What is a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation?
A Creditors Voluntary Liquidation is where an insolvent company voluntarily enters into Liquidation.
Who decides on who the Liquidator should be in a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation?
The company will usually have its own nominee as Liquidator in attendance at the creditor’s meeting. However, the creditors of the company are entitled to present an alternative nominee at the creditor’s meeting.
What are the implications for directors if a company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due?
In certain circumstances the directors may be liable to certain of the company liabilities and as a result directors need to be mindful of the current financial position of the company at all times and seek professional advice at the earliest possible time.
Once a decision is made to place the company in Liquidation, what steps should the directors take?
• The company should incur no further credit as the company is insolvent.
• If the bank account is overdrawn all future takings should be lodged into a separate bank account with a separate bank.
• Do not allow any creditor remove any item from the premises, as all claims will be dealt with by the Liquidator once appointed.
What are the duties of a Liquidator?
Once appointed, the Liquidator is responsible for securing and realising all of the company’s assets.
The Liquidator has a statutory obligation to carry out an investigation into the affairs of the company and must form a view on whether the directors have acted honestly and responsibly.
What is the procedure for appointing a Liquidator in a Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation?
Once the directors resolve to make a recommendation to the members of the company to place the company into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation, both member’s and creditor’s meetings should be called giving sufficient notice (a minimum of 10 days when consent to short notice is obtained from the company auditor).
The directors must then prepare an estimated statement of affairs which will be provided to each of the creditors at the meeting.
What is the role of a Committee of Inspection?
The Committee of Inspection is made up of members and creditors and their function is to assist the Liquidator when requested, approve fees and legal actions and attend meetings to review the course of the Liquidation.
If a creditor receives notification of a creditor’s meeting and they have stock at the company’s premises what should they do?
It is advisable for a creditor to attend at the company’s premises in order to carry out a stock-take of the goods on the premises on this date.
There are different types of retention of title clauses that form part of the contract of sale and the Liquidator will review the creditor’s retention of title clause in advance of returning any goods.
What types of Employees’ claims can exist in a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation?
Employees are entitled to make a claim for arrears of wages, holiday pay and minimum notice in the Liquidation which is payable by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
How can Hughes Blake assist?
On behalf of the company going into Liquidation
• Act as the company’s nominee as Liquidator
• Prepare a Statement of Affairs
On behalf of a creditor of a company going into Liquidation
• Attend at the creditors meeting
• Act as the creditor’s nominee on the committee of inspection
• Review a claim against the company
• Advise on retention of title rights
For more information, contact
Neil Hughes, Managing Partner – neil.hughes@hughesblake.ie ,
Kieran McCarthy, Partner – kieran.mccarthy@hughesblake.ie or
Joseph Walsh - joseph.walsh@hughesblake.ie