Pre Pack liquidation or Phoenixing is used to describe the process to save a failing business, where the assets of a failing business are purchased by a new company. The new company trades without the burden of the old business' debts. The old business is then normally closed through a liquidation process.
If you are considering using a Pre Pack process to save a failing business, there are a number of areas that you should consider:
Agree lease terms with the landlord.
Very often the new business wants to use the premises of the old business. Agreement needs to be reached with the landlord regarding transfer of the lease. Have an alternative location up your sleeve as a bargaining chip with the landlord who may try and renegotiate the lease substantially in their favour.
Register for VAT.
If you wait until HMRC learn that they are a creditor of the old failed business then you will be likely to have to have a substantial deposit and restrictive return arrangements for the new company. Registering well in advance will avoid this.
Arrange lump sum to buy the old company assets.
The sum required for this purchase will be dependent on an independent market valuation. If finance cannot be made available through a more traditional route such as property equity release or a commercial bank loan, the area of Asset refinancing may be considered. Many asset finance companies will lend against the value of the assets such as plant and machinery to be purchased by the new company as long as they are unencumbered (wholly owned by the old business).
Setup and Register the new company.
The new company which will buy the useful assets of the failing business should be setup in advance.
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