30 jobs to go in Mercy liquidation

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Thirty jobs have been lost and about $3 million left owing following the voluntary liquidation of Mercy Renovators, says its liquidator.

The Hastings company, which boasted more than 20,000 house renovations over more than 20 years, went into voluntary liquidation last week with many people having paid deposits for work left undone in their homes.

So far there are 201, unsecured creditor claims totalling $1.2 million. Mercy was a one-stop-shop for home renovations, from painting and decorating to new kitchens, bathrooms and building extensions. It completed its own joinery from its Orchard Rd factory.

Liquidator David Ruscoe, of accountancy firm Grant Thornton New Zealand, said he was actively pursuing the sale of assets "and potentially some people may pick up work".

"We are trying to get someone to purchase the assets and hopefully continue with a business," he said.

The company had left work incomplete "which is very unfortunate" but some were being completed to allow recovery of outstanding amounts owed.

The Liquidator's first report said the likelihood of any distribution to creditors was "unknown at the date of this report".

Valuations on fixed assets, with a book value of $2.3 million, were being sought. Kiwibank was owed $1.5 million.

Two weeks ago Hawke's Bay Today quizzed owner Steve Petrowski on rumours the company was in liquidation. He said the company "was up-to-date".

Mr Petrowski could not be contacted for comment.

Following news of the liquidation several concerned readers contacted Hawke's Bay Today. One reported a kitchen removed in anticipation of a new one, which will not arrive. Another said a $17,000 deposit was lost for work enabling an elderly parent to be cared for at home. Napier South grandmother Rochelle Spence said she had probably lost her $24,000 deposit for a repositioned kitchen.