Eight companies of a well-known Wellington landlord who owns numerous properties have been placed into interim receivership by the High Court, but he says he is appealing the order.
Matthew Ryan's companies have been put into receivership after a property dispute with his former partner, according to the appointed receivers.
"The purpose of the appointment is to gain control of the companies, their assets and income streams and preserve the assets pending further reporting to the court," interim receiver Iain Shephard said.
"Where possible, the receivers will attend to the payment of outstanding trading and tax liabilities of the companies," he said.
Ryan said there has "not been a business collapse - the companies are solvent".
"This is a simple case of a former partner applying for an ex parte notice on Friday last week."
He said he had no knowledge of the application until Monday afternoon.
"I'm certain the application would have failed if I'd had the opportunity to reply," he added.
He said he was appealing the order.
The companies in receivership are:
- Lifestyle Rental Properties Limited
- Lifestyle Loans Limited
- Eastbourne Lifestyle Limited
- Gods Plan Limited
- Lifestyle Trading Limited
- Randwick Mews Limited
- Franklyn Street Limited
- Pinot Grove Limited
Ryan has owned more than 100 properties, and regularly spoken to the media about the housing market and property investment.
He is facing court proceedings over charges including strangulation/suffocation, threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, and unlawfully possessing a firearm - which he has pled not guilty to.
His trial is expected late this year or early 2027.
In May he pleaded guilty to two counts each of making an intimate visual recording and publishing an intimate visual recording.
DCM - the organisation supporting homeless people in Wellington - has previously praised Ryan for leasing some homes for community housing.
In 2018, Ryan was involved in a Tenancy Tribunal case when a foreign diplomat avoided paying her landlords - Ryan and Rebecca Van Den Bos - more than $20,000 she owed, due to diplomatic immunity.
Ryan was also caught up in a 2019 tenancy stoush with former Wellington Phoenix owner and TV star Terry Serepisos, Stuff reported.
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled in Ryan's favour and allowed him to kick Serepisos out of a house Ryan bought from Serepisos' mother, which Serepisos had been refusing to leave, it said.