When a lessee fails to comply with a notice to remedy a non-payment or other lease default, the lessor may be entitled to terminate the lease and retake possession of the property. This is commonly done by changing the locks.

However, a lessee who wants to save itself from being evicted can apply to court to prevent the lessor from retaking possession. In Queensland this application is made under section 124 of the Property Law Act 1974 (Qld) and is known as an application for relief against forfeiture.

When is relief against forfeiture granted?

In november 2016 is door de Hoge Raad bevestigd dat de vernietiging van een faillissement geen effect heeft op door een curator voordien verrichte beschikkingshandelingen. De curator kan rechtshandelingen verrichten tot het moment waarop de vernietiging in kracht van gewijsde is gegaan. Wel dient de curator terughoudend gebruik te maken van zijn bevoegdheden gedurende de periode waarin een vonnis tot faillietverklaring is vernietigd, maar deze vernietiging nog niet onherroepelijk is geworden.

Juridisch kader

De kwaliteit van de debiteurenportefeuille is van belang voor de beoordeling van de vraag of een tussentijds dividendbesluit door de beugel kan. Dat blijkt uit een uitspraak van de Hoge Raad d.d. 23 september 2016.

Hierna volgt een korte bespreking van een arrest dat met name van belang is voor de praktijk. Een praktijk waarin curatoren steeds vaker geconfronteerd worden met ICT-leveranciers die zich opstellen als dwangcrediteuren (ik roep Oilily in herinnering), maar niet onder de reikwijdte van artikl 37b Fw vallen.

The latest piece in the jigsaw of Hong Kong's corporate winding-up regime is the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 ("Amendment Ordinance"), which enters into legal effect as of today, 13 February 2017.

Last week the Supreme Court of New South Wales provided another timely reminder to ensure that all security interests are correctly registered on the Personal Property and Securities Register (PPSR) through the decision In the matter of OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) [2017] NSWSC 21.

The facts

Alleasing Pty Ltd leased a crushing and screening plant (for approximately $4 million annually in rent) and spare parts for the crusher to OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Limited.

Failing to register a lessor’s security interest on the PPSR over plant and equipment at leased premises can result in the lessor’s unperfected security interest passing to the administrator of the lessee.

In the recent decision of Flown Pty Ltd v Goldrange Pty Ltd [2016] WASC 419, a lessee’s administrator successfully retained ownership of plant and equipment (which were not fixtures) in the leased premises.

Background

In the recent case of Hadley v BetHQ Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1263, the debtor company, BetHQ, came to grief when a statutory demand was validly served at the company’s registered office in Brisbane as shown in ASIC records. The premises were a serviced office; however BetHQ had ceased operations at the serviced office and had moved its operations to Victoria.

Introduction

On November 8 2016 Parliament adopted the Sapin II Act to promote:

• transparency;
• the fight against corruption; and
• the modernisation of the economy.

The act authorises the government to make decisions regarding legislative matters, including with regard to clarifying and modernising the status of security agents and their role in restructurings.

When a secured creditor appoints a receiver it is usual for them to sign an agreement setting out the terms of the receiver’s appointment, including payment of the receiver’s remuneration, costs and expenses. Appointment documents commonly contain indemnity clauses in which the secured creditor agrees to indemnify the receiver in specified circumstances.