As Covid-19 restrictions in the UK gradually come to an end, the need for distressed tenants to be able to reorganise their liabilities to efficiently deal with the pandemic’s impact upon their balance sheets is likely to result in a number looking to use restructuring plans and CVAs.
Thankfully, a trio of significant recent cases, New Look1, Virgin Active2 and Regis3, have provided helpful and timely guidance regarding the use of such processes.
When finances become distressed, creditors examine all avenues to recover their debt which can result in any intercreditor agreements being thrown into the spotlight. The recent judgment of Re Arboretum Devon is another helpful reminder to lenders entering into an intercreditor agreement (ICA) that these should be drafted with the worst-case scenario in mind and using the clearest language in order to avoid disputes arising at the time of enforcement.
Last month, we discussed practical tips for dealing with contractor insolvency as part of our ongoing construction webinar series.
Our colleague, Doug Wass, has already shared three key points to be aware of when a contractor becomes insolvent. In this article we discuss, in more detail, the practical points clients and those administering building contracts on their behalf should consider when contractor insolvency is suspected and occurs.
Three weeks spent entirely at home seemed daunting at the time (little did we know…) and the prospect of wholesale business closures soon gave rise to serious concerns about the potential impact which those closures would have on the wider economy.
Summary
The Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space Moratorium and Mental Health Crisis Moratorium) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, which will come into force on 4 May 2021, will provide individuals with the opportunity to obtain legal protection from creditors in the form of either a breathing space moratorium or a mental health crisis moratorium. Given the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be a significant number of individuals seeking to obtain a moratorium to pause action against them to recover debts.
Protecting debtors
The interesting times of the last 14 months were preceded by the interesting times of the financial crisis of 2008/2009. The reverberations of that financial crisis had a profound effect upon governments’ presumptions as to the financial stability of economies generally but also the financial stability of sectors such as financial services.
The temporary restrictions on winding-up petitions brought in under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (“CIGA”) are wider than originally envisaged when first announced by the government in April 2020 and have now been extended until 30 June 2021.
With an increased number of businesses experiencing financial difficulties in the current economic climate, lender-led debt restructurings are becoming more prevalent. Such restructurings are commonly achieved by the lender releasing, capitalising or amending its debt, each of which will have tax consequences for the borrower group.
This note sets out a brief summary of some of the key UK tax points to be aware of, and pitfalls to avoid, when undertaking these debt restructurings.
Debt waivers
A recent decision of the Court has confirmed that the recipient of funds from an individual who is subject to a bankruptcy petition can be construed as having provided value where that value is given to a third party (and not to the bankrupt personally).
Roger Elford and Jessica Williams in the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP acted for a successful Respondent, Howard de Walden Estates Limited, in these proceedings.
The Background