Creditors circle Queensland Custom Homes as watchdog QBCC investigates the company

Creditors are circling a Queensland building company which has had its licence cancelled and is alleged to owe contractors more than $100,000.

CREDITORS are circling a Queensland home builder that is now under investigation by the industry watchdog.

Queensland Custom Homes, run by sole director Christopher Noel Bonnitcha, is on Thursday facing Supreme Court wind-up action because of alleged outstanding debts.

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The Queensland Building and Construction Commission said it started a financial investigation into Queensland Custom Homes after receiving complaints against the company last year.

In October last year Queensland Custom Homes, whose nominee licence holder was Mr Bonnitcha, had its licence suspended before it was cancelled in November.

“The licence suspension was escalated to cancellation after the company’s accountant provided new financial information to the QBCC that did not comply with the audit requirements. From this point, the company failed to respond to the QBCC,” a QBCC spokesman said.

The home at 34 Palladium Blvd, Hope Island which Chris and Aysha Bonnitcha sold for $1.5 million in May 2015. The home was finished two years earlier. In April, 2015, a company Ms Bonnitcha was a director, went into liquidation. Photo: Supplied

In the Supreme Court, Balmain Concreting Pty Ltd is seeking to wind up Queensland Custom Homes because of an alleged $108,768 outstanding debt.

According to court documents Balmain Concreting director Paul Ridley claims the outstanding debt was for work completed at a property site at Alexandra Hills in January, 2018.

The owner of the Alexandra Hills property told The Courier-Mail they had paid Queensland Custom Homes $379,000, including $113,000 for the base, before terminating the contract.

Lisa Bourke said they made payment at each stage as required but stopped after they called in an independent building inspector to examine the framework which needed to be rectified.

“We are $100,000 out of pocket including $15,000 in legal fees,” Ms Bourke said.

Queensland Custom Homes is also subject to action from Gold-Coast based Gudgeon Painting and Decorating. Karen and Shane Gudgeon are seeking $18,000 for unpaid work at a Hope Island house.

“We hope to see our money but I doubt we ever will,” Ms Gudgeon said.

“We have had our painting company for over 20 years. This is the first time we have dealt with him.”

The former offices of Queensland Custom Homes at Ormeau which are now for lease. Photo: Supplied

Attempts were made to contact Mr Bonnitcha via email and telephone.

Mr Bonnitcha took over QCH in February, 2016 after his wife Aysha Mae Bonnitcha was excluded from being a director by the QBCC.

“Ms Bonnitcha was banned because she was a director of Schumiracer Pty Ltd, and in April 2015, the company went into liquidation,” a QBCC spokesperson told The Courier-Mail.

According to ASIC, Mr Bonnitcha was a director of Schumiracer Pty Ltd from November 2008 until November 2013.

A meeting of creditors of Schumiracer Pty Ltd was held on April 10, 2015, just a month before Mr Bonnitcha and his wife sold their Hope Island mansion for $1.5 million.

The sign Lisa Bourke placed outside her property. Photo: Supplied