
Companies
(Amendment No. 8) (Jersey)
Regulations 2022
Made 8th February 2022
Coming into
force 1st March 2022
1 Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 amended
These Regulations amend Part 21 of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.
2 Article 157 (procedure) substituted
For Article 157 there is substituted –
A company, not being one in respect of which a declaration has been
made (and not recalled) under the Désastre Law, may be wound up under this Chapter
if –
(a) the company so resolves
by special resolution; or
(b) the court makes an order
for winding up under Article 157C.”.
3 Article
157A, 157B, 157C and Article 157D inserted
After Article 157 there is inserted –
“157A Application
for creditors’ winding up by creditor
(1) A
creditor may make an application to the court for an order to commence a
creditors’ winding up if the creditor has a claim against the company for not
less than the prescribed minimum liquidated sum and –
(a) the company is unable to
pay its debts;
(b) the creditor has evidence
of the company’s insolvency; or
(c) the creditor has the
consent of the company.
(2) A
company is deemed to be unable to pay its debts for the purposes of paragraph (1)(a),
if –
(a) the creditor to whom the company is
indebted in a sum exceeding the prescribed minimum liquidated sum then due has
served on the company, by way of personal service, a statutory demand in the
prescribed form on the company requiring the company to pay the sum so due; and
(b) the company has for 21 days after
service of the statutory demand failed to pay the sum or otherwise dispute the
debt due to the reasonable satisfaction of the creditor.
(3) Except
in exceptional circumstances, a creditor who makes an application under
paragraph (1) must give the company at least 48 hours’ notice of the
application that is being made.
(4) A
creditor must not make an application under paragraph (1) –
(a) to the extent that the
creditor has agreed not to make an application; or
(b) whose only claim is for
repossession of goods.
(5) An
application under paragraph (1) must be made in the form approved by the
court and must be accompanied by an affidavit verifying the content of the
form.
157B Appointment of provisional
liquidator
(1) Subject
to the provisions of this Article, the court may, at any time after an
application for a creditors’ winding up is made under Article 157A,
appoint a liquidator provisionally.
(2) The
liquidator appointed provisionally under this Article must carry out such
functions that the court may confer on the liquidator.
(3) The
powers of a liquidator appointed provisionally under this Article may be
limited by the order appointing the liquidator.
(4) After
the appointment of a liquidator provisionally under this Article no action must
be taken or proceeded with against the company except by leave of the court and
subject to such terms as the court may impose.
(5) A
liquidator appointed provisionally under this Article must as soon as is
reasonably practicable after the appointment –
(a) give notice of the
appointment to the registrar, the Viscount and the directors and creditors of
the company (to the extent known to the liquidator); and
(b) send a copy of the
relevant act of court to the registrar.
157C Order of court commencing
creditors’ winding up
(1) The
court, after considering an application made, and the affidavit required, under
Article 157A, may –
(a) make an order that a
creditors’ winding up must commence in respect of the company from the date the
application is made or such other date as the court deems fit and appoint a
person nominated by the applicant or selected by the court as the liquidator; or
(b) dismiss the application
and make such order as it thinks fit.
(a) at any time adjourn the
hearing of an application made under Article 157A for such time as the
court thinks fit;
(b) require the applicant to
furnish such further information as the court requires; and
(c) order other parties to be
convened to the application.
(3) A
liquidator appointed under paragraph (1)(a) must, within 14 days
after the liquidator’s appointment –
(a) give notice of the
appointment to the registrar, the Viscount and the directors and creditors of
the company (to the extent known to the liquidator); and
(b) send a copy of the
relevant act of court to the registrar.
(4) A
liquidator who fails to comply with paragraph (3) commits an offence.
(5) Article 83
applies to a liquidator appointed under paragraph (1)(a) as it applies to
a director.
(6) If,
as a result of an application made by a creditor, an order for a creditors’
winding up is made and the company was not insolvent at the date that the
application was made, the company has the right of action against the applicant
to recover damages for or in respect of any loss sustained by the company as a
consequence of the order, unless the applicant, in making the application,
acted reasonably and in good faith.
(7) Any
action brought under paragraph (6) must be commenced within 12 months
from the date of the application.
157D Company’s application to
terminate creditors’ winding up
(1) A
company may, at any time during the course of the creditors’ winding up which
has been ordered by the court under Article 157C(1)(a), apply to the court
for an order terminating the creditors’ winding up.
(2) The
court must refuse an application made under paragraph (1) if the court is
not satisfied that the property of the company is at the time of the
application sufficient to pay in full claims filed with the liquidator or
claims which the liquidator has been advised will be filed within the
prescribed time.
(3) In
considering an application under paragraph (1), the court must have regard
to the interests of –
(a) creditors who have filed
a proof of debt;
(b) creditors whose claims
the liquidator has been advised will be filed within the prescribed time; and
(c) the company.
(4) If
the court makes an order under this Article, the court may make such further order
as it thinks fit.
(5) If
the court makes an order under this Article, the creditors’ winding up
terminates from the date of the order unless the court orders otherwise.
(6) An
order made under this Article does not prejudice the validity of any act of the
liquidator relating to the company between the date the application for the creditors’
winding up is made under Article 157C(1)(a) and the date of the
termination of the creditors’ winding up under paragraph (5).”.
4 Article
158 (notice of winding up) amended
In Article 158 after paragraph (2) there is inserted –
“(3) If
the court orders a creditors’ winding up, the liquidator must within 14 days
of the date of the order give notice of that fact in the Jersey Gazette.
(4) If
a liquidator fails to comply with paragraph (3), the liquidator commits an
offence.”.
5 Article 159 (commencement and effects of
creditors’ winding up) amended
In Article 159(1) after sub-paragraph (b)
there is inserted –
“(c) if
the court orders the creditors’ winding up under Article 157C(1)(a), at
the time the application is made under Article 157A(1), unless the court
orders otherwise,”.
6 Article 160 (meeting of creditors in
creditors’ winding up) amended
In Article 160 –
(a) in the Article heading
after “creditors’ winding up” there is inserted “other than a court ordered
creditors’ winding up”;
(b) before paragraph (1),
there is inserted –
“(1A) This Article applies in the case of a
creditors’ winding up that is not ordered by the court.”.
7 Article 160A (meeting
of creditors following court ordered creditors’ winding up) inserted
After Article 160 there
is inserted –
“160A Meeting
of creditors following court ordered creditors’ winding up
(1) If
the court orders a creditors’ winding up in respect of a company under Article 157C(1)(a)
or appoints a liquidator provisionally under Article 157B, the liquidator
must –
(a) within
7 days after the date of appointment of the liquidator, give to the
creditors of the company known to the liquidator notice in writing calling a
meeting of creditors to be held in Jersey on the day falling 21 days after
the date of the court order, or if that day is not a working day, the next
working day after that day;
(b) give
notice in the Jersey Gazette of the creditors’ meeting not less than 10 days
before the day for which the meeting has been called; and
(c) during
the period before the creditors’ meeting, furnish creditors free of charge with
such information concerning the company’s affairs as they may reasonably
require and which is in the possession of the liquidator.
(2) The
directors of a company in respect of which a creditors’ winding up has been
ordered under Article 157C(1)(a) must –
(a) make
out a statement as to the affairs of the company, verified by affidavit by some
or all of the company’s directors; and
(b) lay
the statement before the creditors’ meeting.
(3) The
liquidator appointed by the court must preside over the creditors’ meeting
called under this Article.
(4) If –
(a) the
liquidator appointed by the court without reasonable excuse fails to comply
with paragraph (1), the liquidator commits an offence; or
(b) the
directors of the company in respect of which a creditors’ winding up is ordered
without reasonable excuse fail to comply with paragraph (2), the directors
commit an offence.
(a) a
day specified in that Schedule as a day which is to be observed as a public
holiday; or
(b) a
day noted in that Schedule as a day which is by custom observed as a general
holiday.”.
8 Article 161 (appointment of liquidator)
amended
In Article 161 after paragraph (4) there is
inserted –
“(4A) Where
a liquidator has been appointed by the court, a creditor of the company in
respect of which the creditors’ winding up has been ordered under Article 157C(1)(a)
may, within 7 days of the creditors’ meeting referred to in Article 160A,
apply to the court for an order appointing some other person to be the
liquidator instead of the person appointed by the court under Article 157C(1)(a).”.
9 Article 163 (remuneration of liquidator,
cesser of directors’ powers, and vacancy in office of liquidator) amended
In Article 163 –
(a) in
paragraph (1) after “creditors’ winding up” there is inserted “(other than
a liquidator appointed by the court)”;
(b) after
paragraph (1) there is inserted –
“(1A) A
liquidator appointed by a court in a creditors’ winding up ordered by the court
is entitled to receive such remuneration as is fixed by the court.”;
(c) for
paragraph (2) there is substituted –
“(2) In
a creditors’ winding up, on the appointment of a liquidator all the powers of
the directors cease except –
(a) in
the case of a creditors’ winding up that is not ordered by the court, so far as
the liquidation committee (or, if there is no committee, the creditors)
sanction their continuance; or
(b) in
the case of a creditors’ winding up that is ordered by the court under Article 157C(1)(a),
so far as the court or liquidator sanction their continuance.”;
(d) for
paragraph (3) there is substituted –
“(3) The
creditors, in the case of a creditors’ winding up that is not ordered by the
court under Article 157C(1)(a) or the court, in the case of a creditors’
winding up ordered by the court under Article 157C(1)(a), may at any time
remove a liquidator.”.
10 Article 170 (powers and duties of
liquidator) amended
In Article 170 –
(a) in
paragraph (5) after “The appointment” there is inserted “(other than
pursuant to a court order)”; and
(b) after
paragraph (5) there is inserted –
“(6) A
court order appointing more than one person as a liquidator may provide whether
any act to be done is to be done by all or any one or more of them and in the
absence of any such provision, any such act may be done by 2 or more of them.”.
11 Article 175 (appointment or removal of
liquidator by the court) amended
In Article 175 after
paragraph (2) there is inserted –
“(3) The
appointment or removal of a liquidator under this Article may be made on request
by the company, a director of the company, a creditor, the Viscount, the
Commission, the Minister or any other person.”.
12 Article 190 (notification by liquidator of
resignation, etc.) amended
For Article 190(1) there is substituted –
“(1) A
liquidator who resigns, is removed or for any other reason vacates office must within
14 days after the resignation, removal or vacation of office give notice
thereof, signed by the liquidator, to the registrar; and –
(a) in
the case of a creditors’ winding up (except where the removal is under Article 163(3)),
to the creditors;
(b) in
the case of a creditors’ winding up ordered by the court, to the court and the
Viscount.”.
13 Article 193 (bar against other proceedings
in bankruptcy) amended
In Article 193 after “Désastre
Law” there is inserted “where the winding up is not one ordered by the court under
Article 157C(1)(a)”.
14 Schedule 1 (punishment of offences)
amended
In the table in
Schedule 1 –
(a) after the entry relating
to Article 155(6) there is inserted –
“157C(4)
|
Failure of a liquidator to
comply with Article 157C(3) (order of court commencing creditors’
winding up)
|
Level 3”;
|
|
(b) after the entry relating
to Article 158(2) there is inserted –
“158(4)
|
Failure of a liquidator to
comply with Article 158(3) (notice of winding up)
|
Level 3”;
|
|
(c) after the entry relating
to 160(3) there is inserted –
“160A(4)(a)
|
Failure of the liquidator
appointed by the court without reasonable excuse to comply with Article 160A(1)
(meeting of creditors following court ordered creditors’ winding up)
|
Level 3
|
|
160A(4)(b)
|
Failure of the directors
of the company in respect of which a creditors’ winding up is ordered without
reasonable excuse to comply with Article 160A(2) (meeting of creditors
following court ordered creditors’ winding up)
|
Level 3”.
|
|
15 Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be
cited as the Companies (Amendment No. 8) (Jersey) Regulations 2022 and
come into force 21 days after they are made.