Ben and Lucie Hoggins: Tease Hair directors allegedly traded insolvent

A Tasmanian company owned by a couple who operate a popular hair salon and fabric store may have traded insolvent for more than five years, a report into its half-a-million dollar collapse says.

The husband-and-wife directors of a Tasmanian company which collapsed in December last year with debts of more than $510,000 are alleged to have spent more than $200,000 on personal expenses and may have been trading insolvent for more than five years.

Tease Hair & Spa Pty Ltd, which operated Hobart businesses Tease Hair & Spa at 149 Collins St, and fabric store Applepip Project at Shop 5 Bank Arcade, 64/68 Liverpool St, appointed liquidator Shelley-Maree Brooks, of Rodgers Reidy, on December 21 last year.

According to a statutory report filed with corporate watchdog ASIC, the company, founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife duo Corinne and Brendon Hoggins (aka Lucie and Ben), owes the Australian Taxation Office $414,955.50, comprising $121,235.23 in unpaid employee superannuation benefits, and $270,735.83 in unpaid tax.

A further $96,800.08 is allegedly owed to Pepper Asset Finance Pty Ltd, which holds securities over two vehicles, a 2020 Toyota HiLux and a 2018 Volkswagen, owned by either the company or trustee the Hoggins Family Trust.

While the Hoggins’ claimed they were owed $21,000 from the company, Ms Brooks in her report said she “did not consider” this money to be owed due to her “investigations... (indicating) the directors were utilising a significant amount of company funds personally”.

“I am actively investigating this matter and note there are transactions totalling approximately $204,885 which are the subject of those investigations,” Ms Brooks said.

Her investigations indicated money was allegedly spent on personal expenses such as “health insurance, school fees, home loan repayments, children’s allowances, food and beverage purchases and cash withdrawals”.

Ms Brooks said her “preliminary investigations” indicated Tease Hair & Spa Pty Ltd “may have been insolvent from at least July 1, 2016 and accordingly the directors may be liable for any debts incurred by the company that remain unpaid since that time”.

“I advise my investigations into this matter are ongoing and subject to further change,” she said.

“I have identified a number of breaches by the directors and will be lodging a report with the ASIC pursuant to Section 533 of the (Corporations) Act.”

Meanwhile, Ms Brooks’ report noted the Hoggins’ continued to operate the two businesses, the hair salon and fabric store, as sole traders, remaining in their existing premises.

On April 28, Ms Brooks successfully applied to the Federal Court of Australia to wind up the Hoggins Family Trust, enabling her to sell assets held in its name to repay outstanding debts.

When contacted by The Mercury, Mrs Hoggins said there was “more to (the story) than what meets the eye” but declined to comment further.

Originally published as Ben and Lucie Hoggins: Tease Hair directors allegedly traded insolvent