What if a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is rejected?
A Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is suitable for companies who require a legally binding payment plan. When in place, it allows a company to repay its debts in an affordable manner helping secure its future. The arrangement requires approval from 75% of creditors by value, and if they don’t feel they would get an adequate return, they can vote it down. So, what if your CVA proposal is rejected?
More information on Company Voluntary Arrangements
Why would a CVA be rejected?
Although many CVAs are approved, creditors may want more of a return than what the CVA offers. They could dislike some of the CVA’s terms; they might have an issue with debt being written off, or be unconvinced that the company will adhere to the repayment plan; as they may have defaulted on informal repayment plans in the past. Failing to convince creditors the CVA is the best course of action would result in it being rejected.
Even if a large number of the creditors agree to the CVA, if the proposal doesn’t receive approval from 75% of creditors by value, it will be rejected.
Advantages and disadvantages of a CVA
What are my options if my CVA is rejected?
Although the rejection of a CVA proposal isn’t the desired outcome, it doesn’t automatically mean the company will cease to be. However, it does mean the company will have to pursue further insolvency options. If this happens, which route you take will ultimately depend on the outcome you desire, and what returns the best result to creditors.
Company recovery
CVAs aren’t always suitable for a company, and this could be for several reasons: Either the debt may be too severe for the CVA to be viable, or the business could benefit from more extensive restructuring. Whatever the situation, you can explore alternative arrangements to allow the company to recover.
Company administration
Administration is an option for companies with lots of assets that can be used to raise funds to enable a period of trade to either try and resolve the company’s issues or sell the business or assets. In an administration, a licensed insolvency practitioner (IP) will take control of the company, and your responsibilities as a director will cease.
More information on administration
Pre-pack administration
Pre-pack administration follows the same concept as company administration, but pre-packing the sale of assets signifies that you wish to repurchase your assets to restart the business as a new company. Doing this is legal, as long as the purchase is fair and transparent, and your offer represents the best outcome to creditors.
More on pre-pack administration
Company closure
Sometimes a company’s debt or pressure from its creditors can be so severe that continuing isn’t feasible. In which case, the company may be better off closing than trying to carry on trading.
Creditor’s Voluntary Liquidation (CVL)
Creditors Voluntary Liquidation (CVL) is for directors who don’t wish to take their company further and would rather wind it up and close it. An IP will realise and liquidate the assets, with the company debt put to bed with the subsequent dissolution. Employees will be made redundant during this procedure. Although directors are allowed to start a new company afterwards, there are limits on the use of trading styles. The liquidator is obliged to conduct a report on the conduct of the directors leading up to the liquidation.
More information on Creditors Voluntary Liquidation
Pre-pack liquidation
If your core business has the potential to be profitable without its burdensome debts, you can explore a pre-pack liquidation. Similar to a pre-pack administration, the assets are sold to a new company – ‘newco’ starts trading, and the old company is liquidated. Assets, premises and staff can be transferred to the new company, which can continue without the old company’s debts. Creditors may see more of a return than if the company went into compulsory liquidation.
More information on pre-pack liquidation
In summary
Although a CVA is a viable course of action for many companies looking to repay their liabilities at an affordable rate, it requires approval from creditors before it can go through. Creditors can reject a CVA if they don’t agree with the terms, aren’t convinced you’ll be able to complete the payments, or if a high enough percentage of creditors don’t approve it. Once a CVA’s rejected, the company should pursue other insolvency procedures to avoid a winding-up petition and compulsory liquidation. Avenues open to you depend on your circumstances; these could include restructuring through company administration, pre-pack administration or voluntarily winding-up through a CVL.
How we can help
If your company is insolvent and is considering a CVA, contact us as soon as possible. Our team can offer you advice on your current situation, and help you understand the CVA application process. If we feel a CVA would be appropriate for your company and provide the best return, we can put together a proposal for your creditors. If a CVA is rejected or has failed we can advise you which alternative insolvency procedures would be most beneficial.
Case Studies
Rooster Punk Ltd
Kelly Burton • Media & Entertainment • Pre-Pack Administration
Advisors from Wilson Field have rescued a London headquartered advertising agency after it was bought out of administration by the existing management team.
Rooster Punk Ltd was established in 2012 and specialised in providing creative content for technology and financial services brands to better interact with clients and customers.
The company, which traded from head offices at Queen Victoria Street in London with a second office in Clifton Down Road in Bristol, called in administrators from Sheffield-headquartered Wilson Field for formal insolvency advice.
The company had experienced significant growth since set up and posted profits each year up to and including October 2016.
However loss of funds due to a bad debt combined with the termination of customer contracts and rising business overheads had created cash flow problems.
Kelly Burton (pictured) and Lisa Hogg from Wilson Field were appointed as joint administrators on December 6 and concluded a pre-packaged sale of the business and assets to Rooster Punk Group Limited lead by the same management team of Rooster Punk Ltd.
All remaining nine staff at the time of the sale were saved and transferred to the new company under TUPE.
Kelly Burton, director and licensed insolvency practitioner at Wilson Field said:
“Wilson Field considered the company’s precarious financial situation, which was borne as a result of a number of factors including the Samsung contract under billing, loss of funds due to a bad debt from a start-up, termination of customer contracts and rising business overheads.
“Despite attempts to cut back overheads, including reducing staff numbers from a peak of 24 down to 10, the directors recognised the company’s precarious position and sought formal insolvency advice from Wilson Field, and advice on alternative options available.
“The pre-packaged sale has mitigated employee termination claims in the nature of wage arrears, accrued holiday pay, redundancy and pay-in-lieu of notice totalling £33,680.
“It has preserved the value in the company’s intangible assets, namely its goodwill and work in progress and maximised the value of the company’s trade debtors due to the continuity of service to the company’s customers by the successor business.”
Valuations were handled by Robert McArdle of David Currie & Co with legal services and advice from solicitors Irwin Mitchell LLP.
Designer Recliners Limited
Kelly Burton • Manufacturing • Administration, Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)
A Sheffield furniture manufacturer and upholster has relaunched offering a smaller, more specialised range of products.
Anico Interiors Limited, which included reclining chairs for the elderly, had suffered cash flow problems and issues with profitability.
Designer Recliners Limited, managed by director Nick Wall, has purchased the assets and business of Anico saving all 11 jobs.
Andy Wood and Robert Dymond from Sheffield business turnaround experts Wilson Field were appointed joint liquidators on 8 June and advised on the sale of the 14-year-old company, based on Orgreave Crescent at Orgreave Industrial Estate, as a going concern.
Andy Wood, associate director and insolvency practitioner at Wilson Field said:
“Historically, the company offered a wide range of products but has now streamlined its offer to customers and cut out some unprofitable lines, as well as re-vamped its web site.
“Directors took advice from Wilson Field with the business sold to new company Designer Recliners Limited as a going concern, safeguarding all 11 employees’ jobs. The new company will offer the same service and standards under the same management team but focus on a smaller range of specialised products.”
The company employs skilled staff including upholsterers, seamstresses and cutters and was set up in 2002 by Nick Wall.
Peak Toolmakers Limited
Kelly Burton • Manufacturing • Pre-Pack Administration
A Chesterfield machine tool manufacturer, which supplies to the global automotive industry, has been bought out of administration by sister-company, Peak Toolmakers (Assets) Ltd and managed by two of its current directors, saving all 46 jobs.
Peak Toolmakers Limited, based on Chesterfield Trading Centre on Smeckley Wood Close, had enjoyed a profitable trading history since 2004 and had significantly grown to become a recognised name in the sector.
However, a lack of working capital following a combination of factors together with a number of loss-making contracts with principal customers, competition from overseas, namely the Far East, undercutting prices, and extremely fast and tight timescales to allow its customers to meet contractual supply arrangements, had caused recent cash flow problems.
Insolvency practitioners Joanne Wright and Lisa Hogg from Wilson Field were appointed Administrators on 2 September 2015 to handle the sale out of administration.
The business and assets bought by Peak Toolmakers (Assets) Ltd managed by two of the existing directors, Geoff Bacon and John Buxton.
Joanne Wright from Wilson Field, said:
“Peak Toolmakers Limited had experienced financial difficulties after seeing a drop in demand from a major customer, a loss of more than £500,000 on a contract and was being threatened by enforcement action from HMRC due to arrears.
“The pre-pack deal has meant all 46 employees’ jobs have been saved and ensures a continuity of trading under new ownership.
“We are delighted to have secured a swift sale of this established Chesterfield-based manufacturing business to deliver the best long term solution for the business ensuring it can continue to serve its established customer base.”
Peak Toolmakers Limited’s main business was the production of mould tooling, jigs and fixtures and robot heads which were used in the injection moulding and die casting industries, principally the automotive industry, for internal and external trims together with under bonnet components.
Its customers produce products for a range of automotive manufacturers including Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota, BMW and similar manufacturers.
Director Geoff Bacon said:
“Having gone through difficult times, we are very happy to have secured the loyal service of our staff through the help of Wilson Field.”
Wilson Field worked closely with solicitor Neil Kelly from MD Law in Sheffield and valuer and asset management consultant David Smith of Charterfields.
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