Posts Tagged ‘law’
Suits You Administration is a Sign of Things to Come
British clothing retailer Suits You has collapsed into administration just eight months after entering a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which aimed to save the Leeds-based business. Administrators Zolfo Cooper said they would wind down loss-making stores, but support the chain’s successful branches and sell as much of the business and assets as possible. The firm’s…
Read MoreIs the Activroll Case Another Example of HMRC Abusing Their Powers?
It appears that a successful Scotland-based payroll company, which describes itself as one of the country’s fastest growing businesses, has become the latest victim of HMRC’s aggressive collection procedures. Last month, bosses at Activroll, which employs around 100 staff and has offices in the US and Australia, were shocked to discover a public notice in…
Read MoreA Winding UP Petition Doesn’t Have to Signal the End of Your Business
The vast majority of winding up petitions heard in British courts over the past 12 months were presented by HMRC and usually relate to VAT, PAYE arrears or failure of a Time to Pay arrangement. However, receiving a winding up petition from HMRC doesn’t necessarily signal the end of your business. Usually, petitions are preceded…
Read MoreDoomed Businesses Reliant Upon Public Sector Only Have Themselves to Blame
A new study by insolvency trade body R3 has found that almost 10% (148,000) of small businesses fear they could become insolvent if they lose public sector contracts. But any businesses largely dependent on the public sector have only themselves to blame if they become insolvent due to the imminent cuts ahead. Whilst you can…
Read MoreCreditors Need to be Empowered in Company Voluntary Arrangements
Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA) can make creditors feel alienated and powerless, so they tend to accept whatever repayment deal is being offered to them. A creditor with little knowledge of their democratic rights will see 30p in the £1 as better than nothing. The majority of creditors are often ill informed, and many think if…
Read MoreDavid’s Cameron’s Insolvency Law U-Turn Will Please Creditors
It remains to be seen why David Cameron has made a u-turn over plans to radically reform insolvency laws. Before coming to power, the Prime Minister called for the introduction of US-style Chapter 11 rules, which would give struggling businesses ‘breathing space’ to get back on their feet without having to face liquidation. At the…
Read MoreWinding Up Petitions Are the Way Forward for Creditors
In recent years, it has become popular for creditors to issue winding up petitions as a method of debt recovery. It’s something I’d recommend simply because debt recovery laws in the UK are toothless; they don’t bite. If a company owes its creditors money, the creditor will go to county court and get a county…
Read MoreHow Inland Revenue Use Winding Up Petitions to Collect Tax
I have said before that an increasing number of organisations are using winding up petitions to recover debts, but did you know HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is the biggest culprit? According to figures released by the National Audit Office Report earlier this year, the amount of corporation tax, unpaid income and VAT owed to…
Read MoreTime To Pay Arrangements Can Do More Harm Than Good
According to the most recent figures available, around 200,000 businesses have entered Time To Pay (TTP) agreements with the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the past 18 months, deferring over £5bn in taxes. TTP arrangements allow businesses that are unable to pay taxes on their due dates to make monthly payment over a period…
Read MoreMiss Sixty Judge Calls for Improved Insolvency Practitioner Regulation
In July, I suggested there should be an urgent review of how insolvency practitioners (IPs) are regulated and following a high-profile complaint by a judge it has become evident there are many others who share this opinion. Earlier this month, during an appeal against a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) for Sixty UK – owners of…
Read More