Preston builder accused of taking £50,000 off people had 4 businesses on the go at once

The Preston builder accused of taking £50,000 off people before his company, Ultra Restore Ltd, went into liquidation, also had three other businesses on the go at the same time.

As well as Ultra Restore, Billee Hopkinson is listed as being the active director of Draught Systems UK LTD since November 2020, Ultra Restore Plastering and Rendering Ltd since September 2021, alongside a Chris Betteridge, and Stratton Developments NW LTD (13878428), which was registered as recently as January 28 2022.

All three businesses now have applications to be struck off, which means Billee has applied to go into liquidation.

Hopkinson told the Post none of the businesses are active and says he has not worked since breaking his leg at the start of January, and he is soon to start new employment in a different sector.

His initial business, Ultra Restore set up in 2013, has featured in the Post a number of times, with people claiming they had handed over thousands of pounds to the company, before it went bust leaving their homes in unfinished, and unsafe, conditions.

Billee says two of the businesses were attempts to diversify and the other an "accounting error".

“The plastering company was set up but I was too busy, I just thought about doing that but didn't really do any work for the plastering," he said.

"The draught business was made because I came up with an idea about completely stopping draughts, I was hoping to get some kind of government scheme because I'd made a new UPVC frame to go inside windows, and then Stratton was a mistake by my accountants.

"At the end of the day, I've just tried to be successful, I’m not trying to rip anyone off, but my house has been burgled, my car's been stolen, my van's been stolen, all my tools have been stolen.

"I don’t use these companies, I made them as completely separate businesses because all I've tried to do is give my kids a better life. I've tried working endlessly, and come up with ideas, so I can give them a better life, not so I can rip people off, and now someone's been into my house, which hasn’t done my kids any favours, or my wife.

"I’m not trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes about anything."

One former customer, Tony Carey, who gave £6000 to Ultra Restore before work stopped, says he had since become aware of Billee's other companies.

Tony, a plasterer from Ashton said: “There’s something clearly not right, three other companies and they’ve all been struck off, that’s four in total now."

Lancashire County Council's trading standards team are aware of complaints regarding Ultra Restore but are not looking into the other three businesses.

Dawn Robinson from Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service, said: "Matters are still ongoing with Mr Hopkinson/ CO 08755206.

“We have no current ongoing issue with the other companies, or traders mentioned, however if anyone has a complaint that they wish to be passed on to Trading Standards they can refer it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133, who will provide civil advice, and then refer potential criminal issues to Trading Standards for further investigation.”