Ploughcroft Renewables

[glasgowbiker42]

Hi guys,

Anyone had any dealings with Ploughcroft Renewables in the past?

I am interested in whether they use sub contractors and how you become an improved installer for them in Scotland in particular Vehicle charging points etc.

Any info will be much appreciated.

 

[Somecamel]

Hold fire mate- Ploughcroft have just gone under.

Ploughcroft goes out of business | Renewable Energy Installer

 

[sedgy34]

doh!!!!

 

[pwboston]

He told staff he expects to be trading under a new name in the next few weeks.

that phrase always winds me up, hes probably just cost a lot os small companies and small traders a lot of money, but i suspect hes made sure hes alright.

 

[sedgy34]

you can go on their web site and ask him questions lol

 

[glasgowbiker42]

No doubt another pre-pack administration deal where all the subbies and suppliers get pumped and they swan off into the horizon debt free under the guise of saving jobs by doing a pre-pack, which happens numerouse times every day in this country.
That's another issue which needs adressing and is often not touched apon when we all get motivated to fight besna etc and the small self employed sparks are getting pumped every day and contribute to our industry in equal measure as employed sparks.
They should be barred from having a company directorship for 10 years.

Any way rant over and thanks for the input it's much appreciated and it's something we should be looking at with regard to sharing information on here as it obviously pays to share information with regard to shady opperators who look to exploit small subbies etc.

 

[Eco Deal]

We all no that there is no sales at the moment ! who can blame him for folding with those overheads and no sales.

What options did he have really?

very hard market to be in right now.

 

[SolarCity]

It depends on the circumstances. If people are owed money and the company just folds and then starts up again then that can't be right.

 

[confounded]

We all no that there is no sales at the moment ! who can blame him for folding with those overheads and no sales.

What options did he have really?

very hard market to be in right now.

Not expand to become the "big I am", it was a market driven by extremely over generous subsidies, the current situation we face was far from hard to predict.

I view his type of business practice as a criminal act.

 

[whinmoor]

It depends on the circumstances. If people are owed money and the company just folds and then starts up again then that can't be right.

But it's not the same company that starts up again. It's a whole new, completely different company. A new legal entity. Just happens to have the same directors, location etc as before but none of the previous liabilities. It will have a totally different name - maybe something like "Ploughcraft".

A complete scandal of course.

 

[SRE]

We all no that there is no sales at the moment ! who can blame him for folding with those overheads and no sales.

What options did he have really?

very hard market to be in right now.

Do what we have had to do, reduce overheads and make sure everyone has been paid. It's not as if the failing of the industry has happened overnight he's had almost a year to get things sorted out. It's too easy to walk away from your responsibilities.

It drives me mad, especially when I think of the jobs I lost out on because the customer wanted security from a bigger company. I don't owe anyone anything and we're currently visiting our existing customers free of charge as a gesture of goodwill while we have some spare time checking that everything is ok.

 

[sedgy34]

Do what we have had to do, reduce overheads and make sure everyone has been paid. It's not as if the failing of the industry has happened overnight he's had almost a year to get things sorted out. It's too easy to walk away from your responsibilities.

It drives me mad, especially when I think of the jobs I lost out on because the customer wanted security from a bigger company. I don't owe anyone anything and we're currently visiting our existing customers free of charge as a gesture of goodwill while we have some spare time checking that everything is ok.

you said word for word what i was going to say, even dick turpin wore a mask (daylight robbery)

 

[jason121]

he is a very clever man. check on his companies. milked it till it ran dry

 

[SRE]

he is a very clever man. check on his companies. milked it till it ran dry

Depends on your interpretation of "clever" he's not running a successful multi-million pound business he's going bust. Immoral springs to mind as a more apt description. I wonder if he's brought any of his suppliers down with him .....

Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership Community Interest Company - registered on 16th August 2012!!

 

[Gavin A]

I don't think that's going to be his new company, that's a regional renewables partnership body that he's probably on the board of or something.

 

[finchy]

The company in question built itself up around one man ! So I think he might find it difficult to open a new company.....unless he changes his name !

Sad news though, I guess wont be seeing him walk the floors of the trade shows with his tool pouch !

 

[jason121]

most likely, the suppliers will right it off the bad debt of and reclaim vat, They will open his account again under his new company name at a low credit limit, all his warranties are void, he puts all the money in his bank account tax paid because that's legal and the circle will start again. Its up to REAL and MCS to put a stop to him

 

[finchy]

As I've said before its back to a cottage industry. Sadly I dont think they will be the last to do this .....

However much money I put into marketing the customers are not out there, the government/media/cowboys have put them off. The general Double Glaze windows mentality has drove customers away ! Just shows the ineffectiveness or REAL and the Joke of MCS.


Some times I do wonder if I'm mad ....With returns of 10% and prices half than a year ago it should be selling like hot cakes.

 

[Noshocks]

They are only the tip of the iceberg, I did some investigating of MCS companies within a 10 mile radius of me a few days ago, most fell into three camps:

1. Established electrical contractors still trading, a percentage of which are still doing solar.

2. Solar Companies registered around later September 2011 (of which there are a lot), no accounts filed yet so as startups they must be struggling or have already folded.

3. Solar Companies still registered on the list but whose websites are no longer up, around 25%, i think these are the early casualties from above.



Just had my third annual invoice today for MCS renewal, its runs from the 7th October onwards and I have an install booked for the 8th, great...

 

[sedgy34]

we the installer are fighting the public perception that solar was a gimick and it dont work!! however we put our money where our mouth is and put solar on the office(south east),my house(south),co directors house (south west) south is winning

 

[SRE]

I don't think that's going to be his new company, that's a regional renewables partnership body that he's probably on the board of or something.

it's only recently been set up - seems to be seperate from Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership and he's a director according to Companies House along with Bill Edrich and 2 others I haven't heard of.

 

[finchy]

Its the numbers game ....I'm in this for the long term I can see past this little bleep. Solar is part of of future energy stability, we need it to build a secure energy source non reliant on Geo-political events. Iran and the middle east are the big problem at the moment.

 

[sedgy34]

it's only recently been set up - seems to be seperate from Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership and he's a director according to Companies House along with Bill Edrich and 2 others I haven't heard of.

it says hes a member of

 

[SolarCity]

Its the numbers game ....I'm in this for the long term I can see past this little bleep. Solar is part of of future energy stability, we need it to build a secure energy source non reliant on Geo-political events. Iran and the middle east are the big problem at the moment.

I know that, you know that - unfortunately, George Osbourne is as tight as a budgie's knee cap and half of the rest of the party can't see beyond the next two years. Amongst them there are far too many climate change skeptics. I can't see us pulling out of this lull until the Conservative party is out of the way.

 

[Somecamel]

I know that, you know that - unfortunately, George Osbourne is as tight as a budgie's knee cap and half of the rest of the party can't see beyond the next two years. Amongst them there are far too many climate change skeptics. I can't see us pulling out of this lull until the Conservative party is out of the way.

The Lib Dems are now talking to labour....

 

[sambotc]

Utter greed. No sympathy for him or any other company who threw everything they haven't got (ie borrowed money) at this industry in the hope of getting rich quick. No interest for the industry or its victims, just trying to suck the industry and its over generous financial incentives dry.

REAL need to step in here and make a point of preventing his proposal from happening, after all, no REAL no MCS so no FiTs.

I hope to god people are not stupid enough to buy from this company (or whatever they call themselves) again. He took a gamble and it looks like it didn't pay off, such is life but don't try and take other's with different intentions down with you.

 

[jason121]

Ploughcroft Building Services has confirmed that it has entered administration and has been sold to a new company.

The renewable energy installer was sold to Ploughcroft Ltd, which is headed up by the former owner of the business, Chris Hopkins. Mr Hopkins will continue to trade through the new company after having acquired all the company's assets and goodwill.

 

[SRE]

I just don't get it - how can this happen????

 

[dansk]

i wonder if he'll honour the old warranty's?

 

[Somecamel]

Do you have a link for this? This is blatant passing off, hope some of their creditors make a stink about this

 

[jason121]

Administration hits Ploughcroft Building Services
Also look at the solar power portal

 

[dansk]

surely is work is slow and money is tight why would you start up again with 120 installers?

Mr Hopkins is expected to set Ploughcroft Ltd up with 120 solar installers and is planning on establishing a customer helpline to encourage more business.

 

[SolarCity]

"Financial problems were blamed for the business administration after successive cuts to the Feed-in Tariff solar power subsidies saw trade filter off as customers either defaulted on payments or went out of business themselves."

Are these the same cuts that Mr Hopkins claimed were an excellent idea? :1eye:

 

[jason121]

Can not find them on the MCS website

 

[sedgy34]

surely is work is slow and money is tight why would you start up again with 120 installers?

What a good excuse for not paying your bills and starting up again he's dodged a lot of payments there

 

[jason121]

Ploughcroft Building Services enters administration |*Solar Power Portal

- - - Updated - - -

read the comments

 

[SRE]

Meanwhile some of us will have lost work to him as he undercut us. I know life isn't fair but it doesn't seem to pay to be decent!

 

[dansk]

What a good excuse for not paying your bills and starting up again he's dodged a lot of payments there

its just not right is it?

 

[jason121]

Will his new company obtain MCS status ??

 

[Noshocks]

companies house says ploughcroft limited was disolved, probably when the dragons got involved creating a new ltd company, he's now using ploughcroft ltd, again or as good as, what an easy way to dodge your responsibilities, wish us plebs had it so easy in business.

 

[jimmy c]

I know Chris Hopkins personally and can assure you that the only person Chris Hopkins gives a flying one about is Chris Hopkins, he wont care in the slightest if it takes another company down with him aslong as he doesn't have to now legally pay anything.

How can anyone ever take him serious in business ever again?

 

[Somecamel]

This is exactly what Double Glazing companies have been doing for years

 

[sedgy34]

its just not right is it?

ive just had a read of jasons link post 31! im furious chris hopkin should be in court for fraud i would like to know how much he went for he must have a long list of creditors.

ive been on the recieving end of a loosr like him and no it isnt right its immoral to the trustworthy how can he set up again with same name almost and have such amount of cash to work with obviously the money is from the company hes just drained.

 

[sedgy34]

I know Chris Hopkins personally and can assure you that the only person Chris Hopkins gives a flying one about is Chris Hopkins, he wont care in the slightest if it takes another company down with him aslong as he doesn't have to now legally pay anything.

How can anyone ever take him serious in business ever again?

the banks loose out also and back them again in the new company they have money to waste, i know someone who went under for 7 million and the banks did exactly the same backed him again gave him an open chequebook.

 

[MCS Renewables]

I got caught once by Eddie Mitchell who did this legal bankruptcy stunt at least six times with different sets of tradespeople with house building on and around Sandbanks. He just kept getting richer and richer and at least two carpenters I know lost their homes.
He is now the chairman of AFC Bournemouth and lives like a lord.

Eddie Mitchell: a fit and proper chairman for Bournemouth? | Natter Football

it's legal and its the law that needs changing ....

 

[moggy1968]

I thought you couldn't be a director of another company if you'd gone bust, it's unbelievable!
Eddie Mitchel, oh yeh, heard of him! He owns the restaurant down Poole Park now, very nice.

 

[Somecamel]

I thought you couldn't be a director of another company if you'd gone bust, it's unbelievable!
Eddie Mitchel, oh yeh, heard of him! He owns the restaurant down Poole Park now, very nice.

Only if you are disqualified by the court. Quite rare and would have to be something really serious.

 

[moggy1968]

Thats it then, I'm off to build up a truckload of debt and then go bust!!

 

[Worcester]

Here's his current and past directorships:

Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership Community Interest Company / Director, Company Director / 16 Aug 2012 — Present
Blue Grebe Ltd (Dissolved) / Director, Director / 17 Jun 2009 — Present / Dormant
Red Grebe Ltd (Dissolved) / Director, Director / 17 Jun 2009 — Present / Dormant
Rooferman Limited / Director, Director / 24 Jul 2008 — Present
Eco-Roof Centre Ltd (Non-Trading) / Director, Director / 22 Mar 2006 — Present / Dormant
Ploughcroft Building Services Limited / Director, Director / 26 Nov 2002 — Present
Ren-O-Vate Plus Limited (Dissolved) / Director, Director / 2 Jun 1992 — Present
Yorkshire Independent Roofing Training Group Limited / Director, Director / 23 Oct 2007 — 16 Mar 2010

Here are the 'current' directors of Ploughcroft Building Services Limited
Helen Michelle Hopkins (48) Company Secretary, No Function 8 Apr 2005 – Present (7 years, 5 months, 19 days) Current 2 2
Christopher Sean Hopkins (41) Director, Director 26 Nov 2002 – Present (9 years, 10 months, 1 day) Current 5 3


So when he says

Ploughcroft Building Services has confirmed that it has entered administration and has been sold to a new company.

The renewable energy installer was sold to Ploughcroft Ltd, which is headed up by the former owner of the business, Chris Hopkins. Mr Hopkins will continue to trade through the new company after having acquired all the company's assets and goodwill.

What he means is me and the misses decided over a bottle of vino to sell it all to ourselves for £1 and let all our employess and suppliers take the hit for our greed.

 

[FIT-PV]

I heard today that Evo Energy are in the same situation. Yet to find anything on the net about it.