It is looking increasingly likely that 2012 will be another difficult year for the automotive sector, leading to a decline, not only in vehicle sales, but also in goods and services supplied to the sector. As a result, businesses may experience cash flow problems and increased creditor pressure to pay invoices.
We previously reported on Raithatha v Williamson (4 April 2012) where the High Court held that a bankrupt’s right to draw a pension was subject to an income payments order (“IPO”) even if the individual had yet to draw his pension. This judgment represented a significant departure from previous practice under the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 which protected future pension rights from IPOs and distinguished them from pensions in payment. It also effectively allowed a trustee in bankruptcy to compel a bankrupt to draw pension against his wishes.
Many employers dread triggering debts under section 75 of the Pensions Act 1995 within their defined benefit pension scheme, but in some circumstances it simply cannot be avoided. Once a section 75 debt has been triggered it is important that the debt is calculated properly. The Actuary is required to calculate the difference between the value of the scheme's assets and the cost of purchasing annuities to secure all of the liabilities of the scheme. But what if there is a delay in calculating the debt? At which date is the Actuary required to ascertain the cost of bu
A new practice direction on insolvency proceedings came into force on 23 February 2012. It contains procedural requirements for various aspects of proceedings under the Insolvency Act 1986 and the Insolvency Rules 1986.
This blog is supposed to be about real estate, mostly commercial real estate. So when one of my Celtic-supporting partners who has been watching avidly every twist and turn of the Rangers saga said I should read the latest court judgement and what it said about property law, I was a little surprised. But there is quite a lot that is relevant to what we do on a day to day basis.
A High Court ruling in England today has provided a significant clarification of the law relating to payment of rent as an administration expense.
In Leisure (Norwich) II Limited v Luminar Lava Ignite Limited (in administration), the Court confirmed that rent payable in advance prior to the appointment of administrators is not payable as an expense of the administration, even if the administrators continue to use the property. This means that the rent would not be given priority over other unsecured debts.
After nearly two years of discussion and consultation, the Department for Business Skills and Innovation (BIS) announced on 26 January 2012 that it will not be seeking to introduce new legislative controls on pre-packs. These were to include a much heralded three-day notice period for creditors to challenge the sale. Many have been left surprised by the government’s apparent u-turn and dismayed that so much time and effort seems to have come to nothing.
In a keenly anticipated judgment, the Court of Appeal today handed down its verdict in four appeals1 concerning the interpretation of various terms of the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement.
Recent European airline bankruptcies have highlighted the need to take care when formulating aircraft repossession and recovery strategies.
The Insolvency Service has recently published a helpful guide about the restrictions on the re-use of a name previously used by a company, which has gone into liquidation. Directors of companies in insolvent liquidation need to take special care, as the restriction applies to them personally and contravention is a criminal offence. The restriction lasts for five years from the date of liquidation and, save in limited circumstances, a director is not allowed to be a director of or take part in the promotion, formation or management of a limited company that uses a "prohibited name".