The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) has delivered a significant judgment in Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd v Bresco Electrical Services Ltd (in liquidation) [2018] EWHC 2043 (TCC) where the company seeking to refer a dispute to adjudication was in liquidation. The substance of the dispute related to the contractor's claim for payment allegedly due for work completed, and damages for loss of profits.

The contract and the facts

Early last week PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc., in its capacity as trustee in bankruptcy for Sequoia Resources Corp., filed a statement of claim against Perpetual Energy Inc., attempting to unwind an asset sale from Oct. 1, 2016. Alternatively, PwC is seeking $217-million in damages. Along with Perpetual, PwC has named certain subsidiaries and its CEO, Susan Riddell Rose, as defendants.

In its statement of claim, the plaintiff is relying upon legal principles associated with oppression, reviewable transactions in insolvencies and regulatory law in support of its action.

In our update this month we take a look at some of the recent cases that will be of interest to those involved in insolvency litigation. These include:

In an insolvency, the three heads of set-off (contractual, legal and equitable) each represent a powerful means of effectively jumping the queue and circumventing the ordinary priority scheme between a company's secured and unsecured creditors.

The new housing administration regime for registered providers of social housing is now in force. Our latest Insight introduces the new legislation and highlights some of the key ways in which a housing administration will differ from a normal administration process.

In the framework of the reform of insolvency law that entered into force on 1 May 2018, the legislator has introduced important amendments regarding the liability of the directors in case of bankruptcy. These amended liability rules apply to directors of companies and not to physical persons who operate without a corporate structure.

1. Liability claim for apparent gross fault

Dans le cadre de la réforme du droit de l’insolvabilité qui est entrée en vigueur le 1er mai 2018, le législateur a opéré plusieurs modifications importantes concernant la responsabilité des administrateurs en cas de faillite. Les règles de responsabilité révisées valent pour les administrateurs de sociétés et non pour les personnes physiques qui bien qu’étant des entreprises, n’ont pas la structure d’une société.

1. Action en responsabilité pour faute grave et caractérisée

In het kader van de hervorming van het insolventierecht die op 1 mei 2018 van kracht is geworden, heeft de wetgever een aantal belangrijke wijzigingen doorgevoerd inzake de aansprakelijkheid van bestuurders bij een faillissement. De herziene aansprakelijkheidsregels gelden voor bestuurders van vennootschappen en niet voor natuurlijke personen die ondernemingen zijn maar geen vennootschapsstructuur hebben.

1. Aansprakelijkheidsvordering wegens kennelijk grove fout

The Court of Appeal considers 'reasonable adjustment' in the context of possession proceedings

The first case in which the Equalities legislation has been raised as a defence to a mortgagee's claim for possession has recently been before the Court of Appeal.

La nouvelle loi sur l'insolvabilité est entrée en vigueur ce 1er mai 2018. La loi sur la continuité des entreprises (LCE), en tant que loi distincte, telle qu’elle existait jusqu’à récemment, a cessé d'exister et a été révisée et pleinement intégrée dans le livre XX CDE.