On May 31, 2021, Houston, Texas-based OFS International, LLC, also known as OFSi, a privately held company which provides a full complement of services required to supply oil country tubular goods for the oil and gas industry, along with affiliates, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Case No. 21-31784).
On May 31, 2021, ALH Properties No. Fourteen, LP, owner and operator of the Embassy Suites Houston Downtown hotel in Houston, TX, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Case No. 21-31797). The company estimated $50 million to $100 million in assets and $10 million to $50 million in liabilities.
On May 30, 2021, Certa Dose, Inc, a New York-based pharmaceutical technology company that has developed a proprietary and patented method of delivering medicine to eliminate the risk of life-threatening overdoes, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 21-11045).
On June 1, 2021, JDS Fourth Avenue LLC, a New York-based real estate development company, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 21-10888). The company estimated $1 million to $10 million in both assets and liabilities.
On May 19, 2021, Hospitality Investors Trust Operating Partnership, L.P., a New York-based hotel industry real estate investment trust, severely impacted by the Covid-19 related travel drop-offs, along with affiliate Hospitality Investors Trust, Inc., filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 21-10830).
On 12 May 2021, Mr Justice Snowden sanctioned Virgin Active’s three inter-conditional restructuring plans under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006. The case has been followed with significant interest in the restructuring community because the restructuring plans included the most extensive cross-class cram down proposal since the introduction of the restructuring plan process last year (DeepOcean and Smile Telecoms are the only other restructuring plans to utilise the cram-down mechanism).
The government has introduced the Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space), which came into effect on 4 May 2021, which allows individuals who are struggling with debt to apply for a “breathing space” in which to sort out their finances. This scheme, which was introduced in response to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, includes residential tenants who are in arrears of rent.
What is a breathing space?
There are two types of breathing space:-
Hong Kong and the Mainland have agreed a new co-operation mechanism for cross-border insolvency. Under the agreement, liquidators from Hong Kong may apply to Mainland courts for recognition of insolvency proceedings in Hong Kong, whilst bankruptcy administrators from the Mainland can apply to the Hong Kong High Court for recognition of bankruptcy proceedings in the Mainland.
Hong Kong and the Mainland have agreed a new co-operation mechanism for cross-border insolvency.
On May 14, 2021, Gateway Kensington LLC, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 21-22274).
On April 26, 2021, Royal Blue Realty Holdings, Inc., a New York-based real estate company, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 21-10802). The company reports $1 million to $10 million in assets and $10 million to $50 million in liabilities.