Dozens of Aussies, including the family of a terminally ill girl, are thousands of dollars out of pocket after a popular spa company allegedly failed to deliver their orders.
Spas Direct, which has operated under several names including Sunseal Garden Spas, entered liquidation on June 3, 2024 according to ASIC data.
Several customers have levelled shocking allegations at the company, based in Queensland, on a Facebook group with over 400 members.
One affected customer claimed they paid $5,000 to the now defunct company for a spa but allegedly never received the product.
Lauren Elise, whose daughter suffers from an incurable disease, claimed she ordered her a spa in the hopes of easing her symptoms but that it never came.
‘We are also part of this debacle. $25k down. We have a child who has a terminal illness, who requires this for rehabilitation as cannot leave the house,’ she wrote.
‘We are beyond gutted. We just wanted her to be comfortable.’
Terry Bartholomai, 57, bought a Mini Plunge Pool for $16,000 last November to aid ongoing treatment for his debilitating back pain but claims it hasn’t arrived.
Dozens of Aussies have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after Spas Direct allegedly failed to deliver products before entering liquidation (pictured stock image)
The company issued a statement saying that ‘due to an ongoing dispute with our third-party logistics partner, we regret to inform you that we are temporarily unable to release or dispatch any Spas from our facilities’.
Several customers claimed they had contacted Spas Direct on multiple occasions to make inquiries about their product, but never heard back.
However, others said they had received refunds for their orders.
Another disgruntled customer, Kerri Wright, claimed she paid more than $15,000 for a spa that was never delivered to her home.
‘Once all invoices were paid over four days, I was then ghosted, no response to phone calls and then the phones were not answered,’ she said.
I feel angry, frustrated and disappointed that the laws allow businesses like this to continue to operate.’
Spas Direct also allegedly owes more than $1.75million to freight company 3Sixty Global Logistics. Mark Carmody, a lawyer for the logistics company, said the company had lodged court proceedings.
He said Sixty Global Logistics is currently holding more than 500 spas and spa products in its warehouses and is yet to decide what to do with them.
One woman shared a heartbreaking post and claimed she ordered a spa for her daughter, who lives with an incurable disease, but never received the product (pictured stock image)
‘360 is [allegedly] currently owed about $1.8million for the warehousing and logistics services that it has been providing to JKJ/Sunseal Garden Spas with trading names Spas Direct (Spas Direct) during 2024,’ he told 7News.
‘360 has filed two claims against Spas Direct’s related entities for the debt that it is owed.’
Others claimed that when their spas arrived, parts such as the heater did’t work. Despite being supplied with a replacement, a company technician failed to come and install it.
The Spas Direct website is temporarily unavailable ‘due to an ongoing dispute with a logistics company’.
‘As more information becomes available this website will be updated accordingly,’ its website states.
According to ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) records, Spas Direct trades under nine different business names including Sunseal Garden Spas Pty Ltd and Spas 4 U Australia.
The Spas Direct website (pictured) is temporarily unavailable ‘due to an ongoing dispute with a logistics company’
The company is also registered under JKJ Trust, which was registered in February 2023. The company’s director Gregory Lord declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Thursday Legal, who are representing the business, as well as ASIC and the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.
Spas Direct sold dozens of spas including plunge pools and infrared saunas.
Some of the models were sold for up to $18,995 while their swim spa range was sold for up to $42,995.
