Pensioner’s belongings locked up after company goes bust

Feb 1 2010 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

A DISABLED pensioner fears she will never see her personal possessions again after a storage company went bust.

Andrina Brown put all her belongings in storage at Andrew Moran & Son after her ground floor flat was flooded early last month.

She has since been told that the Linwood company has paid off all of its employees and there has been no answer when she has contacted the office.

Now 65-year-old Andrina is worried that her possessions will never be returned to her.

She told the Paisley Daily Express: “My insurance company organised for everything to go to Andrew Moran & Son.

“It all went in there on January 11. They’ve got my three televisions and digital TV boxes, which I’m still paying the bills for. They also have my sofa bed, a computer and printer and lots and lots of personal stuff like photos.

“We were hoping to save a lot of it after my home was flooded. Now I don’t know if I’ll ever see it again.”

Andrina’s flat in Sycamore Avenue, Johnstone, where she lives with her son Stephen, 46, was badly damaged by flooding and she is currently staying at her sister’s home while she waits to move into a council mobility house.

She only found out about the storage company going bust through a family friend.

Andrina said: “One of my son’s friends works for the company and he told us that everyone had been paid off. He said there are about 700 other people who have their belongings stored there.

“I don’t know what to do now. I’ve been phoning the company and leaving messages but no-one has ever got back to me.

“My son has also been down to the warehouse but it’s all locked up.”

The Andrew Moran & Son warehouse is on the Stuart Industrial Estate in Linwood.

According to the company’s website, the firm was founded in 1925 by the current owner’s grandfather, Andrew Moran.

It was established and operated in Paisley until 2000, when the company moved to the warehouse in Linwood.

The company employs around 25 staff and is a member of the British Association of Removers.

Calls and e-mails to the company from the Paisley Daily Express have gone unanswered.

However, Paisley-based accountants Milne Craig have confirmed the company has gone into liquidation.

Director Harry Paton, who is handling the liquidation, said: “The creditors will be meeting to see what can be done with regards to the way forward.

“I have had a number of other parties express an interest in the business and am confident it will be taken on.

“I would like to reassure customers that their items are properly secure and are fully insured and they should not worry about things in the long term.

“If anyone has any questions, they can contact me on 0141 887 7811.”