A fuss about the landmark of Hüttwilen TG Lords of the castle bully craftsmen and go underground
The renovation work on Steinegg Castle in Hüttwilen TG was supposed to herald a new chapter for the historic building. Instead, the construction company is waiting for a lot of money. And the owners have disappeared.
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- The British owners of Steinegg Castle in Hüttwilen TG have not paid invoices for renovation work amounting to over 750,000 francs.
- There has been no contact with the owners, who have moved abroad, since September.
- The construction company concerned has now taken legal action.
Steinegg Castle is the landmark above Hüttwilen TG. It has been privately owned by a British couple since 2006, who have been renovating it ever since. But the castle owners have stopped paying the bills. For over a year and a half, the local construction company H. Hagen AG has been waiting for payments amounting to over 750,000 Swiss francs, as reported by the "Thurgauer Zeitung" newspaper.
The construction work on the castle was carried out in several stages. Despite initial punctual payments, the last invoice remained unpaid. The managing director of the construction company, Christian Hagen, has now called in a lawyer to initiate proceedings to realize the mortgage.
The renovation work on the castle, which once served as a spa hotel, was intended to transform it into a private residence. The total cost of the renovation is estimated at around 12 million francs.
Castle couple is no longer in the country
The collaboration with the owner couple worked well for years: "It was a good and pleasant contact," says Hagen to the Thurgauer Zeitung newspaper. They lived in the castle at times while their children attended a nearby private school. However, there has been radio silence since September. The reason: the British have gone abroad.
Despite the financial difficulties, Hagen emphasizes that although the situation is difficult, it does not threaten the existence of his company. He is confident that the debt recorded in the land register will ultimately be settled.
Conversion with taxpayers' money
In addition to the debt to the construction company, the castle owners also have other outstanding financial obligations, including property taxes and fees. A former employee of the couple also reports outstanding payments.
Because the castle is a listed building, the municipality of Hüttwilen had to contribute 10 percent of the conversion costs in accordance with the law on the protection and care of nature and homeland. In 2023, over CHF 213,000 of taxpayers' money went towards the first stage of construction.
It remains unclear whether the owners are still pursuing their plans to spend more time in Hüttwilen once the construction work is complete. They have not yet responded to media inquiries.
The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.