LIQUIDATORS of the embattled Beyers Realty Group say they are investigating allegations that the directors have established another estate agency in Perth, Australia, after their company was liquidated last year.
Liquidator Thomas van Zyl said there had been substantial developments since a final liquidation order was granted last year. He said while they had managed to sequestrate them, the two directors were “fighting them hard”.
Both Beyers Swanepoel-Trollip, his husband and business partner Lenard Swanepoel-Trollip, who were 50/50 partners in the real estate firm had absconded, and were believed to be in Australia with their one-year-old daughter.
According to the curator of their estate there were no shortfalls on amounts deposited into Beyers Realty Group’s trust account held with Absa, which had about R2 million in trust monies. But no funds were found in the Beyers Realty Group’s trust account held at Standard Bank, however.
The deposits for pending transfers of properties were all made in the Standard Bank trust account, and these deposits appeared to have all been withdrawn, according to the curator. Some 55 investors were affected.
Creditors who deposited money into the Standard Bank trust account needed to seek independent legal advice in relation to their contractual rights, obligations and remedies to make an informed decision.
Van Zyl said they had managed to collect about R1.2m of the company’s assets, and the money would be paid back to clients who invested in the business. “We are trying to put pressure on Beyers and Lenard. It has been alleged that they have opened another estate agency in Australia. It’s also been alleged that they sold some of the property they owned. This has caused a substantial strain to a lot of people who invested in their business. There are some people who paid full proceeds of a house. One of the investors paid about R1.9m,” he said.
Van Zyl said the matter would be going to the Western Cape High Court in March. Along with their primary residence in Bloubergstrand, the couple also owned a property in Langebaan and several vehicles.
Affected landlords have been encouraged to seek the services of another registered estate agent if they wish to have their properties managed by an estate agent, as Beyers Realty Group had been placed under provisional liquidation, and its Fidelity Fund Certificate provisionally withdrawn.