Hello and Welcome to our March Newsletter

In this issue we've made a change to the way we list the insolvencies in Runners and Riders by breaking the list into different sectors.

Traditionally we have concentrated on our core membership which is based on the printing and allied industries as well as the courier and delivery sectors. As more companies from a wide range of businesses have joined ICSM we are reflecting the growth with news and listings for haulage, construction, retail, travel and hospitality. And we continue to cover news of fraud and wrong doing which affects suppliers trying to earn an honest buck but sometimes fall prey to sharks.

Also in this newsletter are news, views and features from our website covering everything from Government policies relating to credit and insolvencies, key people and industry trends. and hopefully we may eventually end the coverage of Covid-19 and its effects on us all.

Best wishes and may the vaccination programme finally get the country back in business.

Best wishes
Ian Carrotte
Proprietor of ICSM Credit
For details about ICSM Credit call 0844 854 1850 or visit the website www.icsmcredit.com or email Ian at Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com




ICSM Credit, the Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR

Not a member? Normally you can join for less than a tank of diesel and protect yourself from late payers but we have a special free temporary membership offer this winter. Use our free legal letters to chase unpaid invoices.

For a video on how to send a FREE LEGAL LETTER visit: https://youtu.be/AIycysoFhYo

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The follies of factoring your accounts – how it can go horribly wrong - and telling 'porkies' to the factoring agency will end in disaster

Factoring your accounts may sound like a good idea on the face of it but the down side is the opposite of what is supposed to happen: company failure.

“There are exceptions to the rule but I generally advise against factoring,” said ICSM’s Ian Carrotte. “Yes it can improve cash flow in the short term and it takes away one of the headaches of business – that of chasing payment. But factoring is essentially a form of borrowing and that means you will have to pay a fee which is another overhead.”

He said there can also be a loss of control if the factoring company insists on you dropping some clients and concentrating on the better payers. “When that happens you might as well do the chasing yourself and not factor your accounts,” he added, “if you use a strict credit control and drop customers who are slow payers then there is no point in factoring.”

Factoring a factor in ban

Print Week reported this month on the ban handed to the managing director of Pure Point of Sale Limited - one Russell Ivan Murch.

The company in Lutterworth was at the centre of dispute in which Russell Ivan Murch had asked HSBC Invoice Finance to charge a customer £185,000 which they did. Except the invoice was fraudulent. The factoring company paid up to the Lutterworth company but then found the fraud and the invoice was disputed.

Print Week reported: “Murch told the Insolvency Service that he had informed the factoring company that due to ill health, the company’s sales manager had taken control of the company and that this employee was inflating sales. However, the factoring company had no record of either discussion.  At the time of its liquidation, Pure Point owed the factoring company more than £257,000.”

Dishonesty costs

Ian Carrotte said that once you tell one ‘porky’ you then have to tell another and using factoring in business you will get found out. “As the Insolvency Service said Murch’s behaviour was unacceptable and it effectively brought the print firm down, and put people out of work as well as ruining his reputation. It’s a salutary lesson.”

Print Week said the disqualification means he cannot act as a director of a company, direct other people to manage a company under his instructions, or take part in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership. 

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My story of clients that didn't pay up forcing me to stop publishing a popular magazine - and how I would treat those clients differently now using ICSM's Micro Debt Recovery Service

I have written off thousands of pounds in unpaid invoices over the years. I am pretty sure most people who are in business or are self-employed have had trouble at times with non-payment of bills by customers as well. They go bust, disappear or simply refuse to pay using one excuse after another

Strawberry Line Times magazine

A few years ago I published a monthly magazine based on my local area which I had printed in the thousands and I distributed it to homes and businesses. Strawberry Line Times magazine relied on advertising and leaflet inserts but I had a continual problem from advertisers paying very late or not at all.

If only I could have used ICSM’s Micro Debt Recovery Service back in the day my bank balance would be much healthier. The last unpaid invoices were from my magazine in 2013 and I’ve used one here to show how the Micro Debt Recovery Service works.

Looking back it seems ridiculous that I allowed so many clients off the hook when it came to payment. Like many sole traders and one man bands I was juggling a large number of balls at the same time. Print deadlines, stories to write up, interviews and breaking news, plus the artwork and design, distribution and selling new adverts to potential customers.

Why people don’t pay

There are other factors as to why I didn’t always get paid. Some customers had an accounts department who had a policy of not paying until the latest possible date – usually prompted by threats of court action. Others on principle attempted never to pay, some were also one man businesses and were simply disorganised. And finally there’s the ‘too nice’ factor. Many self-employed people love their work – but don’t have the stomach or hardness for the financial side – and I include myself in that category. Shying away from coming down hard on a non-payer is difficult as there’s a fear that any future work will disappear with them. Having learnt the hard way it’s a mistake. Dump them if they don’t pay and seek new clients that abide by your terms of payment and adopt a firm but fair attitude always working within the law - and keeping records so if it ends up in court you will win.

Odds in your favour

Back to ICSM’s Micro Debt Recovery Service. On average they pull in more than 80% of unpaid bills on behalf of their clients, which means the odds are in your favour. Back in the days when I was publishing Strawberry Line Times magazine about one in three invoices were not paid on time and I spent a disproportionate amount of time trying to get those settled. Now I would use the Micro Debt Recovery Service as soon as they were overdue as cash flow is king and time is too precious when you are a sole trader.

Specimen invoice

Take a look at the break down of the sample invoice I’ve shown here for Strawberry Line Times magazine to a local leisure centre. It was the last unpaid invoice from September 2013 and was one of a number of invoices for the final edition of the magazine that were not settled. I gave up the magazine and chasing for payment and took a full time job. Looking back I should have used ICSM’s Micro Debt Recovery Service as it would have made my life easier and my cash flow better and the magazine would still be going today. The publication was well received and on paper profitable but it wasn’t due to bad debts and poor cash flow.

Why the leisure centre didn't pay I don't know - but I think it may be because the person who requested the work didn't give me a purchase order and at the time the centre was owned by a different company - but frankly I gave up on that one.

How it works

To use the Micro Debt Recovery Service go to the ICSM home page and on to the members section and once you’ve entered your pass word go to the Micro Debt Recovery Service section. There’s a basic online form which you fill in and send off. You get a copy of the email that is sent to your client and it spells out what they face if they fail to pay. It’s the threat of escalating costs and also the fact it comes from a third party who are clearly specialists in debt collecting that I think makes them pay up. Only idiots and insolvent firms are likely to ignore the email from ICSM’s Micro Debt Recovery Service. It’s aimed at anything from a few pounds like my invoice to a thousand or two – hence the name – and of course it’s quick and easy and doesn’t cost you a penny.

Harry Mottram
 

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We’ve got a road map out of the Covid-19 crisis but beware giving credit to firms planning to reopen

With Brexit ‘done’ and the Government announcing that they now have a clear roadmap to lead the nation out of the nightmare of Covid-19 we can at least feel industry might heave a sigh of relief.

And the four step roadmap is certainly the most encouraging of those aspects of politics.

Print Week

Writing in the printing industry’s trade publication Print Week Jo Francis (pictured) noted that business owners have broadly welcomed the government’s plans.

She explains: “The key dates for the gradual unlocking are step one: 8 and 29 March; step two: no earlier than 12 April, step three: no earlier than 17 May and step four: no earlier than 21 June, by when the government hopes to be in a position to “remove all legal limits on social contact.”

Jo Francis goes on to quote a number of industry figures on their views on the roadmap. Perhaps the most revealing and also optimistic was from Gareth Roberts, the managing director of Bishops Printers. She quoted him as saying:“The roadmap is really useful because it will turn the glass to half-full. The science and the rollout of the vaccine would make me believe that actually these dates will be reasonably reliable. In terms of planning for recovery, the last thing you want is to regress again.

“Whether it’s theatres or sports… my sense of our customers is they can now start to have reasonable confidence in how they are going to stimulate activity. Football clubs can definitely start season ticket renewal campaigns and marketing activity for the new season with confidence that fans will be in there. I believe that schools going back is also important, because people working from home will be able to focus on planning the re-emergence of their business and their role within that. Within the next three weeks we’re going to be on a progressive and sustained pathway toward recovery. I’m really excited and really positive.”

Warning over credit

Ian Carrotte of ICSM said Gareth Roberts had made the point about planning very eloquently. He said: “It has been the unending nature of the covid-19 crisis that has so damaged business. With the dates laid out by the Government sports venues, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and pubs can start planning. Getting in stock, recruiting staff and above all putting together a cash flow forecast for the rest of the summer.”

However he predicted that many businesses would not survive that long with many throwing in the towel due to mounting debts.

“Many companies have been ripped off by the banks with high interest rates,” he said, “while repayments for the original loans are now due – but so many firms have had next to no income since last year. So my warning to suppliers is be careful about granting more credit as many companies will go into administration during the spring and summer.”

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Runners and Riders
Below is a collated list taken from the Government’s London Gazette of various businesses who are experiencing problems in the last few weeks.
We have broken them into different sections to make it easier to see and we have included the company number in each case. 
 
PRINTING AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES
 
Administrators Appointed
Boxcom Network Services Limited  11619877
Digital Quill Limited  10782945
FCL Global Forwarding Limited  08195164
Quill Enterprises Limited  12542302
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Burrows Communications Limited    02823063
Exhibitions Plus Limited      09586626
Icon Designs Limited    04465644
Krafcenko Design Limited    07657007
No Labels Required Limited    10796707
Platform Business Media Limited    10682593
Salop Sheet Music Limited    05792255
S&S Promotions Limited    12116385
The Fashion Digital Limited    10064454
The Slow Motion Camera Company Limited    10312073
Upgrade Pack Limited    11309189
 
Liquidators Appointed
AJD Associates Limited    04687770
Copy Katz Limited    03863573
Cosmofra International Marketing LLP    OC317349
Digital Team UK Limited    11766783
Elephant Creative Solutions Limited    07261689
Finer Design Limited    10205175
Goodley Bullen PR Limited    04690206
Greeen Square Concept Group Limited    07117912
Jam Marketing (UK) Limited    07018412
Jay Repro Limited    05998929
JDP Frames Limited    04012109
J. H. Promotions Limited    03340927
Kong Media Limited    04940550
MN Design Limited    09322740
Performance Papers Limited    02353335
Postra Communications Limited    11153942
Quest Printing and Design (UK) Limited    08446004
Smart Design Consulting Limited    11259509
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
2112 Digital Limited  07737527
ADC Marketing Limited  03223711
Alpha Century Limited    08517132
Attainment Limited    07708856
Brighttek Limited    07249249
ChowChow Media Limited    11445755
Dam Design Limited    03859664
E & P Design Solutions Limited    09551533
FDP Smart Solutions Limited    09895187
Flare Film (Once) Limited    09289930
Forum Print Management Limited     05181660
Gene D'Cruxe (T.V. and Films) LIMITED    02806640
Imediaprint (Midlands) Limited    01002413
Influence Media Limited    10917816
Insignem Consulting Limited    10357076
M I Broadcast Limited    04390120
Millcrest Communications Limited    09819559
NBS Communications Limited    04767952
OS Designs Limited    07308806
Perfector Print Sales Limited    03638765
Running Edge Designs Limited    11354254
Tad Signs UK      07465846             
Taylor Design Group Limited    10799697
Trademark Consultancy Limited    07303849
Twenty Two Pixels Limited    11607850
Vision Lane Limited    07088488
Vision Printing Limited    03048862
 
LOGISTICS, VEHICLES AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES
 
Administrators Appointed
Oakleigh Cars Limited    10688399
 
Compulsory Liquidators Appointed s 136
Meerkat Distribution Limited    06760919
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Batley Warehouseing Limited    08542857
Black & White Storage Limited    10720347
Blue Line Cars (Ilford) Limited    04068140
Eagle Automotive Limited    07859157
Prospect Commercials Limited    04981491
Selly Oak Tyres (Stirchley) Limited     10121391
Shelford Autos Limited    08576966
 
Liquidators Appointed
Devon Motors Limited    10995455
Dickinson Caravans Limited    01267630
F&G Logistics Limited    10291839
Gateway Motorcars Limited    09925327
United Car Parts Limited    08480404
Voyager Executive Cars Limited  04228056
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
Aircraft Fleet Management Services Limited    06047496
A Tracey (Leyland Service Station) Limited  00909910
Fleet Tyburn Limited    09644602
Freight Management Unit UK Eig    GE000041
Labyrinth Logistics Consulting Limited    06674643
Ladbroke Tyre & Auto Limited    01349624
Letrail Limited    09111043
Moor Services Limited    05893514
Smiths Motor Company Limited    04901990
SRG Transport Consultancy Limited    09792418
 
Petitions to Wind Up
Bianchi & Shore Motor Vehicles Limited    09494437
 
Winding up orders
Freight Forwards Limited     08103731
 
CONSTRUCTION AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES
 
Administrators Appointed
Tego Roofing Limited  04137851
Lomand Homes Limited    03598808
TMP UK South Limited     10190295
Versant (Salcombe) Limited    10570835
 
Administrators Meetings Para 51
Babbage Construction Limited    06552699
Poplar Farm Developments Limited    08275253
Qualis Residential Developments (2) Limited    11426303
West-Therm Plumbing And Heating Limited    11058648
 
Compulsory Liquidators Appointed s 136
Quinshaw Group Limited    11439460
Yorkshire house Development One Limited    09702509
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Bayview Construction (Essex) Limited    07489587
Evergreen Landscape Contractors Limited    05110651
Fairway Brickwork Limited    09644691
Grange Electrical Contractors Limited    10426388
McDonald Ceilings Limited    06221255
MCS Construction Limited    10326652
ML Design And Build Ltd    12321783
Revco Construction Limited    09782795
Ringwood Building Services Limited    10876673
Spire Joinery Limited    09121511
 
Liquidators Appointed
AA Lighting Contractors Limited    07014455
Base Construction Limited    09702741
Colt Construction Services Limited    09964504
Concept Windows & Doors Limited    09916277
DW Plant & Construction Limited    10664302
D and D Plant Services Limited    10972302
Midland Erection Roofing & Cladding Limited    08332094
Monnik Homes (Construction) Limited    01828503
Multiflor Company Limited    04299531
Ringwood Building Services Limited    10876673
RL Plant Limited    10274026
Station Road Construction Limited    10694698
Superior building and Balustrades Limited    11389400
TWK Scaffolding Limited  10897601
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
AFMH Construction Limited  08427089
A.K.T. Builders Limited    04127947
Balprop Developments Limited    05736774
C.P. Construction (Gwent) Limited    01005702
DLR Property Developments Limited    09132634
Euro Properties (London) Limited    04803862
MJ & K Properties Limited  07245882
NTS Developments Limited    09741808
Lealand Homes Limited    08821823
Pegasus Residential Developments Limited    09784652
Rogers Homes (York) Limited    06508080
Winver Homes Limited    08251115
Worcester Bathrooms Limited    04457306
XD Construction Services Limited    11077599
 
Petitions to Wind Up
Buildtrue (2008) Limited    6470095
 
Winding up orders
Durston Scaffolding Limited    10625879
 
HOSPITALITY, HOLIDAYS AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES
 
Administrators Appointed
Lyceum Manchester Limited    11785416
Monsoon Venues Limited    8555234
Nektan (Gibraltar) Limited    100221 - Registered in Gibraltar
Prezzo Limited    03919682
Southport Promenade Hotels Limited  03671820
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Armadillo Special Limited    11576207
Cook's Delights Limited    03207949
Euro Midas Travel Solutions Limited    08440302
Farmhouse Pizzas Org (UK) Limited    10338176
Diwana Restaurant Limited     07029110
Handmade Mobile Entertainment Limited    05146410
Holmark Leisure Limited     08004188
Pizza Plus (Wallasey) Limited    11643410
The Ship Inn Caerleon Limited    11407358
Viva Organic Food Limited    11069598
 
Liquidators Appointed
APS-Select Travel Limited    05521429
Appleby Green Limited    09250068
Aslan The Lion Limited    08161467
Bespoke Hotels (Plymouth) Limited    11938193
Bespoke Hotels Blackpool Limited     11082150
Bespoke Hotels Harrogate Limited    10908227
Bespoke Hotels Lyndene Limited     10898558
Bespoke Hotels Manchester Limited    10900391
Bistro 1 Brewer St. Limited    06972398
Bowdon Hotel Limited    10210689
CA Tourism and Events Limited    09664012
Chinese Perfect Food Limited    09675516
Casa Pizzeria Limited    09071046
Corks Out (Stockton Heath) Limited    04958386
East Anglian Holidays Limited    07907998
East Anglian Venues Limited    07259121
Elite Executive Travel Limited    06542663
Esteworld club Limited    09439117
Finnbars Cornwall Limited    09760684
Floating Festivals Limited    10531474
Il Sorriso Ristoranti Limited    11553395
Netball Fun League Limited    07302959
Rileys Sports Café Haymarket Limited    11644474
Slice Pizza Limited    07437187
SM takeaway Wednesdayfield Limited    12189907
Sugar Loaf Tea Rooms Limited    10421020
The Bear Group - Global Limited    10590537
The Old Inn Kilmington Limited    09902534
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
Freemantle Developments (Royal Pier Hotel) Limited     07081714
Global Event Services Limited    03657872
Handmade Mobile Entertainment Limited    05146410
Realtime Games Limited    08569849
 
Petitions to Wind Up
Abbey Inns Limited    09235530
The Leven Restaurant, Hotel and Spa Limited    12261493
 
Winding Up Dismissal
Flybe Group Limited    01373432
 
Winding up orders
Wolf Rock (Cornwall) Limited    09842655
 
RETAIL, WHOLESALE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES
 
Administrators Appointed
Brew and Bottle Limited    11194906
Paperchase Products Limited    03185938
Stan Chem International Limited    01336946
 
Administrators Meetings Para 51
 
Compulsory Liquidators Appointed s 136
D.P.J. Clothing Limited    03032730
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Beautiful Dress Ltd    11592908
Blinkin Gorgeous Limited    11882061
Grab a Bargain Limited    10551383
Nevison Pharmacy Limited    09511066
Pain de Sucre Limited    08129732
Padbury Group Limited    05781560
Pet Pawz Limited    12077048
Passion Flower (South) Limited    09665448
Pudding Lane Bakery Limited    10393977
Rose London Limited    08785540
Sperati buttons and Trimmings Limited    09465594
TLV Food Limited    11816662
 
Liquidators Appointed
AA Sportswear Limited    10938014
Apple Fitted Bedrooms & Bathrooms Limited    09823515
Beautiful Dress Limited    11592908
Belle Jewellery (Leicester) Limited    02357012
Chariots Health Club Limited    03794001
Cornwall Food Foundation    05541800
Elan No 1 Shop Limited    08018432
Elements Tea and Coffee Limited    10716835
Fireplace Fitters .co.uk Limited    08901649
Gem Bargain Retail Limited    11180803
Grand Archade Wigan Limited    04191641
Laura Jane Paris Limited    11062297
Marson Fabrics (Holdings) Limited    05877650
MB Hut Limited    10541608
Meat The Greek Limited    08286521
Playpaws Limited    08702401
Salop Sheet Music Limited    05792255
Sargent Shoes On-line Limited    06929203
S & P Retailers Limited    10663910
Village Confectionery Limited    10107004
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
Alan Ward Limited    01234343
Baginton Nurseries Limited    04628216
Exonia Clothing Limited    09890839
Jonathan Phillips (UK) Limited    01575628
Jonathan Phillips Group Limited    10245971
Retail Systems Solutions Limited    09519581
Rose Kiln Retail Limited    08365262
Sky Party Products Limited    09631812
Tea Dynamics Limited    05511661
 
Petitions to Wind Up
F R News Limited    10805438
My Home And Garden Limited    09942146
 
VARIOUS
 
Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Deemed in Consent Meetings
Advance Power and Energy Limited    10597420
ALLJ Engineering Limited    10541868
 
Liquidators Appointed
AHM Trading Limited    11245510
Sparks E Cigarettes Limited
St. Mary's School Shaftesbury Trust    01949068
Recycling West Midlands Limited
Ultimate Fitness Experience Limited
 
Members Voluntary Liquidations
Acorns Care Centre Limited    06985153
Alpina Energy Limited    11466430
Arysta Lifescience UK CAD Limited   08536897
Eco Energy Power Solutions Limited    07389971
Keeler Rose Limited    11238
Mynthurst Farms Limited    03115158
Pathway Learning Ltd    07007293
Procter and Gamble UK Parent Company Limited    07596236
Wyvern Forestry Limited    03345952
 
Petitions to Wind Up
Mark Webster Racing Limited    07485469
 
Winding up orders
Borth Wild Animal Kingdom Limited    10687540

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