Three recent decisions clarify issues around personal bankruptcy proceedings.

These include:

• compromise proposals

• procedures for substitution of creditors, and

• vesting of property disclaimed by the Official Assignee.

Debtors' compromises in bankruptcy proceedings

A bankruptcy notice under the Insolvency Act requires the debtor to pay the debt or compromise the amount owing on terms that satisfy the Court or the creditor.

Bankruptcy represents a significant interference with the bankrupt's property and business activities.  Those consequences form the judicial policy at work in Re Bartercard Exchange Ltd [2016] NZHC 703, in which the Court refused to cure deficiencies in Bartercard's bankruptcy notice, and dismissed its application to adjudicate Mr de Vires bankrupt.

In Erceg v Erceg¹ the New Zealand Court of Appeal ruled on the standing of bankrupt beneficiaries to bring claims against trustees. In addition, the Court considered the role of trustee discretion when determining beneficiary access to trust documentation. The decision is useful for trustees and beneficiaries alike, and provides clarity on the steps a Court may take when deciding whether or not to grant beneficiaries disclosure of trust information. Although this is a New Zealand decision, other common law courts such as Hong Kong may reach similar conclusions.

​The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is proposing law change after the Court of Appeal ruled that KiwiSaver funds are beyond the reach of the Official Assignee.

The effect of the ruling is to provide a higher level of protection for KiwiSaver balances than for other forms of retirement savings.

MBIE is seeking feedback on a range of options to create a uniform policy approach to the use of retirement savings in bankruptcy.

Submissions close on 30 September 2016. We encourage you to make a submission.

Background

Resumen: Mecanismo preconcursal para empresas en situación de insolvencia y que permite evitar la tramitación de concursos sin incurrir en responsabilidades los administradores societarios. Así mismo, instrumento necesario para conseguir el Beneficio de Exoneración de Pasivos Insatisfechos en caso de deudores personas físicas“.

Key Point

The court adjourned a bankruptcy hearing on the basis that a Spanish court sanctioned liquidation plan for a group of companies in which the debtor had an interest might release value for creditors.

The Facts

The Law 9/2015 includes the following novelties:

1.   In Regard to the Insolvency Agreement

Law 9/2015 presents a series of novelties regarding the insolvency agreement, such as:

The Supreme Court rules in a recent decision over different bankruptcy incidents. The first relates to a work contract to supply materials in which a penalty clause for late work is established, and the ability to execute the works under the guarantee provided in the contract if the contractor may not execute them. Having a delay in delivery of the work and having entrusted to another company the repair works, the owner claimed the payment of the amounts and compensation with the guarantee held.

The new amendments carried out in the BankruptcyProceedings Act by virtue of the Royal Decree 4/2014,dated March 7, aims to introduce a viable restructuringof corporate debt, trying to streamline BankruptcyProceedings and prevailing primacy of will.

The recently-approved Royal Decree Law 4/2014 (RDL), dated March 7 and published March 8 in the Official State Gazette (BOE), has the main goal of addressing measures to ensure the feasible restructuring of corporate debt, encouraging a relief of financial burdens for companies which, despite high debt levels, are still feasible from an operational viewpoint.