Geelong pool builder Pools and Spas Pty Ltd trading as Dreamtime Pools collapses

Hot on the heels of Melbourne company Pools R Us going under, the same fate has befallen another builder in the industry leaving customers confused and out of pocket.   

Pools and Spas Pty Ltd, trading as Dreamtime Pools and Spas, which primarily builds pools in the Geelong region south-west of Melbourne, went into voluntary external administration on June 9.

More than 130 creditors are believed to be affected by the move, while the Geelong Advertiser reported that five customers had paid at least a combined $175,000 for pools that were yet to be delivered. 

The collapse comes as it emerges Dreamtime director Doug Constable is the author of a book titled, ‘What To Do When You Can’t Pay Your Debts’. 

More than 130 creditors are believed to be affected by the move, while the Geelong Advertiser reported that five customers had paid at least a combined $175,000 for pools that were yet to be delivered

It’s understood some customers paid money to the company for their pool in the week before it went into administration. 

The newspaper spoke to a resident of the west Geelong suburb of Herne Hill, Dana Lunn, who said she now had a ‘collapsing’ hole in her backyard after initially signing a contract with Dreamtime in November 2021.

‘We were told that the pool shell would be delivered within two days of excavation,’ Mrs Lunn said.

‘Now for two months we’ve got a hole in the ground that’s collapsing…I have two children who cannot go outside and we cannot landscape our yard, because everything revolves around this pool hole.

‘We’ve paid $40,255 for our backyard to be destroyed.’

Other customers who were left in the lurch after the collapse of the company vented their frustrations on social media.

‘Anybody here through Dreamtime Pools. We are one of many that has just heard the news that they have gone under,’ wrote one.

‘We have been trying to contact them for the past 4 weeks with no response.’

Another said: ‘They installed my pool late last year. After I paid the shell/installation instalment, I didn’t hear from them.’

‘I rang, emailed, panicked, got given the run around, they had a high staff turn over, they locked in installation dates and never turned up, many times!’

‘DREAMTIME POOLS & SPAS can you please elaborate what is going on with your company??’ a third customer wrote in a post to Facebook.

‘Many of us have paid lots of money to you and are yet to receive our pools, this has been going on for months now!’

‘One of your pool manufacturers has mentioned no pools are going to you currently. This is a huge concern to all of your current clients and we deserve answers!!!!!!!’

‘If anyone has advice on how to get our pools we have paid for, or get our money back please advise! Located in Victoria.’

It’s understood some customers paid money to the company for their pool in the week before it went into administration

One of Dreamtime’s directors, Doug Constable – who coincidentally runs a site helping people and companies deal with insolvency – said he hoped to buy the outstanding jobs from the liquidator and complete the builds

Dreamtime Pools cited problems with its pool shell supplier as the reason for the delay but one supplier said it had stopped trading with the company after six pool shells ordered by it were not paid for.

One of Dreamtime’s directors Doug Constable – who runs a site helping people and companies deal with insolvency – said he hoped to buy the outstanding jobs from the liquidator and complete the builds.

He denied customers and creditors had been left in the dark or ‘ripped off’.

‘Over the past six to 12 months there has been a concerted media and social media campaign, staff shortages, supply delays, material cost blowouts and logistics costs,’ Mr Constable said. 

He said he intended to purchase the majority of the jobs from liquidators and finish the installations. 

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Constable for comment.  

The travails of Dreamtime come on top of the collapse of major Melbourne pool company Nyerse Constructions Pty. Ltd, trading as Pools R Us.

The company went into liquidation on June 1 leaving as many as 80 clients desperately trying to get deposits worth tens of thousands of dollars back.

The family-run business’s downfall has left clients in limbo with little or no communication about what will happen to their pools, or their money.

An email to clients sent on May 31 said the director, Chris Rhodes, was undergoing treatment for a health issue that was ‘taking a very heavy toll’ on his family and the business.

Nyerse Constructions Pty. Ltd. which trades as the Melbourne-based company Pools R Us (pictured), went into liquidation on June 1

An email to clients sent on May 31 said the director Chris Rhodes was undergoing treatment for a health issue that was ‘taking a very heavy toll’ on his family and the business

Customers were told the business had been closed for several weeks but was working on various options to finish projects.

‘Unfortunately what has happened during this period has taken a toll to say the least,’ the email read.

‘Our website and Google Maps listing has been hacked, alongside several death threats towards us and our families, including their children.

‘This is something we cannot work through or tolerate.’

The company then said they would be permanently closing Pools R Us ‘after many years of building quality swimming pools’.

‘We were trying every avenue and all options in our power to continue trading under the circumstances we were facing,’ the email continued.

‘We had continued through Covid – followed by an insanely bad year of weather, massive price rises throughout the building industry, endless supply shortages and huge staff shortages.

‘We are absolutely devastated that we have had to make this decision and unfortunately, due to the events over the last few days, we believe it is no longer possible or safe for us to continue trading.’

Pictured is Pools R Us owner Chris Rhodes. The business went into liquidation on June 1