By Harry Mottram: Checkaco have condemned the news that a Manchester-based companies took upfront payments from more than 20 customers. In a statement the credit checking firm said: “It is a disgrace that a company can go bust and not return their customers’ money but there is no evidence they even began to fit their new kitchens.”
The situation was made worse by a second company that was set up by Smart Choice Kitchens and Empire Kitchens and Bathrooms as a phoenix company to continue the scam run by Toni Amana or Toni Amana Warrington. The customers were reported to have lost around £50,000 in deposits.
David Hope, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Our investigations into Smart Choice Kitchens and Empire Kitchens and Bathrooms concluded that they were taking money from customers for kitchens they never had any intention of fitting. The victims found out about the companies through Facebook or Google and were then treated in very similar ways, losing hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
“We were concerned that Connect Kitchens was a phoenix company created to continue the same operation. Our concerns only increased when our investigations uncovered three previous companies run by the same director and her associate, all of which appeared to use the same objectionable and dishonest trading practices.”
Insolvency Insider reported: “Connect Kitchens appointed a second director in October 2024 but Warrington remained the sole person with significant control over the company. Warrington and a known associate of hers were directors of three other companies which operated a similar business model to Smart Choice Kitchens, Empire Kitchens and Bathrooms, and Connect Kitchens. Those three companies, Your Style Kitchens Ltd, Your Style Kitchens & Bathrooms Ltd, and Designer Kitchens and Bathrooms Limited, all stopped trading and were struck-off the Companies House register in August 2023, October 2023, and January 2024. Bank statements obtained by the Insolvency Service for Smart Choice Kitchens and Empire Kitchens and Bathrooms revealed that the majority of payments were made to Warrington’s associate.”
Pervis Chapel of Checkaco said: “If any of the customers had run a credit check with us before parting with money they would have seen the terrible credit history of the owner and the firms. For only £10 they could have avoided the company and looked for real kitchen fitter who would not have asked for money upfront.”
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