PART of the business empire created by the Bury-based Kiely housebuilding brothers looked to be on shaky ground this week. The four-strong Dillons Estate Agents chain, run by Mr Paul Kiely, crashed suddenly last week leaving hundreds of house buyers and sellers in limbo.

And the Bury Times understands the shutdown coincided with 17 job losses spread across Kiely Homes, Kiely Developments and Heritage Homes, all based at Castlecroft, Bury.

The good news is that a Holcombe company has picked up the pieces left by the shutdown of Dillons' offices in Bury, Bolton, Rochdale and Blackburn.

Last Friday's shock action was taken by company director Mr Paul Kiely who lives in Tottington.

Callers to Kiely's headquarters were told Dillons had nothing to do with them. Some staff said they hadn't even heard of the company.

Yesterday, however, it was announced Holcombe-based Timberlake and Allan Estate Agents would come to the rescue of many Dillons' customers left high and dry.

The business has now taken over a proportion of the agreed sales for Dillons' former clients - those previously dealt with by the Bury, Bolton and Rochdale offices - and will see these sales through to completion.

Mr Karl Timberlake said: "All relevant parties, vendors, purchasers and solicitors, have now been informed.

"A proportion of Dillons' former clients who have properties on the market have also been contacted to offer them our services." Mr Timberlake stressed the company had no association, past of present, with Dillons. "We are solely taking over the transfer of a proportion of the client register to see it through to a happy and successful completion."

He disclosed he had contacted Mr Kiely and had offered his company's services in the light of the shutdown.

One of those affected by the sudden closure of Dillons' was Mr Mark Nash whose home in Walshaw Road, Bury, was sold just days before the company shut.

He is now making alternative arrangements and vowed he would not pay the Dillons' fixed price £590 fee.

"That wasn't going to be paid until the contracts were exchanged anyway" said Mr Nash.

"But if this company no longer operates, I'll tell my solicitors not to pay it. As far as I'm concerned, part of their remit was to organise solicitors and to carry out other work.

"If they can't do it, as far as I am concerned they've broken their agreement with me and are not entitled to the money."

The closure of the Kiely-owned business comes in the wake of increasingly critical publicity surrounding the activities of the brothers' companies.

Mr Kiely has been unavailable for comment And staff at Castlecroft refused to confirm or deny reports of the 17 job losses.

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