The liquidator for collapsed interior design company Habitat 1 is pursuing $1.25 million from one of the business’s former directors, Geoff Pritchard, and his wife.
In a Supreme Court of Western Australia document obtained by Business News, Hall Chadwick partner Cameron Shaw has lodged an originating process naming Mr Pritchard, Rachel Pritchard, and Maliza Nominees as defendants.
The document said Mr Pritchard was also a director of Maliza Nominees.
Mr Shaw was appointed as liquidator to Habitat 1 in 2018.
According to the court document, Mr Shaw, as the company liquidator, claims Habitat 1 incurred $1.25 million in debts between November 1 2016 and August 21 2018, which had remained unpaid.
Mr Shaw claims, in his court application, Mr Pritchard was liable to repay the outstanding sum being a director of Habitat 1 when the debts were incurred.
In the document, Mr Shaw claims Mrs Pritchard was also liable for knowing her husband’s breaches.
The document also claims Maliza Nominees was liable to repay the $1.25 million sum, being the holding company of Habitat 1 and Mr Pritchard being a director of both entities.
Habitat 1 was founded by Christian Formby and Milos Stojsavljevic in 2004.
Business News previously reported that Mr Pritchard paid $1 million for a 50 per cent stake in Habitat 1 in 2013.
When contacted for comment, Mr Pritchard said he was not aware of any action in the Supreme Court against him.
“The liquidator has attempted to pursue a number of recovery options over the past 5+ years and we are not optimistic that he will be able to recover the shortfall required to repay any of the amounts owing to us, related entities and other creditors,” he said.
Hall Chadwick’s report to creditors shows Habitat 1 had 65 unsecured creditors who are owed about $1.25 million, including Maliza Nominees.
