Knock, knock: bailiffs at the door is no joke
In yet another twist in the tortured tale of Michael Stainer’s activities, bailiffs turned up at the Grand on Thursday 4th June. They were looking for the “owners” or “directors” of Kentish Sites Ltd for either payment of £8,563.31 for the supply of electricity or else they would apply for a warrant of entry “to disconnect the supply, if need be by force.”
Given the complexity of the electrical arrangements at the Grand, with holiday lets, commercial areas, shared services and of course private flats, the risk of the two lifts being deprived of power was a great concern. This obviously called for a immediate investigation to protect the interests of residents. What emerged was, in typical Grand fashion, a tale in the true Stainer tradition of ducking, diving and dodging, and not the first energy-related example.
Kentish Sites was established in 1994 and its two directors were Michael and Doris Stainer. Its last accounts were filed on December 31st 2018. The company was wound up on January 21st 2019. Unusually in the sorry saga of Stainer’s companies, the petitioning creditor for once wasn’t HMRC but EON Energy.
A quick phone call to EON’s solicitors, Knights PLC confirmed the details. They had secured judgement for £22,763 against Kentish Sites in August 2018, and on not receiving payment, decided to petition for the winding up order.
So far, not very interesting. But here the plot thickens. Previously, on April 1st 2018, the supply on this account was switched from EON to Yu Energy. Usually switching suppliers requires a zero balance when transferring, but not, apparently in this case, and it was Yu’s bailiffs who turned up on June 4th. Yu have confirmed that the supply is still in the name of Kentish Sites Ltd, and that they were totally unaware that they were supplying electricity on credit to a liquidated company. For the record, electricity is paid for in arrears on what is called a credit meter, and this is a credit agreement.
So, from January 2019, Yu had unknowingly been supplying electricity on credit to a liquidated company. So who is responsible for this? The Stainer’s resigned as directors on November 21st 2018 following their bankruptcies on November 8th 2018. No new directors were appointed, unlike the other companies where “Robert Graham Moss’ became a director.
It is now clear that Yu have also been supplying some of the private flats owned by Doris Stainer and used as holiday lets. These accounts are also in the name of Kentish Sites Ltd. Payment is made however, by Seaside Hosts Ltd, set up in September 2018, just before bankruptcy overtook the Stainers.
So, what do Yu do now? Pursue Doris Stainer for the flats she owns? Pursue Seaside Hosts? They have no contract with this company. Or simply disconnect all the meters or replace them with prepaid meters.
Everyone in Folkestone knows that Michael Stainer has continued to run the show, representing the freeholder, Hallam Estates in the High Court in London, and managing litigation in the First Tier Property Tribunal. But can Yu act against him?
At this moment, while YU are considering their position, the appropriate insolvency enforcement agencies have been advised. Steps have been taken to ensure supply to the residents’ areas, including the lifts are secure, so at least this fear is removed.
What is 100% clear is that Kentish Sites has consumed electricity to the sum of £31,326, a significant proportion of which was supplied to a liquidated company, and that individuals within the current management regime within the commercial areas were complicit in this. Do we need to name names? We think that our loyal followers of the Stainer saga already know the answers.
The Shepwayvox Team
Not Owned by Hedgefunds or Barons
Fifth floor holiday lets with prepaid meters in the basement……… Hee!! Hee!! An interesting spin on fuel poverty….
😳 WOW yet again ! This is not the first time that the bailiffs turned up on their door step. As per their ex-employees’ recall that back in 2004 , two bailiffs came to The Palm Court restaurant at The Grand and cut off the electricity supply for the restaurant and Keppels Bar until Stainer paid up the bill !
Stainers are really enjoying living on the knife 🔪 edge, aren’t they? Not to mention his court cases one after another. ( Average 2-3 times court appearances per year. Sadly, he has never won one!! ) But , Mr Stainer is a such positive thinker who is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions . The Magic of the evil mind !!👴🏼
So where then does Mr Stainer and Mrs Stainer squirrel away there money as the courts have said there is no trust fund?
There was another similar event in 2010 when the whole commercial area was blacked out by EDF removing the meter. Stainer’s resident electrician was summoned and reconnected the supply to one of the holiday flats. The duty manager gave him and his daughter a free dinner in the Palm Court. When he found out next morning Richardson was enraged and promptly banned the electrician from eating or drinking in the commercial area. (He loves banning people even good customers!)
Then we have the curious case of resident’s electricity bills being higher in the summer than winter. One resident felt it worth while to have a meter installed inside the apartment. The next year the consumption during summer fell to well below the winter level as you would expect.
Mean while in spite of all the lost court cases he seems untouchable.
If events continue to their inevitable denouement, the executive of the Folkestone & Hythe Conservative Association will have to start searching for a new venue for their Annual Dinner! They may even have to pay the market rate like everyone else.