A note on the door of the closed GJ Gardner South Canterbury offices in Timaru. The company went into voluntary liquidation on Monday.

The company which holds the GJ Gardner Homes Mid and South Canterbury franchise is in voluntary liquidation.

A notice appeared on the franchise's Hilton Highway offices on Monday.

Insolvency specialists Rodgers Reidy were appointed as liquidators of Heritage Canterbury Limited, which traded as GJ Gardner Mid and South Canterbury.

The closed offices of GJ Gardner Homes' South Canterbury franchise. The branch went into voluntary liquidation on Monday.


Ken Wills Complex owner Ken Wills learnt of the firm's liquidation when he saw the notice shortly after 1pm.

Wills said the liquidation was unfortunate for everyone involved.

Furniture from Wills' furniture shop was still in the company's offices.

Several South Canterbury trades firms are understood to be among the franchise's creditors, and the company's website lists five staff members who were not shareholders in the company.

Rodgers Reidy associate Geoff Brown said the firm would issue a liquidators' first report to creditors on Friday.

Father and son team John and Tobie Hartley became the new owner-operators of the Mid and South Canterbury franchises in August 2014.

Hartley and his family moved to Ashburton from the North Island 2001.


Hartley could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Master Builders South Canterbury president Shane Bray said the liquidation was "a surprise" and not representative of the state of the region's "buoyant" building industry.

Reader's Digest named GJ Gardner New Zealand's most trusted home building brand in June after a brand survey.

Creditors said they retained their trust in the GJ Gardner brand.

The liquidation gave them an unpleasant surprise weeks before Christmas, they said.

GJ Gardner's national office did not respond to questions about the liquidation before print deadlines.