They sold their businesses in Rouen but never got the money back: where did the million euros go?

It was a “reference in the industry” according to former traders. THE firm SAS Guy Hanotcreated in 1966 in Rouen (Seine-Maritime), specialized in sale of businesswas placed in compulsory liquidation in June 2023.

But a year after the firm closed, nine traders having sold their establishment before the liquidation have still not recovered the proceeds of the sales, ranging from 10,000 to 400,000 euros, for a total which amounts to more than1 million euros.

These same traders accuse the latest owner of the firm, Anne-France Hanot, and have filed a complaint against herespecially for breach of trust.

Closure of the office

Established on rue Saint-Sever since its creation, the firm specialized in the sale of business assets. When an establishment was sold, the sum of this sale was necessarily put on a escrow account from the Hanot firm, guaranteed by Socaf, a insurance for real estate professionals, for a period of up to five months. If the merchant had debts, or wanted to take part of this money before the end of this period, he could but had to go through the firm, which had account access.

When the firm was placed in liquidation in June 2023, nine traders had their money in this famous escrow account, including Romane Flahaut, former owner and founder of Lido, a bar in Rouen. “I sold my bar on the 1st^er November 2022. It was bought back, and 400,000 euros were put on the account of the Hanot firm, for a maximum of five months,” explains the former boss. While it should have recovered this sum at the time of liquidation, the firm was in theinability to return it.

When I learned of the firm’s closure, I immediately made a declaration of debt to Socaf. Madame Hanot has never justified herself on the unavailability of funds. I was the jackpot for her.

On a different scale, Nathalie Loisel is also waiting to get her money back. Former owner of the brasserie l’Étage, in Yvetot, she signed the sale of her establishment in February 2023. “The 70,000 euros were placed in the escrow account for three months,” she explains. At the beginning of June, the former boss learned of the liquidation of the firm. “We had no more news. I quickly appealed to Socaf to have the sum returned to me. »

We have been fighting for a year to get our money back.

Lives turned upside down

Romane Flahaut planned to take over the Normandie, a hotel/restaurant in Rives-en-Seine, after the sale of her property. “We had signed a sales agreement, and we were forced to abandon everything. I am in personal bankruptcy, and I had to find a job to be able to survive. We have always been honest, and everything was taken from us,” laments Romane Flahaut.

In Tilleul, a merchant, also a client of the Hanot firm, sold his bakery for 170,000 euros. Same case, he was never able to recover his money, and is today in very serious financial difficulty. “The bailiffs are knocking on his door, he has his wages garnished, and he has to take care of his family. It’s very hard for him. »

In all, they are eight to have filed a complaint, in particular for breach of trust, against the Hanot cabinet.

An account guarantee

The firm’s escrow account being guaranteed by the Socaf, it is up to her to reimburse the traders today. But for the moment, none of them has yet recovered their dues, and the fund is contesting the amounts. ” It’s a very complex file, we need all the supporting documents for the amounts collected by the members. We do not question the words of customers, but we do not always find everything,” defends Socaf.

Socaf also specifies that only the sums paid or at least placed in the escrow account can be reimbursed. But has this always been the case? “The investigation will tell us,” reassures Romane Flahaut.

“Private” reasons

Asked by 76actuAnne-France Hanot, the last owner of the Hanot firm, denies all these accusations. “I don’t know anything about it, I didn’t even know that an investigation was underway. Today, it is up to Socaf to reimburse them, not me,” she defends herself to 76actu.

But then, where did the money in the escrow account go? The former owner is categorical: “It’s private, I don’t dig up the dead. If I am attacked, I should only be accountable to Socaf. » She regrets, however, that traders are still waiting for their money, a year later. “If they ask me for papers or elements to move things forward, I will help them. »

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