Latest news with #shippingcontainer
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bridgend council loses £3,500 in shipping container fraud
A council lost more than £3,500 when a shipping container it ordered never council paid £3,658 up front, half of the total cost, but the container was not delivered and the sale was identified as fraud.A request for the remainder of the payment had been rejected and the authority said it had tried to contact the firm it bought the container from, but it is unsure if it will succeed in recovering the council's governance and audit committee heard officers would investigate if there had been a breach in procedure in order to prevent it happening again, although it was deemed a one-off incident. While it was unclear exactly why the shipping container had been bought, some members pointed out a number of others had been set up in Porthcawl for start-up businesses to bosses heard about the purchase during discussions about an audit inquiries letter to Audit of the report given to councillors noted a case of "actual, suspected, or alleged fraud" in relation to the missing shipping letter that was submitted to Audit Wales said: "The council ordered a shipping container which did not arrive and paid 50% up-front."This has been identified as a fraud and a request for the final 50% payment was rejected."Steven Easterbrook, Independent councillor for Bridgend Central, described the situation as embarrassing and said the authority needed to be "a lot more careful" in the future. This article was written by a trusted journalist and then edited for length and style with the help of AI, before being checked again by a BBC Journalist. It's part of a pilot.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Council scammed out of thousands for shipping container that never arrived
Bridgend County Borough Council lost more than £3,000 to fraud in the 2024-25 financial year after a shipping container they ordered never arrived. Council bosses heard about the purchase at a governance and audit committee meeting where they discussed the submission of an audit inquiries letter to Audit Wales. The letter is intended to help Audit Wales' understanding of the governance arrangements for the council to support their work in providing an audit opinion on the yearly financial statement. However a part of the report given to councillors noted a case of "actual, suspected, or alleged fraud" where a shipping container had been ordered with 50% of the cost being paid up-front but which never arrived. READ MORE: M4 shut overnight after in police incident READ MORE: Porthcawl's beloved Coney Beach amusement park to close within months Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice The letter which was submitted to Audit Wales said: "The council ordered a shipping container which did not arrive and paid 50% up-front (£3,658). "This has been identified as a fraud and a request for the final 50% payment was rejected. "Financial regulations require that payments in advance should not be made without s151 officer approval." Addressing the chamber councillor Martin Hughes of Maesteg East asked how the purchase was made and if it would be possible for the council to recoup any of the losses. Officers responded by saying there had been attempts to make contact with the company to recover the money though they were "not sure" if it was possible. They also added that while this seemed to be a one-off incident they would look into it further to see if there had been a breach in procedure to make sure it didn't happen again. Councillor Steven Easterbrook of Bridgend Central described the situation as embarrassing for the authority and said they needed to be "a lot more careful" in the way they were doing things. While it was unclear exactly why the shipping container had been purchased some members pointed out that a number of other containers had recently been set up in Porthcawl for start-up businesses to use. Following the report the committee approved the letter of response to Audit Wales though asked that further investigations take place on the incident with the missing shipping container. For the latest Bridgend news sign up to our newsletter here.
Daily Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Leichhardt home listed with shipping container in living area
These homeowners have taken thinking outside the box to a whole new level. A residential home with a giant shipping container in the middle of the living space has been turning heads after being listed for sale in one of Sydney's most unusual real estate deals. The property within inner west suburb Leichhardt – originally used as a furniture factory in the 1920s before being converted into a residence in the 2000s – had last traded in 2015 for $2.31 million, records showed. It's now listed with a guide of $5.5 million. MORE: Mystery buyer of Sydney's skinniest waterfront revealed MORE: New blow for those earning less than $290k The shipping container was installed by the previous owner, an architect, who reportedly used it as an office. The warehouse underwent a sweeping renovation in 2018 by high end interior designers Hare and Klein, who were tasked with updating the home while still maintaining an industrial aesthetic. Current owner Jie Howells and husband Gary were faced with a key dilemma: whether to keep the unusual container within the home or have it stripped out. They decided to preserve it and paint it. The shipping container is a key feature of the home. It sits between the entry way and an open room listed as the 'sitting area'. The top of the corrugated iron structure can be accessed via a ladder. Ms Howells told selling agency Ray White that the indoor shipping container had served various purposes during their time at the house. MORE: Wild Sydney trend could destroy $16m home 'We used it as a kid's playroom when our son Harry was young and as a bedroom when we have guests,' she said. 'The shipping container can be used as a meeting room for business, a sitting room, an office, and of course storage.' Ms Howells, who has been running a business from the property, said the shipping container was an 'integral part' of the warehouse and was 'versatile'. 'It is a blank canvas, its use is only limited by one's imagination,' she said. 'It can be converted to a wine cellar, an artist studio, a meditation room, a home gym, or a home theatre. 'Over the past 10 years, we have received many suggestions for this shipping container – a swimming pool, a bar, a recording studio and even a hydroponic tomato farm.' MORE: Aussie 37yo makes $160k a year doing nothing Ms Howells explained that the home was 'raw but with great bones' when they bought it. Her family had lived in the home comfortably for three years before embarking on the renovation. 'Our brief was to retain the industrial heritage and majesty, but make it a special family home and add some designer opulence,' she said. 'We used a light touch approach and retained most of its industrial charm.' The Excelsior St warehouse is being marketed by Ray White Touma Taylor selling agent Walter Burfitt-Williams. He explained that the shipping container was a key talking point among those interested in the property. 'Everyone has an opinion, he said. 'People with kids love it. It would make an amazing cubby house … But a shipping container is not going to be for everyone. You can have it removed.' MORE: Dodgy tradies' insane rip off tactics exposed MORE: 40yo 'disappointed' he only has 300 homes Mr Burfitt-Williams said the double-storey three-bathroom, three-bedroom property would suit a young family, a professional couple, or even downsizers looking for something 'hip and groovy'. 'It's a quirky and a different type of property, which has been superbly transformed into a family home,' Mr Burfitt-Williams said. The property has soaring original ceilings fitted with an array of skylights, numerous expansive living spaces and a statement dining room. The floors are a mix of polished concrete and timber. There is also a courtyard with multiple sitting areas, and a century-old chimney. Ms Howells said living in the warehouse for the past 10 years was a 'pleasant memory'. MORE: Aussie landlord's horror after 12 homes stolen
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Weird act leaves family with ship container in home
These homeowners have taken thinking outside the box to a whole new level. A residential home with a giant shipping container in the middle of the living space has been turning heads after being listed for sale in one of Sydney's most unusual real estate deals. The property within inner west suburb Leichhardt - originally used as a furniture factory in the 1920s before being converted into a residence in the 2000s - had last traded in 2015 for $2.31 million, records showed. It's now listed with a guide of $5.5 million. MORE: Mystery buyer of Sydney's skinniest waterfront revealed A living space within a living space: the inside of the container, which sits within the home's open plan zone. MORE: New blow for those earning less than $290k The shipping container was installed by the previous owner, an architect, who reportedly used it as an office. The warehouse underwent a sweeping renovation in 2018 by high end interior designers Hare and Klein, who were tasked with updating the home while still maintaining an industrial aesthetic. Current owner Jie Howells and husband Gary were faced with a key dilemma: whether to keep the unusual container within the home or have it stripped out. They decided to preserve it and paint it. The shipping container is a key feature of the home. It sits between the entry way and an open room listed as the 'sitting area'. The top of the corrugated iron structure can be accessed via a ladder. Ms Howells told selling agency Ray White that the indoor shipping container had served various purposes during their time at the house. MORE: Wild Sydney trend could destroy $16m home The orange shipping container is one of the first things that greets visitors upon entry. 'We used it as a kid's playroom when our son Harry was young and as a bedroom when we have guests,' she said. 'The shipping container can be used as a meeting room for business, a sitting room, an office, and of course storage.' Ms Howells, who has been running a business from the property, said the shipping container was an 'integral part' of the warehouse and was 'versatile'. 'It is a blank canvas, its use is only limited by one's imagination,' she said. 'It can be converted to a wine cellar, an artist studio, a meditation room, a home gym, or a home theatre. 'Over the past 10 years, we have received many suggestions for this shipping container – a swimming pool, a bar, a recording studio and even a hydroponic tomato farm.' MORE: Aussie 37yo makes $160k a year doing nothing The up-market home has a price guide of $5.5m. Ms Howells explained that the home was 'raw but with great bones' when they bought it. Her family had lived in the home comfortably for three years before embarking on the renovation. 'Our brief was to retain the industrial heritage and majesty, but make it a special family home and add some designer opulence,' she said. 'We used a light touch approach and retained most of its industrial charm.' The Excelsior St warehouse is being marketed by Ray White Touma Taylor selling agent Walter Burfitt-Williams. He explained that the shipping container was a key talking point among those interested in the property. 'Everyone has an opinion, he said. 'People with kids love it. It would make an amazing cubby house ... But a shipping container is not going to be for everyone. You can have it removed.' MORE: Dodgy tradies' insane rip off tactics exposed The 1920-built property was originally a furniture warehouse. MORE: 40yo 'disappointed' he only has 300 homes Mr Burfitt-Williams said the double-storey three-bathroom, three-bedroom property would suit a young family, a professional couple, or even downsizers looking for something 'hip and groovy'. 'It's a quirky and a different type of property, which has been superbly transformed into a family home,' Mr Burfitt-Williams said. The property has soaring original ceilings fitted with an array of skylights, numerous expansive living spaces and a statement dining room. The floors are a mix of polished concrete and timber. There is also a courtyard with multiple sitting areas, and a century-old chimney. Ms Howells said living in the warehouse for the past 10 years was a 'pleasant memory'. MORE: Aussie landlord's horror after 12 homes stolen Originally published as Leichhardt home listed with shipping container in living area
