Homeowners will be left in the lurch and contractors stand to lose tens of thousands of dollars after another Canberra building company went into voluntary liquidation this week.
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Fyshwick-based ACT Homes is understood to have left a trail of unfinished homes and unpaid debts owed to tradespeople, suppliers and subcontractors for work carried out across the capital.
Sydney liquidation company Dissolve was appointed to wind up the company on Wednesday afternoon.
Owner Cliff Sanderson said ACT Homes principal David Geelen told him five homes that were under construction would need to be left unfinished, and 50 workers or businesses were owed money.
''[Mr Geelen] tells us he only had a couple of employees and they had been notified their employment had been terminated early in the week,'' Mr Sanderson said.
Liquidators had not yet received the company's paperwork but planned to issue a creditor's report in coming weeks.
The business's landline phone has been cut off, while a mobile phone number goes to a voice message from the ACT Homes principal.
Mr Geelen did not return calls this week.
Small business owners told The Canberra Times Mr Geelen owed them money and was notoriously difficult to contact.
Monaro Windows owner Henry Posch said he knew something was wrong when the company phones kept ringing out and he saw a "To Let" sign in the business's shopfront.
Mr Posch said he was owed $80,000 for two jobs he worked on for ACT Homes at new houses being built at Red Hill.
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Alltek Roofing owner Harry Woodbury said he had used ''various strategies to get money'' from the company for more than $10,000 worth of work he completed on a house about one year ago.
''I think there are a lot of blokes out there who run on our cash, on subbies' cash,'' he said.
Mr Posch was concerned as he also lost money in the collapse of failed Canberra builder Sublime Developments earlier this year.
That company went into administration in February, with debts of up to $2.5 million to home buyers, tradesmen and suppliers around the capital.
''The same thing's happening again,'' Mr Posch said.
''Surely the government can set up some checks and balances to make sure anyone who's doing building work is able to pay the people who do work for them.''
Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell said in March that territory builders' licensing, training requirements and ongoing practice would be considered as a part of a current review of the ACT Building Act.
That review is expected to be ready for consultation later this year.
