Company owner trying to track down defaulter

As well as the $4500 owing to his former tenant, Danielle Hope, Hamish Davey owes a Wanganui trucking company $1500 in costs after unsuccessfully taking it to court.

Brendon Molan, of Grange Transport, successfully sought the costs after Mr Davey attempted to get a $7000 payment from him for a personal grievance through the Employment Relations Authority in 2011.

Mr Molan has since taken Mr Davey to court three times to try to recover the money and went as far as placing adverts in the Wanganui Chronicle's public notices in October last year seeking Mr Davey's whereabouts.

He said Mr Davey asked him for a job and he let him spend two days alongside his drivers to see how they worked.

"There's no point even looking at hiring a guy unless he knows what we do."

On the third day, Mr Molan informed Mr Davey there was no work for him.

Shortly afterward, Mr Molan started receiving messages from Mr Davey saying he was owed money.

"Then he went me for $7000 for a personal grievance."

Mr Molan fought the case and the court found in his favour and ordered Mr Davey to pay the costs.

"But he's never paid a cent," said Mr Molan, who reckoned he had spent more than $5000 in costs.

Mr Molan kept pursuing the matter as a matter of principle.

He said Mr Davey had pleaded poverty despite owning a number of properties.

Mr Molan is considering his next move. "He [Mr Davey] said he knew the system better than me and could drag it out for years. I think he just wants me to get fed up ... but he's picked the wrong guy."