Crystal Umbrella Gone Bust

[WilliamAC1]

Have you got any more info around this? How do you know when they went into liquidation - I got an email from them in late November - but you say September.
If you are correct I should ask my client to pay the October invoice and wait to be paid... Seems a high risk strategy; but if it paid off... :-)

I have emailed OPUS (named as the administrator in this thread) but had no reply.

Cheers

If you go to the gazette

ATLANTIC UMBRELLA COMPANY LIMITED | Appointment of Liquidators | The Gazette (date is 27/09/18), also ATLANTIC UMBRELLA COMPANY LIMITED - Insolvency (free information from Companies House) shows liquidators were appointed on 21 September (select liquidation tab).

Shows that the date of going into liquidation is 27/09/18. I assumed that was the company you were contracting through but there maybe other Atlantic companies given the complexities of the various companies this may not be the case

William

[McTrucky]

If you go to the gazette

ATLANTIC UMBRELLA COMPANY LIMITED | Appointment of Liquidators | The Gazette (date is 27/09/18), also ATLANTIC UMBRELLA COMPANY LIMITED - Insolvency (free information from Companies House) shows liquidators were appointed on 21 September (select liquidation tab).

Shows that the date of going into liquidation is 27/09/18. I assumed that was the company you were contracting through but there maybe other Atlantic companies given the complexities of the various companies this may not be the case

William

Brilliant - thank you. Interesting the appointment was 21st Sept as you say. On that very day I had a payment processed, and another payment processed on 5th November.

I will chase the liquidators again now I have an actual contact name and seek advice.

[moggy]

Surprised there aren't more folk in here.
For what it is worth looking at the invoice numbers raised over periods I reckon Crystal had a lot less active contractors at any one time than the marketing bluster would indicate. They looked to be raising something like 4-5000 invoices a month; and I guess a fair few of them were weekly invoiced like me.

Looking at duedil its more like 600 employees/contractors, the 10,000 listed is likely since setup.. smoke and mirrors. Also looks like they have fallen off a cliff over the last few years.

[northernladuk]

Looking at duedil its more like 600 employees/contractors, the 10,000 listed is likely since setup.. smoke and mirrors. Also looks like they have fallen off a cliff over the last few years.

If 10k is smoke and mirrors the current 'over 50k' claim on their website is boarding on criminal.

Talking smoke and mirrors, the .com version of the website now has reference to Pendragon on the T&C's page but very confusing indeed. It still lists Unitum as admin of the webpage but now there is line saying 'Pendragon Consultancy Ltd is the Contractor Service Company who’s trading name is Crystal Umbrella'

Bearing in mind these are two separate companies it's a really confusing and a very poor carry on. This can't all be legal can it?

[northernladuk]

Pendragon have stopped answering emails to me after I asked if they would indemnify the client from the Atlantic Invoices if Pendragon re-invoiced and were paid. They did send through a few screen shots showing back accounts and so on - all very mickey mouse, and said they would send through an employment pack - which has never turned up.

There is a little part of me that thinks if my client pays the Atlantic invoice, I would then get paid - but that rests on the liquidator/administrator doing their job - which there is no evidence of that so far.

I think Ltd Co. is my next step.

I know I keep banging on but just to note. Contractor Umbrella also have an accountancy arm, Dolan Accountancy and I believe their service offering allows a seamless switch between the two. Might be a useful option for those that want a month or two more with a brolly while this smooth's over and then switch easily to an accountant to make sure they don't get caught again.

[McTrucky]

I know I keep banging on but just to note. Contractor Umbrella also have an accountancy arm, Dolan Accountancy and I believe their service offering allows a seamless switch between the two. Might be a useful option for those that want a month or two more with a brolly while this smooth's over and then switch easily to an accountant to make sure they don't get caught again.

Thanks for that. Just spoke with Dolan and am intending going with their Umbrella services initially as suggested. I hope you are on commission :-)

Got through to Opus today - but no further forward really. Have a new email address of a person to contact there - so have fired off a few questions.

[northernladuk]

Thanks for that. Just spoke with Dolan and am intending going with their Umbrella services initially as suggested. I hope you are on commission :-)

LOL I wish. My lack of commission from CU has been well documented in posts going back years

https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...ml#post2485206

https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...ml#post2419243

But no. CU and Dolan don't pay commission.

But you will need to buy PI/PL insurance and potentially Tax insurance for your LTD and I have a link to QDOS for which I do get goodies.

[bobof]

Does anyone know if Unitum Operations are now in the hands of the liquidators? Creditor meeting should have been yesterday at 11am.

[McTrucky]

Does anyone know if Unitum Operations are now in the hands of the liquidators? Creditor meeting should have been yesterday at 11am.

Not me. Still waiting for a reply from the appointed VL. Will chase this afternoon.

[WilliamAC1]

Does anyone know if Unitum Operations are now in the hands of the liquidators? Creditor meeting should have been yesterday at 11am.

There is a supplemental document on the Gazette but not sure what that means. tbh the appointment is a bit of a formality so would assume that liquidators have been appointed

William