In the current climate, it is expected that thousands of business will enter administration and Administrators will need to assess each administration on its merits to see if it is appropriate to adopt a light touch approach.
As a result of the unprecedented situation that is being faced by businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns there have been many discussions within the insolvency and legal sectors about how best to rescue struggling businesses.
As a creditor, especially during the current Covid-19 crisis, it may be tempting to accept all and any payments from debtors.
Payments that a debtor company makes to you during the period where there is a winding-up petition in place will be a void disposition, under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, unless there is an application to the Court and receipt of what is known as a “validation order,” allowing you to keep the money.
What’s happening in real life?
The changes?
On Saturday, during the Government’s daily Coronavirus update, it was announced that it would shortly legislate to:
In a recent decision, [1], the High Court decided that it was not in the public interest to wind up a business rates mitigation scheme under its Insolvency Act powers, as it found that this scheme did not subvert the intention of insolvency law.
Introduction
On August 29, 2019, the majority of the Alberta Court of Appeal held in Canada v. Canada North Group Inc., 2019 ABCA 314 (Canada North) that priming charges granted in a Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) Initial Order can have priority over the Crown’s deemed trust for unremitted source deductions. [1]
Introduction
In 2012, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment issued a clean-up order against 13 former directors of Northstar Aerospace Canada. Northstar was bankrupt and the directors had to pay millions because the company’s D&O policy excluded pollution. A recent article by Greg Meckbach in Canadian Underwriter examines the effect that order has had on the commercial insurance industry in Canada.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the court does have jurisdiction to grant a licensee (as opposed to a tenant) relief from forfeiture provided that the licensee has possessory or proprietary rights (Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd v Vauxhall Motors Ltd (formerly General Motors UK Ltd) [2018] EWCA Civ 1100).
Forfeiture and Relief from Forfeiture
On 25 April 2018 a new Insolvency Practice Direction came into force with immediate effect (PDIP 2018). Its purpose is to bring the insolvency practice directions into alignment with the procedural requirements under the Insolvency Rules 2016 and the new Business and Property Courts Practice Direction.