Mother’s Day was ruined for Sandra Solari, Lucas, left, Aaron, Tim and Max, front, when a photo firm left them $500 out of pocket.
By Callan Date
A BERWICK family had Mother’s Day ruined by a photo company operating out of Westfield Fountain Gate.
Sandra Solari paid $500 for Kidz 2000 Photography Australia to take professional photos of her four sons.
The portraits were intended as a Mother’s Day gift for several members of the Solari family but those hopes were dashed when the company went into administration earlier this month.
Ms Solari said she knew something was amiss when the photos didn’t arrive on time.
“All the phone numbers had been turned off and the company’s website had been shut down,” Ms Solari said.
She said the organisation handling the administration, Andrew Dunner and Associates, had told her that she might have to pay more money to eventually get the photos completed.
“I’m very disappointed. It was meant to be a Mother’s Day present for the kids’ nana and grandma.
“It’s not really fair at all. I’m not the only one that has been caught out by this,” she said.
A spokesman for Andrew Dunner and Associates said about 70 customers had been left out of pocket by Kidz 2000 Photography Australia.
He said a meeting had been held with the creditors of the company to work out the next step in the administration process of the company.
“We hold a number of finished job orders here and there are a number of jobs still waiting to be developed and framed,” he said.
“The unfortunate thing is that the people who have paid deposits or paid in full might have to pay more if there is more work to be completed by another company.
“If this is the case then the customer could apply as an unsecured creditor and could try and get some of this money back,” he said.
He said Kidz 2000 Photography Australia ran into major financial difficulty.
“They have a responsibility to call in administrators when this happens.”
However, this is scant consolation for Ms Solari who is now out of pocket $468 and may be required to pay up more cash to get her photos finished.
“It’s just not fair,” she said.
