Tango Caravans customers mull class action after Melbourne company collapses
Kilmore couple Angela and Phil Serrurier paid $80,000 for a custom built Tango caravan. The van was never delivered and the Melbourne company is now bust — and they are far from alone.
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Threats of a class action are mounting after more than 30 customers lost tens of thousands of dollars in paid deposits following the collapse of a Melbourne caravan maker.
Customers from across Australia are facing losses of up to $100,000 after Tango Caravans, headquartered in Somerton in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, entered liquidation.
The company made its own range of vans and also ran a dealership.
Kilmore couple Angela and Phil Serrurier said they are “absolutely devastated” after losing $80,000 in paid deposits.
“That was our superannuation – all of our money is gone,” Ms Serrurier said.
The pair paid an initial deposit of $8,000 in January.
A Tango sales employee called in early June telling them their caravan would be ready in a couple of weeks.
The couple then paid the remaining $72,000.
“The next week the sales employee said she resigned due to medical reasons and then the silence began,” Ms Serrurier said.
“We rang so many times, sent emails and even went into the office and they told us don’t worry your caravan is coming.
“On Sunday this week all customers got an email saying they will contact everyone with updated information regarding their caravans. We heard nothing until we found out last night that they had gone under.”
The couple had planned to go on their “dream holiday” in the caravan, travelling up north to see family.
“We had it customised with bunk beds so we could take our grandchildren,” Ms Serrurier said.
“We’re just so frustrated. The government should really be stepping in to make sure companies are responsible for their own debts.”
Mr Serrurier claimed the caravan they had purchased – fit with unique colours and features – was recently posted for sale online.
Tango was advertising more than 20 new caravans for sale on a leading caravan sales site on Thursday, more than 24 hours after it had entered liquidation.
The advertisements were for new 2024 model caravans and listed as a dealer sale with Tango the seller.
The site said it was removing the ads when contacted by the Herald Sun.
Numerous customers have told the Herald Sun they were asked to make deposits only days before the business went into liquidation.
Ballarat couple Declan Murry and Layney Pevitt paid more than $40,000 from their savings in February to cover a deposit.
A month later they said Tango reached out saying they needed to pay the full amount or their contract would be terminated.
They took out a loan and paid the final amount.
When the couple asked when their caravan would be ready, the couple say Tango pushed back the delivery date deadline.
After more than a month of no answers the couple requested a refund from Tango, which they have not received.
The pair are among many Tango customers exploring the possibility of launching a class action against the company’s director Sarah Horter.
“It is about to get very nasty,” Mr Murry said.
Shara Henry, who runs a private Facebook group with affected Tango customers, said she knew of about 35 impacted customers, including herself, who were keen to investigate legal action.
“I can confidently say more than 30 people have paid for caravans in full and have gotten nothing for it,” she said.
“Then there’s about an extra 50 people who have paid deposits and not received a refund or any caravans.
“There’s affected customers across Australia – in Darwin, Western Australia, everywhere.”
Ms Henry, from New South Wales, said she will wait for the liquidator’s report before assessing whether to take legal action.
She and her partner lost $90,000.
“We used our entire savings to get that caravan,” she said.
“We’re now paying off a loan that will equate to $100,000 with interest for something we’re never going to own.”
Pitcher Partners liquidator Andrew Yeo is now picking through Tango’s financial wreckage.
In a letter posted to Tango’s website, Mr Yeo said the company had collapsed with “significant” debts.
“We are aware that many clients have paid deposits (in some cases substantial) for the purchase of caravans,” he said.
“The liquidators are not in a position to refund deposits.
“The ability for the company to pay any divided to creditors (including customers who have paid a deposit) will need to be assessed as the liquidation progresses.”
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