A property firm labelled which used misleading statements to gain advance fees typically of £2,000, has been wound up…. 

One Stop Safety Maintenance UK Ltd of 145-157 St John Street, London, which offered building completion and finishing work has been wound up by the High Court in Manchester following a probe from the Insolvency Service.

The winding-up petition placed on the 27th of October also affected associated firm Combined Maintenance Services Ltd of 2 Woodberry Grove, North Finchley, London - Not to be confused with Combined Maintenance Service Ltd, which has no connection to the legal action in question.

The court stated that both Combined Maintenance Services Ltd and One Stop Safety Maintenance UK Ltd  used dishonest means persuade engineers to pay upfront fees of around £2000, only to then receive little to no work in return.

The identity of the management and operation of the companies was often concealed and on the occasions where work was provided, payments were collected directly from clients but were not then transferred to the workers themselves. 

The companies which were dubbed as operating via an unsustainable model were understood to have turned over more than half a million pounds collectively, according to the court.

Investigation Supervisor Colin Cronin said the companies knew they were not in a position to provide the promised work, and nor would they ever be.

“These companies cynically solicited payments from hardworking gas engineers on the false basis that the gas engineers would be provided with substantial future work,” Mr Cronin said.

“These winding up proceedings show that the Insolvency Service will take firm action against companies which operate in this manner.”