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COVID-19: protocol for insolvency and company work in the Central London County Court
Practical Law UK Legal Update w-024-8497 (Approx. 4 pages)
COVID-19: protocol for insolvency and company work in the Central London County Court
| Published on 03 Apr 2020 • England, Wales |
The specialist circuit judges for business and property work in the Central London County Court have published a protocol setting out how insolvency and company work will be dealt with, with immediate effect.
The specialist circuit judges for business and property work in the Central London County Court (HHJ Dight CBE and HHJ Johns QC) have published a protocol setting out how insolvency and company work will be dealt with in the Central London County Court. The protocol, dated 24 March 2020, applies with immediate effect and until further notice.
The measures are as follows:
- Under a standing arrangement with HMRC, HMRC petitions currently listed for hearing will not be heard but will be ordered to be relisted for hearing at least 12 weeks later. The relisted date will be sent to HMRC; the debtor and any opposing or supporting creditors will then be notified by HMRC of the relisted hearing date. HMRC will continue to ask, on paper, for dismissal or withdrawal of the petition where the debt has been paid.
- Listed bankruptcy petitions by other petitioners will be relisted in the same way unless a request for a remote hearing is made by email to [email protected].
- Applications in bankruptcy proceedings will be dealt with on the first occasion on paper. Any hearing then directed will be a remote hearing.
- Public examinations will remain listed but should not be attended and will be adjourned unless there is a request for rescission, conclusion or a suspension of discharge from bankruptcy. Such a request should be made by email to [email protected] and will be considered on paper.
- Claims for an extension of time to register company charges will remain listed but will be considered on paper without attendance. The requirement to produce the original charge is waived in this period and evidence of solvency will be accepted by email to [email protected].
- Claims for the restoration of companies to the register will remain listed but will be considered on paper without attendance.