Crown, investors get another $35m from Equitable Mortgages
Third payment since debenture holders bailed out through the Crown's retail deposit guarantee scheme almost two years ago.
BUSINESSDESK: Investors are set to receive $35 million from the receivers of failed lender Equitable Mortgages in the third payment since debenture holders were bailed out through the Crown's retail deposit guarantee scheme almost two years ago.
KordaMentha's Grant Graham flagged a third distribution payment will be made today, taking total repayments to $85 million, or 44% of the principal, the latest receiver's report says.
He kept his forecast recovery at between 65% and 70% of the $192.3 million owed to the Crown and investors. Unsecured creditors are owed some $25,000.
“We believe it is extremely unlikely there will be a return to unsecured creditors and we expect there to be a shortfall owing to investors and the Crown,” Mr Graham says in his report.
At the time of receivership, Equitable Mortgages had loans worth $188.4 million to be recovered, net of provisioning for impairments.
Between December 19 and June 18 the receiver got some $20 million in loan repayments and a further $126,000 in loan interest.
The bulk of the funds are owed to the government, which has paid out 99% of the $178 million to about 6000 investors whose debentures were covered by the now-defunct retail deposit guarantee scheme.
Mr Graham says he has reached a $12.5 million settlement with Equitable General Insurance over loan loss cover policies since the end of the reporting period.
Equitable Mortgages, which was controlled by the family of the late Peter Spencer, called in the receivers in November 2010, blaming ongoing asset deterioration, dwindling loan business and a lack of investment appetite for its failure.
Deloitte was initially appointed but had to step aside after missing a conflict of interest with its audit team during the tender process.
Mr Graham says he has yet to receive a claim from the Inland Revenue Department.
Paul McBeth
Fri, 17 Aug 2012
Fri, 17 Aug 2012
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Crown, investors get another $35m from Equitable Mortgages
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