Company Voluntary Arrangements

How a CVA can help

  • All the affairs of the company are wound up
  • The company’s assets are realised to go towards the claims of creditors
  • Creditors are dealt with fairly
  • Relieves pressure on the directors

    Ring the Freephone Helpline now on 0800 012 6649

    What is a Company Voluntary Arrangement?

    A Company Voluntary Arrangement, or CVA, is a way in which a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner can help a Company to survive and avoid the need for a Liquidation. A Proposal is put forward by the Company to its creditors as to how they are going to be repaid. The creditors vote on that Proposal and if 75% by value of the creditors accept it then the Proposal is passed. All creditors are bound by its terms whether or not they voted for it.

    Can a Company Voluntary Arrangement Help Us?

    The CVA procedure is extremely flexible. The insolvent Company, through its Directors, puts forward a Proposal to all of its creditors. In practice, the Licensed Insolvency Practitioner will draft the Proposal with information being provided by the Company’s Directors. Most CVA’s involve some form of restructuring of the Company’s business.

    A CVA is appropriate for a Company that has a strong core business that is inherently profitable and where there are clearly identifiable reasons for the current insolvency. The Company needs to be able to provide a justification as to why it has got into difficulties and more importantly explain what it is going to do to get out of those difficulties. In such cases, the Company’s creditors are usually keen to support a Proposal which will ensure the survival of the business as this means that the Company can continue to purchase goods and services from its creditors.

    CVA’s generally ring fence the Company’s existing debt up to the date of a creditors meeting. The Proposal will set out the way that this debt will be repaid either in whole or in part. The source of the funds to provide this repayment is varied. Usually the Company will make monthly contributions to the Licensed Insolvency Practitioner who will act as Supervisor of the Arrangement. In some instances a third party will inject funds into the Company to pay a one off dividend to the creditors. At Lines Henry we have used both types of funding to provide a dividend to the CVA creditors. In certain instances the third party has bought the Company for a nominal sum and paid monies into a fund for creditors. By doing this the third party acquire a business free of its existing creditors.

     

    What Typically Happens During a CVA?

    While every business is different, a typical Company Voluntary Arrangement might follow these steps.

    1. Approach Lines Henry for help. We will talk to you about your financial circumstances, how you got into difficulties and how we will be able to help you.
    2. You will need to provide us with details of about all the assets the Company owns including property, motor vehicles, plant and equipment and trade debtors etc
    3. You will need to tell us about who you owe money to and whether or not they have security over the assets of the Company. These assets will often have to be professionally valued
    4. If the Company is going to continue to trade we will need to know about how your business performs financially and what assets and liabilities the business has as well. If the company continues to trade then this will be under the control of the directors and not Lines Henry.
    5. We will need to know whether anyone has given a guarantee in respect of the liabilities of the company
    6. Once we have all the information we need we will draft a proposal for the company about how it will repay some or all of the money owed. The proposal will say how much will be paid and over what time period. The directors will have to agree the proposal before it is sent to creditors.
    7. The proposal is tailored to each Company and can involve the sale of assets, payments out of income, third party contributions or a combination of these.
    8. Creditors vote on the proposal and if 75% by value of them agree then this binds any dissenting creditors.
    9. Creditors can suggest modifications to the proposal but these can only be incorporated if the directors agree.
    10. So long as the terms of the proposal are complied with, any unpaid debt at the end of the arrangement is written off.

     

    If you wish to speak to one of our Directors regarding a Company Voluntary Arrangement please call us on 0800 012 6649

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