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

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

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?

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 (may be out of date if he has moved in recent years) A Liquidator is unlikely to have been appointed yet.

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.

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.

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....

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

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.

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

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

Anyone been contacted by the liquidator yet?

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.