Tag Archives: Birmingham

Tax abuse and insolvency – an HMRC consultation

HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”) has issued a consultation entitled “Tax Abuse and Insolvency: A Discussion Document” on how it proposes to confront those who misuse insolvency law as a means of avoiding or evading their tax liabilities. HMRC often describes itself as an “involuntary creditor” because it does not choose to trade with debtors. … Continue Reading

Carillion’s Insolvency – How to Protect Yourself

Following our post on the failure of Carillion yesterday, Ray O’Connor of our Construction team has written the following article “Carillion’s Insolvency – How to Protect Yourself” which looks at practical ways forward for any sub-contractor, employer/developer or funder involved in a project with Carillion. In the event any advice is required on any issues … Continue Reading

Contracts via email – potential pitfalls

A recent decision of the High Court (Goel and another v Grant and another [2017] EWHC 2688 (Ch)) has provided a useful reminder that care must be taken when administrators enter into pre-contract negotiations and the risk of inadvertently entering into a binding contract before terms are finalised. It also deals with the risks of disposing … Continue Reading

A Fight over the Runway II – Monarch Successful on Appeal

Following on from our previous blog A Fight Over the Runway – Monarch Administrators Lose High Court Battle, the latest development in the saga is the recent Court of Appeal decision in Monarch Airlines Ltd v Airport Coordination Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 1892. Overturning the decision of the High Court, the Court of Appeal held that Monarch … Continue Reading

Know the rules! Further changes to IR 2016 afoot

UK insolvency law has seen a number of significant changes over recent years, including the introduction of the Insolvency Rules 2016 (“IR 2016”) in April 2017. Further legislation has been expected in order to ensure that all of these changes apply consistently throughout the whole insolvency regime, after it became clear that IR 2016 did … Continue Reading

Employee Benefit Trusts and insolvency – the next big thing?

Remuneration schemes involving Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs) have become more prevalent over the last 20 years, often as a way of seeking to remunerate key employees without making pay as you earn or national insurance contributions. Given the developments highlighted below, insolvency practitioners are advised to investigate such schemes in matters coming across their desks to see … Continue Reading

Second ranking charges – No assets, no charge?

The recent Court of Appeal decision in Saw (SW) 2010 Ltd and another v Wilson and others (as joint administrators of Property Edge Lettings Ltd) is the first case to address the effect of automatic crystallisation of an earlier floating charge upon a later floating charge. In order for a floating charge to be a … Continue Reading

The enforcement of pre-existing security over assets that become subject to a freezing order

A recent decision in the High Court provided guidance with respect to the apparent conflict between freezing orders that have been granted over assets that are subject to an existing security. Generally speaking, a freezing order should only catch the unsecured elements of assets. The question facing the court in Taylor v Van Dutch Marine … Continue Reading

Does ATE insurance trump Security for Costs?

When reviewing a security for costs application under CPR 25.12, the courts are faced with the challenge of striking a balance between an impecunious claimant’s access to justice and the possibility of a successful defendant being unable to recover their costs. This is because the general rule in relation to costs under CPR 44.2 is … Continue Reading

Reality Check for Rates Liability

The construction industry has never been a stranger to insolvency. There are many factors for insolvency practitioners appointed over a part complete site to consider – security issues, engaging with contractors, creditors and suppliers at the earliest opportunity, not to mention the potential health and safety exposure. The insolvency practitioner will also need to make … Continue Reading

The balance of power – the right deal or the best deal? New administration procedure for housing sector

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (the “Act”) introduces special administration procedures for social housing associations which aim to protect the level of social housing in the UK.  The new housing administration orders (“HAOs”) create an additional objective for insolvency practitioners to try to keep social housing in the regulated housing sector to maintain levels of … Continue Reading

PPF updates guidance for restructuring and insolvency practitioners

Since its inception in 2005, the PPF has been a welcome safety net for employees whose company pension scheme is in deficit and the sponsoring employer is on the verge of insolvency. The PPF’s major challenge has been preventing employers from deliberately engineering or recklessly creating such deficits in the pension scheme (to the benefit … Continue Reading

Are you “special” enough to be validated?

The presumption that courts normally validate dispositions by a company subject to a winding up petition if such dispositions are made in good faith and in the ordinary course of business has been called into question in the recent case of Express Electrical Distributors Ltd v Beavis and others [2016].  Whilst the court has discretion … Continue Reading

Insolvency Service Fees Overhaul – Good News or Bad?

A new fee structure in respect of insolvency fees payable to the Insolvency Service came into force on 21 July 2016, pursuant to The Insolvency Proceedings (Fees) Order 2016 (SI 2016/692) (the “Order”), which revokes The Insolvency Proceedings (Fees) Order 2004 (SI 2004/593) and all ten subsequent amendment orders. The Order increases the deposits and … Continue Reading

Rescue Culture or Rogues’ Charter – Is Proposal A Step Too Far?

Last week the UK Government issued a consultation document on changing UK insolvency legislation to enable distressed companies to obtain a moratorium for up to three months, with the possibility of an extension, under the supervision of an insolvency practitioner. The moratorium would prevent all creditors, including secured creditors, from taking any enforcement action against such companies without first applying to … Continue Reading

A Contradiction over Jurisdiction? English Contract Law v Foreign Insolvency Law

During contract negotiations parties usually agree what law and which courts will determine any disputes arising from that contract.  This brings certainty for the parties.  However that certainty can vanish if one party is a foreign registered company and becomes insolvent – the other party may suddenly become exposed to unexpected foreign insolvency law.  At … Continue Reading

Sunny side up or sunny side down (what is it with pension liabilities . . .)?

The latest iteration of the Sun Capital litigation has confirmed once again what many restructuring professionals have known for a long time – that pension liabilities have a nasty habit of kicking investors where it hurts, often when least expected. Our recent blog explains the decision and provides some insights on the case. One of … Continue Reading

The minefield of surrenders and assignments

The minefield of surrenders and assignments A lease can often be the most financially draining contract a company has hanging around its neck, which can be particularly burdensome when the tenant company is already facing financial distress. Administrators are regularly faced with the task of relieving the administration estate of an onerous, costly lease and … Continue Reading
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