part of doing business. Customers are really exposed here as usual not to mention all the staff that have presumably lost their jobs.

joe1303l

Details here for the Receiver if it is Alan Fitzpatrick ?? (may be out of date if he has moved in recent years) A Liquidator is unlikely to have been appointed yet.

Hebs14

Great that you got your windows before this happened, Joe. Thanks for the info.

I got through to Donal from Signature, a lovely guy who was always really helpful, but sadly he's out of a job so there's only so much he can do. I understand that our windows and doors have been made so I'm hoping I'll be able to get them from the factory... fingers crossed. I can't bear to think of the alternative right now - the windows were the biggest single spend on our build. Worst case scenario is we wont have the money to finish the build.

I was shocked to learn that the customers have the least rights in this situation. The revenue and banks get priority. That's just wrong.

Hebs14

Update... Signature never handed over our final payment to Megrame. I paid them in September!!!The windows and doors are in their factory and they want €11K final balance before they will ship them. Then we have to pay for delivery and installation, on top of the €35K we've already paid???? I feel sick.

Administor is definitley Alan Fitzpatrick. He is taking over tomorrow and is supposed to be contacting customers.

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014511#Comment_120014511

That does not surprise me! That's the sort of c**p that happens when companies go down! Feel for you.

joe1303l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014511#Comment_120014511

You should hold your head here and be really strong with Megrame. Consider engaging a solicitor if you’re not making progress with them. Presently they have your windows but considering it’s a bespoke order they’re not worth very much to anyone except you. If the total fitted price to you by Signature was €46k, then I doubt Megrame were ever getting more than €40K from Signature in the first place. Focus on getting your order delivered from Megrame even if you have to pay them some of the balance, maybe €5K incl shipping ?? Fitting won’t be a big cost and presently there’s a few ex-signature fitters out there that would be glad of some cash work I’d say. You may eventually get something back from the receiver but don’t hold your breath.

joe1303l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014511#Comment_120014511

If you can confirm better contact details for Alan Fitzpatrick such an email address or mobile number you might post them or send by PM if more comfortable with that. I’ll be trying to chase them for fitting the balance of my order and some warranty/snag issues. It’s only small beans compared to you but I’m going to try and pursue it anyway. Thanks

Hebs14

Thanks. That makes sense. I'll let you know the receiver details, no problem.

What's annoying me the most is that Signature had my money for nearly 3 months and didn't send the final balance to Megrame. I can't see how that's any different to stealing, when they must have known that the business was in trouble.

I have a contract that says the windows are my property once the final balance is paid. I think I might get some legal advice....

Still stihl waters 3

Arent megrame out of pocket as well, I can't see how they can justify handing over a product that's not paid for

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015647#Comment_120015647

Hebs14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015792#Comment_120015792

Yes of course they are. It's a mess for everyone involved.

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015741#Comment_120015741

It might be worth questioning if the company might have been trading recklessly - if so those responsible might not be able to hide behind any limited company status.

joe1303l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015792#Comment_120015792

This suggestion is the basis that Megrame have got their % of the €35K paid earlier and that made to measure product isn’t worth much now unless you’ve got opes to suit.

Still stihl waters 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016550#Comment_120016550

I agree it would be hard to offload them but they'd never give the rest of the windows unless they got a sizeable sum as settlement, they could sell what they have to a middleman retailer for a discount to cover some of the expenses, I can't see the op coming out of this without reaching some financial agreement with megrame

JimmyMW

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014511#Comment_120014511

For what its worth, I had a similar situation when building in 2016, not quite the same but the basics resembled your situation. I kept the fight going as I stood to loose €17k, I eventually did get my windows and rescued the €17k, however it was to date one of the biggest mistakes ive made in my life, 9 months of a stall on site, all trades which were lined up took other work and I have to get alternative contractors causing further delays, between rising construction costs and extra rent I reckon it cost me an extra €40k + at the time. It put a massive sour taste on the build process, hated the house for the stress it caused for a long time afterwards and it also eventually contributed to my marriage breakdown (although that would have prob happened anyway)

If I had my time over I would have suffered the €17k and just moved on with my life, much less stress. My advice to you is to ensure delivery of the windows as quick as possible, ensure they cant just walk with the 11k and pay it and keep the build going, believe me the stress is not worth it and you'll be lucky to reclaim 10% from the receiver

Hebs14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019121#Comment_120019121

Thanks so much for sharing that. Much appreciated :)

Rsmith77

Hi Everyone, still no word from Alan Fitzpatrick. I've contacted him in LinkedIn in and no response. There is a wall of silence. Also tried the bank to see of they can reverse charge. They are doubtful.

Signature called me a week before they went into liquidation asked me to pay more money!! Sharp practice indeed.

I have the names of the company owners and trying to contact them as well. Let me know if anyone wants their names. I'm sure they will walk away from this protected. It's disgraceful.

FishOnABike

Hard to believe they weren't aware of the company's financial situation a week before they went into liquidation.

Hebs14

I think this would make a good story for a newspaper circulating in Wicklow?

DOCARCH

Mod Note: Happy to leave this thread running as I think it may be useful to those affected, however, can't allow speculation as to how or why the company went into liquidation or how the company was run (as may be prejudicial).

Hebs14

Anyone been contacted by the liquidator yet?

mariamartin555

Hi could you please share their names with me. We lost approx €25k for a deposits that was paid many months ago. I’ve already been screwed out of a sizeable sum of money from a dodgy builder and now this on top. I got my phone call today the day before Christmas Eve.

joe1303l

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120027195#Comment_120027195

No contact yet but I expect customers with current outstanding orders will be prioritised. I’ll try ringing him again straight after Christmas, didn’t get a chance to ring again today.

Alpha99

As of today, the status of the company at the CRO is "normal". No liquidator has beep appointed. Liquidations are expensive, I am guessing that the company will simply cease trading, and there will be no formal liquidation, and any creditor who wants to fund a liquidation will need to put around €50,000 on the table. Until a liquidator is appointed, the appropriate parties to contact are the company directors, their details can be found by performing a CRO search for €2.50.