‘Inadequate’ provider stops trading with almost £1m in unpaid bills

Adult care provider likely won't be able to pay back any debts

Adult care provider likely won't be able to pay back any debts

An insolvent adult care training provider has left creditors with over £960,000 in unpaid bills after announcing it will wind up operations following a scathing Ofsted verdict.

Bestland Solutions Limited, which traded under the name Training Associates during its 20-year operation, was given an ‘inadequate’ rating by the watchdog in March. Inspectors found apprentices quickly dropped out due to being “overwhelmed” and demoralised by the lack of off-the-job training.

The provider, which offered mostly adult care training nationwide to more than 500 apprentices at the time of the inspection, has since had its skills funding agreement with the government terminated. 

Leaders of the firm held a general meeting on June 13, where it announced a special resolution to wind up voluntarily.

According to Bestland’s statement of affairs published this week, the company will be unable to sell any of its assets, leaving creditors unlikely to recoup their share of a total debt of £960,343.76.

Elias Paourou and Sean Bucknall, the joint voluntary liquidators from Quantuma Advisory, identified close to £560,000 worth of assets, including a £355,000 director’s loan account. But they estimated that none of it could be used to pay off debts.

Documents show employees are likely to be left in the lurch with regards to unpaid wages. Bestland owes £116,757 in back pay, holiday pay, tax and national insurance contributions.

The company has also incurred debts of £843,434 to non-preferential creditors, namely trade creditors, banks and employees.

Bestland Solutions chief executive Jeremy Gilbert did not respond to FE Week’s request for comment. Quantuma Advisory declined to comment.

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