An estate agency has changed hands for the second time in a year.

Domum – formerly Penyards – has now been sold to Taylor Hill & Bond.

A year ago, Penyards was sold in a pre-pack administration by Begbies Traynor. The prominent Hampshire agent had collapsed with debts of over £1m, with the biggest creditor being HMRC, owed £422,000.

It was sold for £180,000 to a firm called No 17 Marketing.

Director of No 17 Marketing is Paul Grant, managing partner of a law firm, Bernard Chill & Axtell.

It is understood that the price now paid by Taylor Hill & Bond was substantially less than that paid a year ago, although it is not clear how much of the business they have bought.

The suggestion is that only some of the then eight branches have been acquired and that the price paid was in the region of £80,000. It is understood that there were two, possibly three, bids.

The deal was put together by insolvency, restructuring and distressed specialists RSM, which yesterday confirmed to EYE the identity of the purchasers but no other details.

However, it is public knowledge that Paul Grant is now bankrupt, as from earlier this month. His name appears on the personal insolvency list, with his bankruptcy due to be discharged on May 3 next year.

EYE did speak to Paul Grant, but he ended our call abruptly and did not answer any of our questions, so we are unable to give his side of the story.

In March this year, the legal press reported that a team of 23 lawyers and support staff from Bernard Chill & Axtell had been acquired by another business.

On Monday last week, HMRC, as the alleged creditors of No 17 Marketing, presented a petition to the High Court to wind up the firm.

HMRC’s solicitors confirmed to EYE that this was adjourned to June 12.

Other creditors are understood to be Rightmove – which, since last week, has not carried Domum listings. Rightmove said it would not comment, but a supplier of boards to Domum confirmed that they have not been paid.

It is understood that a software supplier is also owed money, with the result being that property particulars cannot be amended.

The sale appears to have been arranged quickly – if social media is anything to go by. Darran Clark, a property consultant to Domum, advertised that a “multi office estate agent based in Hampshire” was for sale but that time was running out, see below.

As Penyards, the firm was originally owned by its founders Graham and Lisa Evans.

Its profile in Hampshire was very high, with Penyards being the biggest single advertiser in a local newspaper property supplement published by Newsquest.

We would like to clarify that Penyards Property Management is an entirely separate business and continues to trade separately.

We have so far been unable to speak to Taylor Hill & Bond, an independent with three offices in Hampshire and Surrey.