In brief

At A Glance

This past month, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision in Triple Point Technology Inc v PTT Public Company Ltd[2021] UKSC 29, and most notably, found that liability for liquidated damages survives termination of the contract and extends to work that was not completed as at the date of termination.

Background

This quarterly civil fraud update provides a summary of reported decisions handed down in the courts of England and Wales in the period April - June 2021.

CONTEMPT OF COURT

Rogue directors will find themselves in the firing line if and when The Rating (COVID-19) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament, comes into force. The proposed bill will enable the investigation and potential disqualification of directors of dissolved companies, and responds in particular to concerns around COVID-related fraud.

Background

s.271(3) Insolvency Act 1986 provides that:

“The court may dismiss the petition if it is satisfied that the debtor is able to pay all his debts or is satisfied—

(a)that the debtor has made an offer to secure or compound for a debt in respect of which the petition is presented,

(b)that the acceptance of that offer would have required the dismissal of the petition, and

(c)that the offer has been unreasonably refused..”

Introduction¹

In order to obtain a bankruptcy order upon either a creditors', or a bankrupt's own, bankruptcy application, it must be shown that a debtor:

Welcome to the next edition of the insolvency insight bulletin from the insolvency specialists at Quadrant Chambers. All cases link to the relevant judgments.

Legislation

Does the extension of pandemic protections risk creating 'zombie' businesses in the building sector?

The government has extended measures in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA) to protect businesses during the pandemic until 30 September 2021.

The CIGA came into force on 26 June 2020. It introduced new procedures and measures to rescue companies in financial distress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pandemic protection

The case of Triple Point Technology Inc (Triple Point) v PTT Public Company Ltd (PTT) [2021] UKSC 29 has prompted considerable discussion in the construction industry.

In the recent case of Re Hydrodec Group Plc [2021] NSWSC 755 (Hydrodec) the Supreme Court of New South Wales (NSW Supreme Court or Court) rejected an application by a non-operating holding company, Hydrodec Group Plc (the Company), for recognition of its United Kingdom (UK) debtor-in-possession Part A1 moratorium process (Part A1 Moratorium) and relief from a winding up application being made against the Company in Australia.