Daylight Energy enters liquidation owing £1m to customers

Poole-based Daylight Energy was officially put into liquidation in early May after racking up extensive debts, leaving hundreds of customers out of pocket.

According to the report, compiled by insolvency practitioners Verulam Advisory, there are 397 customers who paid deposits totalling £1,014,427 – all of which is unsecured.

A director’s loan worth £70k was listed as an unsecured claim, as was a NatWest Bounce Back Loan worth just under £33k. There are 14 employees, meanwhile, with claims for notice and redundancy pay totalling £14,707.

Some customers have reportedly been able to recoup all or some of their deposits, while others have not.

New Forest businessman Richard Austin said he lost £4,326 after putting down a deposit for solar batteries at his home.

He said: “I have not been able to recover my deposit, I should have paid by credit card – you live and learn.

“I contacted my bank and explained the while situation but as far as they were concerned it’s not refundable. They cover you for fraud but this wasn’t seen as fraudulent because I had paid them for a service before.

“There’s nothing else I can do now. I’ll be on the creditors list but I know from my experience in business that I won’t get a penny back.”

The Insolvency Service told the Echo that the practitioner handling the liquidation of Daylight Energy has a duty to a file a report “setting out any concerns they identified regarding the directors’ misconduct in the period leading up to the insolvency”.

Depending on what the practitioner identifies, the Insolvency Service said it may then begin an investigation.

The practitioner has three months to submit its findings.

Founded in 2014 by David Humphriss, the company specialised in renewable energy systems for homes and was operated from Slader Business Park.

In a report previously seen by the Echo, the Covid pandemic was blamed for hampering trade, while staffing issues and Mr Humphriss' ill health was also cited.