Two Sussex branches of Homebase have been put up for sale while three are expected to continue trading.
The move came as the troubled DIY chain collapsed into administration a fortnight ago and 74 branches were put up for sale.
The two branches on the market are in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, and Brooks Road, Lewes, with both advertising sales before closing – probably next month or in February.
The branches that are expected to continue trading are in Discovery Park, in Westhampnett Road, Chichester, as well as Lottbridge Drove, in Eastbourne, and the Heath Retail Park, in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham.
According to reports, Homebase had been waiting on tax rebates worth about £5 million before calling in the administrators from specialist firm Teneo.
Homebase said that its finances had been hit hard by an “incredibly challenging” three years for the DIY sector.
The administrators struck a deal to sell the business to retail group CDS, which owns The Range and Wilko, securing the future of up to 1,600 jobs and 70 stores.
But the future of 2,000 other workers and the remaining stores was left hanging in the balance, with the administrators putting 74 leasehold Homebase stores on the market.
The DIY chain’s collapse came amid reports that the banking group Wells Fargo had declined to extend the group’s lending facility due to concerns about its finances.
The tax rebate issue came to light after the details emerged from the commercial real estate adviser Altus Group.
It had been representing the chain and said that more than 50 checks, challenges and appeals against the retailer’s property tax liabilities were outstanding at the time of its collapse.
The company was seeking reductions in the overall rateable value of its store portfolio by £5.7 million following a 2023 revaluation of its annual business rates bill.
Altus said that had these been dealt with before the retailer’s collapse, it would have resulted in tax rebates of about £5 million for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years.
Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, said: “The appeal process is just far too slow and ultimately damaging to cash flow.
“With business now facing the biggest tax increases in three decades, the 2023 tax base must be corrected quickly to ensure that ratepayers not only receive their rebates timely but also have the confidence that their bills have been set fairly.”
