Been scammed? Worried? Complain to the Insolvency Service

On today's BBC Money Box programme, in a follow-up item on wine investment featuring Ian Vanderhook and Vin Bordelais Ltd, the phoenix company of collapsed firm – Bordeaux UK Ltd, Robert Burns head of investigations at The Insolvency Service said he will welcome complaints from people concerned about wine investment companies. The Insolvency Service has the power to close dubious companies in the public interest. They guarantee to investigate complaints within seven days.

If the Insolvency Service believes there are grounds for action, they can petition the High Court to close the company in the public interest. If the petition is accepted, the company can be closed immediately with the petition heard in open court later giving the company an opportunity to fight the petition.

Details here of how to complain about a company to The Insolvency Service.

Bordeaux UK placed in voluntary liquidation

URGENT

Bordeaux UK have placed themselves in Voluntary Liquidation and have not filed accounts are about to be struck off. The company was founded on 19th September 2002. Accounts are overdue since 30.6.2011 and the annual return since 17.10.2011. Companies House issued the first gazette on 4th October 2011. The company changed its name to NS & IV Ltd on 7th October 2011. Ian Paul Van Der Hook is the company's director.   

The proposed administrators are Abbott Fielding in Sidcup:

16 Hatherley Road

Sidcup

Kent

DA14 4BG.

Contact: Nedim Ailyan (insolvency practitioner)

Telephone: 020-8302 4344
 

E-mail: info@abbottfielding.co.uk

The meeting to appoint the administrators will be on 16th November at the Marriott Hotel in Bexleyheath, Kent at 11am.

Bordeaux UK used Octavian Vaults, one of the UK's leading bonded warehouses and entirely independent of Bordeaux UK Ltd. Octavian has been advised to refer callers to Abboot Fielding.

It is not known what the deficiency is nor whether they are wines that haven't been delivered to clients' private. If there are wines outstanding these are likely to include Bordeaux en primeur particularly from the 2009 vintage – hailed as a great vintage. In addition private clients may find that they will have to pay for their storage at Octavian even though they may have been told that Bordeaux UK Ltd would be paying for the first five years.    

Warning to clients of Bordeaux UK Ltd 

Watch out for the White Knights – other wine investment companies phoning you offering to help you out – get your wine or money back. Avoid at all costs – this is a classic wallet-thinning operation. 

My thanks to anon for alerting me to this.


More details will be posted if and when I have them.