Opskorting van betalings: wat opskorting van betaling doen en nie doen nie

'n Opskorting van betalings (surseance van betaling) gives a company that expects to be unable to keep paying its debts a court-ordered breathing space, but only against its ordinary unsecured creditors. Secured creditors, preferential creditors such as the Dutch tax authorities (Belastingdienst), and suppliers with retention of title largely stay outside it, which is why many suspensions end in bankruptcy within weeks.

Wat is 'n opskorting van betalings?

It is a court procedure under Title II of the Dutch Bankruptcy Act (Faillissementswet, Fw) that temporarily stops ordinary creditors from collecting their pre-existing claims. The company keeps trading, but its board can no longer act alone.

Die hof staan ​​vinnig en voorlopig 'n skorsing toe op die maatskappy se eie versoek. Terselfdertyd stel dit 'n administrateur aan (bewindvoerder). Under Article 228 Fw the board may from that moment take no decision on the company’s assets without the administrator’s cooperation.

The protection is narrower than most people expect. Banks with a pledge or mortgage, the tax authorities for their preferential claims and suppliers with retention of title can in principle continue to act. Because those are usually the creditors that matter most, a suspension frequently converts into bankruptcy, which the court can pronounce once it is clear that the company cannot be rescued.

Hoe doen jy aansoek vir 'n opskorting van betalings?

The company files a petition with the district court, signed by the company and its lawyer. A creditor cannot force a suspension on a debtor.

Under Article 214 Fw a debtor may apply when it foresees that it will be unable to continue paying its debts as they fall due. Three features of the scheme matter in practice.

• Slegs die maatskappy doen aansoek. ’n Skuldeiser wat wil optree, kan slegs om bankrotskap aansoek doen.
• Die instrument is bedoel vir besighede. Ingevolge Artikel 214(4) Fw is dit nie beskikbaar vir 'n natuurlike persoon wat nie 'n onafhanklike besigheid of beroep beoefen nie; privaat individue val onder die skuldherstruktureringskema vir natuurlike persone.
• 'n Nederlandse prokureur word vereis. Die petisie moet deur die skuldenaar en sy prokureur onderteken word en ondersteun word deur 'n staat van bates en laste (Artikel 214(2) Fw). 'n Konsep-akkoord kan aangeheg word, maar dit is opsioneel.

Indien die petisie volledig is, sal die hof in die praktyk onmiddellik 'n voorlopige skorsing toestaan. Dit stel 'n administrateur en 'n toesighoudende regter ( rechter-commissaris ) aan.

Wanneer word die voorlopige skorsing finaal?

Tydens 'n skuldeisersverhoor besluit die hof of 'n definitiewe skorsing toegestaan ​​moet word. Gewone skuldeisers kan dit blokkeer.

Ingevolge Artikel 218(2) Fw kan die hof nie 'n definitiewe skorsing toestaan ​​indien skuldeisers wat meer as een kwart van die bedrag van die gewone eise verteenwoordig wat by die verhoor verteenwoordig is, of meer as een derde van die aantal skuldeisers, beswaar maak nie. Ingevolge Artikel 218(4) Fw moet die hof dit ook weier indien daar gegronde vrees is dat die skuldenaar sy skuldeisers tydens die skorsing sal benadeel, of indien daar geen vooruitsig is dat die skuldenaar uiteindelik sy skuldeisers sal kan bevredig nie. Wanneer die hof weier, kan dit die maatskappy terselfdertyd bankrot verklaar.

Waar 'n definitiewe skorsing toegestaan ​​word, stel die hof die duur daarvan vas op hoogstens agtien maande. Ingevolge Artikel 223 Fw kan die maatskappy een of meer keer aansoek doen om 'n verlenging voordat die skorsing eindig, elke keer vir hoogstens agtien maande.

Watter skuldeisers is gebonde, en watter nie?

Die skorsing bind hoofsaaklik gewone onversekerde skuldeisers. Voorkeureise, versekerde skuldeisers en eienaars van goedere onder voorbehoud van eiendomsreg val grootliks daarbuite.

Payment of debts that existed before the suspension may, while it lasts, only be made to all ordinary creditors jointly and in proportion to their claims (Article 233 Fw). An individual ordinary creditor therefore cannot be paid ahead of the others.

Die posisie van ander skuldeisers is wesenlik anders.

• Claims that carry a preferential right, such as many claims of the tax authorities, are not covered by the suspension, except to the extent they cannot be recovered from the assets to which the preference attaches (Article 232 Fw). The same article excludes certain maintenance claims and hire-purchase instalments.
• Versekerde skuldeisers wat 'n pandreg of verbandreg hou, kan in beginsel hul sekuriteit afdwing asof daar geen opskorting was nie. Hulle hoef nie te wag vir 'n akkoord met die gewone skuldeisers nie, tensy 'n afkoeltydperk hulle beperk.
• Voorbehoud van eiendom is nie 'n sekuriteitsreg nie, maar eiendomsreg. 'n Verskaffer wat geldiglik tot voorbehoud van eiendom ingestem het, kan in beginsel die gelewerde goedere terug eis, mits die klousule behoorlik ooreengekom is en die goedere geïdentifiseer kan word.

The precise position still depends on the nature of the right, any attachments already levied and any cooling-off period under Article 241a Fw. Where the acute pressure sits with the tax authorities and the bank, a suspension of payments on its own will not solve the problem.

Wat is die afkoelperiode?

'n Afkoelperiode vries tydelik die regte van versekerde en ander derde partye. Dit duur hoogstens twee maande, met een verlenging van hoogstens twee maande.

Ingevolge Artikel 241a Fw kan die hof 'n afkoelperiode gelas (afkoelingsperiode) at the request of any interested party or of its own motion. During that period third parties, including pledgees and mortgagees, cannot take recourse against assets belonging to the estate, or claim goods in the debtor’s possession, without the court’s authorisation. Creditors of the estate itself are not affected, and the court may limit the order to certain third parties.

The cooling-off period gives the administrator time to examine the business. A company that needs one in order to survive must have a realistic plan ready within those four months at most.

Wat gebeur met personeel, die huurkontrak en verskaffers?

’n Skorsing onthef nie die maatskappy van sy lopende verpligtinge nie. Lone en huur vanaf die begin van die skorsing is skuld van die boedel en moet ten volle betaal word.

• Lone: vanaf die begin van die skorsing is lone en die verwante bydraes skuld van die boedel (Artikel 239(3) Fw).
• Notice periods: with the administrator’s cooperation the company may give notice, observing the agreed or statutory notice period. Under Article 239(1) Fw six weeks always suffices, unless the statutory notice period under Article 7:672(2) of the Dutch Civil Code (BW) is longer than six weeks, in which case that longer period applies.
• Ontslagtoestemming: Artikel 239 Fw verkort slegs die kennisgewingstydperk. Anders as in bankrotskap, vereis 'n ontslag om ekonomiese redes tydens 'n skorsing steeds toestemming van die werknemersversekeringsagentskap UWV kragtens die gewone ontslagwet.
• Transition payment: under Article 7:673c BW the statutory transition payment (oorgangsvervoer) is nie meer verskuldig sodra die werkgewer 'n opskorting van betalings toegestaan ​​is nie.
• Wage guarantee: UWV’s wage guarantee scheme can also apply during a suspension. For the notice period, however, UWV pays wages only up to the notice period that applies under Article 40 Fw (Article 64(1)(b) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, WW). Because a suspension may require the longer statutory notice period, part of the wages can remain a cost for the estate.
• Huurkontrak: vanaf die begin van die opskorting is die huur 'n skuld van die boedel (Artikel 238(2) Fw). Die maatskappy as huurder kan die huurkontrak vroegtydig teen 'n gebruiklike datum beëindig, en drie maande kennisgewing is altyd voldoende (Artikel 238(1) Fw). Slegs die huurder het hierdie spesiale reg; die verhuurder nie.
• Other running costs and new supplies: energy, insurance and other current costs must be paid on time. New suppliers are well advised to agree payment terms, retention of title and credit limits in writing before delivering.

An example to illustrate: a production company with twenty employees applies for a suspension. An employee with twelve years’ service is dismissed; the statutory notice period of three months is longer than six weeks, so that period applies. UWV’s wage guarantee does not cover the whole of it, so the cash flow forecast must allow for the difference.

Moet jy 'n opskorting van betalings of die WHOA kies?

'n Skorsing is geskik vir 'n werklik tydelike likiditeitsprobleem met ondersteunende versekerde krediteure. Vir 'n werklike herstrukturering is die WHOA gewoonlik meer effektief, want dit kan krediteure bind wat buite 'n skorsing sit.

Sedert die Nederlandse Wet op Hofbevestiging van Buitegeregtelike Herstruktureringsplanne (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord, WHOA) came into force on 1 January 2021, the suspension has moved into the background. Under the WHOA the company divides its creditors into classes and the court can confirm a plan that also binds classes that voted against it, including secured creditors, the tax authorities and shareholders. The board also remains largely in control, and the tax authorities assess any composition offered to them against their own collection policy before they vote.

If the suspension ends in bankruptcy and a restart comes into view, the position of the workforce changes. The protection of employees on a transfer of undertaking does not apply when the employer has been declared bankrupt and the business belongs to the estate (Article 7:666 BW); during a suspension of payments it still does. What that means for the transaction is set out in Herbegin van 'n besigheid na 'n Nederlandse bankrotskap, en wat dit beteken vir werknemers in Jou Nederlandse werkgewer is bankrot.

Wat kos 'n opskorting van betalings?

Die koste bestaan ​​uit hofkoste, regskoste en die administrateur se vergoeding. Daardie vergoeding word deur die hof vasgestel en word voor die gewone skuldeisers betaal.

It must therefore be clear in advance whether there are sufficient means to continue the business during the procedure. An application without a realistic liquidity forecast can weaken the company’s position rather than relieve it. Our hourly rates are set out on prokureursfooie in Nederland.

Wat moet jy as 'n maatskappy nagaan?

Before filing, test whether a suspension can actually work for your business. The administrator and the court will look at the same points.

• Map your debts: which part is ordinary, which is preferential (tax authorities) and which is secured by pledge or mortgage.
• Draw up a liquidity forecast covering wages, rent and current costs as debts of the estate for at least the coming three months.
• Check whether your bank and other secured creditors will support the company, since they stay outside the suspension.
• Count the creditors who might object: more than one quarter in amount or one third in number blocks a definitive suspension (Article 218(2) Fw).
• Compare with the WHOA, which can bind secured creditors and the tax authorities.

Wat moet jy as 'n skuldeiser nagaan?

Stel eers vas of u eis gewoon, voorkeur- of verseker is, en of dit voor of na die opskorting ontstaan ​​het. Daardie klassifikasie bepaal grootliks u regsreg en u stemreg.

• Met sekuriteit (pand, verband): behou jy jou posisie in beginsel, tensy 'n afkoelperiode jou tydelik beperk.
• Met voorbehoud van eiendomsreg: u mag die goedere terug eis, mits die klousule geldig ooreengekom is en die goedere geïdentifiseer kan word.
• Sonder sekuriteit: u kan nie individueel afdwing nie. Dien u eis betyds by die administrateur in en stem by die skuldeisers se verhoor of oor 'n voorgestelde akkoord.
• On new supplies during the suspension: agree payment, credit limits, retention of title and the right to suspend further deliveries in writing beforehand.

What can we do for you with a suspension of payments?

ons bankruptcy and insolvency lawyers en ons korporatiewe prokureurs act for companies and for their creditors.

• We assess with you whether a suspension, the WHOA or another arrangement fits your liquidity problem.
• We draft and sign the petition under Article 214 Fw, including the statement of assets and liabilities.
• We prepare the creditors’ hearing and a draft composition.
• We advise on dismissals during the suspension, including the notice periods under Article 239 Fw and the UWV application.
• For creditors, we classify your claim, file it with the administrator and invoke retention of title or security.

Opsomming

• ’n Opskorting van betalings is ’n hofbevel vir asemhalingsruimte waarvoor die maatskappy self aansoek doen, by ’n prokureur; ’n skuldeiser kan dit nie oplê nie.
• Dit bind hoofsaaklik gewone onversekerde skuldeisers; versekerde en voorkeurskuldeisers en verskaffers met titelvoorbehoud bly grootliks buite dit (Artikel 232 Fw).
• 'n Afkoelperiode van tot twee maande, wat een keer met twee maande verleng kan word, kan versekerde skuldeisers tydelik afhou (Artikel 241a Fw).
• Lone en huur is skuld van die boedel vanaf die begin van die skorsing, en ontslag om ekonomiese redes benodig steeds UWV-toestemming.
• For a real restructuring the WHOA is usually more effective, because it can bind dissenting classes of creditors.

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