In the latest Insolvency Digest, creditors of 14 furniture businesses entering liquidation or administration are expected to suffer a combined shortfall of £11.4m.

Ben Woodthorpe and Chris Farrington, both of ReSolve Advisory, were appointed as joint administrators of Studio Moderna Brands International Limited, a company under the same ownership as mattress brand Dormeo UK, on 12 January 2023. The business owes Dormeo a total of £4.5m, as well as other creditors including the HMRC, owed £711,000, and parent company Studio Moderna SA, a multi-brand and direct-to-consumer retailer, a figure of £828,000. It is anticipated creditors will suffer a shortfall of £6.4m.

Martin Buttriss and Carolynn Best, both of Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP, were appointed as joint liquidators of kitchen furniture manufacturer Unique Manufacturing Company Limited, trading as Unique Interiors, on 26 January 2023. The company owed employee claims of £2,200, which is expected to be repaid from realised assets of £4,800. The HMRC, owed £4,500, is expected to receive a distribution of £2,600. As for unsecured creditors, claims totalled £93,000, including £25,000 owed to Barclays bank and £22,000 owed to Barclaycard. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £95,000.

Rehan Ahmed and Tauseef Rashid, both of Quantuma Advisory Limited, were appointed as joint liquidators of Heywood-based furniture retailer Simpson Furniture (Bury) Limited on 20 January 2023. The company owed the HMRC £6,400 and employees £5,600 as preferential creditors, which is expected to be repaid from realised assets valuing £79,000. As for unsecured creditors, claims totalled £352,000. These included £22,000 owed to consumer creditors, £72,000 owed to High Peak Borough Council, £90,000 in directors’ loans and £68,000 owed to Funding Circle. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £285,000.

Kevin McLeod and Christopher Andersen, both of AABRS Limited, were appointed as joint liquidators of furniture manufacturer MW Robinson Furniture Ltd on 18 January 2023. The company owed preferential creditor, the HMRC, £5,000, while unsecured creditor claims totalled £65,000. These included £40,000 owed to Barclays Bank and £15,000 owed to Funding Circle. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £70,000.

Timothy Corfield, of Griffin & King, was appointed as liquidator of seating upholstery manufacturer Scandus (UK) Limited on 30 January 2023. The company owed preferential creditors, 10 employee claims, a sum of almost £20,000, with around £12,000 expected to be available from realised assets. The second preferential creditor is the HMRC, owed almost £200,000. As for unsecured creditors, claims totalled £387,000, with a further £57,000 owed the HMRC, while £40,000 is owed to Lloyds Bank under a Bounce Back Loan. Trade claims valued £148,000, while additional employee claims reached £131,000. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of around £652,000.

Marcus Tout, of Approved Recovery Limited, was appointed as liquidator of furniture maker and online retailer Little Deer Limited on 31 January 2023. The business owed creditors almost £90,000, which included £46,000 to Barclays Bank and around £7,000 to the HMRC, with the latter expected to receive some repayment of £3,000 from realised assets. It is expected that all other creditors will suffer a shortfall of £89,000.

Samuel Bailey and Jonathan Trembath, both of Richard J Smith & Co, were appointed as joint liquidators of furniture manufacturer Rume Ltd on 31 January 2023. The business owed NatWest bank a sum of £41,000, as well as £773 to the HMRC. A director’s loan of £17,000 was also stated as a creditor claim. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £60,000.

Carolynn Best and Martin Buttriss, both of Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP, were appointed as joint liquidators of carpet retailer, The Little Carpet Company Ltd, on 2 February 2023. Preferential creditor claims consisted of £5,700 owed to employees and £20,400 owed to the HMRC. Employee arears are expected to be satisfied from realised assets valuing £21,800. The HMRC is expected to be repaid but suffer a shortfall of £4,300. As for unsecured creditor claims, these valued £383,000, with £187,000 owed to Funding Circle. A further £36,000 is owed to staff and over £20,000 is owed to NatWest bank, while one consumer creditor is owed £500. A number of carpet and flooring suppliers are owed four and five-figure sums. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £388,000.

Louise Baxter and Wayne MacPherson, both of Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP, were appointed as joint liquidators of furniture retailer Dream Furnishings Limited on 2 February 2023. The HMRC is listed as its only preferential creditor, owed £10,000, while unsecured claims include HSBC bank, owed £59,700 and trade creditors owed £75,000. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £145,000.

Emma Dowd and Gemma Roberts, both of Wilson Field Limited, were appointed as joint liquidators of mattress retailer Snooze Sleep Ltd on 7 February 2023. The company owed preferential creditors, the HMRC and employee arears, respective sums of £57,700 and £3,500. Unsecured creditor claims valued £295,000, which included £150,000 directors’ loan and over £100,000 owed in trade claims. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £357,000.

John Bell and Toyah Poole, both of Clarke Bell Limited, were appointed as joint liquidators of furniture retailer Eliza Bennett Interiors Ltd on 7 February 2023. The company owed one consumer creditor £30,000, while nine other trade claims valued £41,000. It is expected that creditors will suffer at shortfall of £71,000.

David Taylor and Rob Keyes, both of KRE Corporate Recovery Limited, were appointed as joint liquidators of furniture manufacturer Uniquemade Limited on 9 February 2023. The business owed the HMRC £719,000 as well as £277,000 to banks – including £177,000 owed to Barclays. It is anticipated that a sum of £102,000 will be realised from company assets to repay some preferential creditor debt. As for unsecured creditors, claims totalled £1.2m, which included connected and unconnected loans of £388,000. Trade claims valued £877,000. It is expected that creditors will suffer a total shortfall of £2.1m.

Samantha Hawkins, of Hawkins Insolvency Limited, was appointed as liquidator of furniture manufacturer The Really Good Oak Shop Limited on 10 February 2023. The company owed preferential creditors £56,000, while unsecured creditors are owed £114,000. These include around £50,000 owed to the HMRC, £6,000 owed to HSBC bank and £6,000 to its landlord. It is expected that creditors will suffer a shortfall of £170,000.

Simon Chandler and Patrick Lannagan, both of Mazars LLP, were appointed as joint liquidators of garden furniture retailer Hammond Home and Leisure Limited on 10 February 2023. The business owed HSBC bank £467,000, while the HMRC is owed £78,000. Unsecured creditor claims totalled £29,000, with creditors expected to suffer a shortfall of £574,000.