Wrongful Trading

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Wrongful Trading

What is wrongful trading?

The main features of a claim for wrongful trading are:

  • Before the commencement of the company’s liquidation or administration, its director knew or ought to have known that there was no reasonable prospect of the company avoiding insolvent liquidation or administration (this point is sometimes known as the ‘insolvency point’); and
  • From the insolvency point, the director failed to take every step to minimise future losses to the company’s creditors; and
  • As a result of the directors’ wrongful trading there was loss to the creditors and/or the company’s assets.

Who can bring a claim for wrongful trading?

Since October 2015, a claim for wrongful trading can be made by both Administrators and Liquidators. Prior to 2015 only Liquidators could bring this claim.

Additionally, a Liquidator or Administrator can also assign a claim for wrongful trading to third parties. This usually occurs where there are insufficient funds in the insolvent estate to pursue a claim for wrongful trading; or where the losses sustained as a result of wrongful trading are largely attributable to one or a few creditors only; or where majority of the creditors don’t have an appetite to pursue a claim for wrongful trading but some of the minority creditors do.

It is important to note that claims for wrongful trading can be brought against directors of the insolvent company only. Case law has confirmed that this extends to shadow or de facto directors as well.

What are the consequences of a wrongful trading claim?

If a claim for wrongful trading is successful, the court is likely to make an order for the director to personally contribute towards the losses incurred by creditors or the losses related to the company’s assets. The Insolvency Act 1986 gives the court wide discretion to make any orders it thinks fit for the purpose of remedying the losses.

Where a wrongful trading claim is brought against more than one director, liability for the loss suffered by the company and its creditors will be joint and several as between all the directors. However, it is possible for the court to make declarations as to the amounts each of the directors should pay.

Can I challenge a claim for wrongful trading?

If you are a director of an insolvent company who has been accused of wrongful trading, you may be able challenge the claim, however each case is dependent on its own merits. The challenges to a wrongful trading claim can be very technical and therefore a specialist lawyer is required to consider the specific details of the allegations.  Nevertheless, we have been able to compile a non-exhaustive list of possible challenges below:

  • The director took every step with a view to minimising future loss to the creditors and/or the company’s assets.
  • Given the experience, skill and knowledge of the director, he/she didn’t know or couldn’t have known that the company was insolvent as alleged and therefore, couldn’t have taken every step to minimising future loss. Here the court will look at both an objective test of what a diligent director would have done in such circumstances as well as a subjective test, namely the state of mind of the director.
  • The insolvency point occurred much later than alleged. In practice this is more likely to serve as mitigation for reducing the losses, instead of an outright defence to a wrongful trading claim.
  • No losses were suffered by the creditors of the company as a result of the wrongful trading.

Our lawyers have extensive experience in advising directors who are faced with wrongful trading claims and have successfully defended clients who were subjected to such proceedings. Our lawyers will be able to provide you with bespoke and cost effective advice tailored to your circumstances.

Meet the Wrongful Trading team
Ray Crudgington
Managing Partner
Managing Partner
greenwich
02083054224
ray.crudgington@grantsaw.co.uk
Maria Lati
Maria Lati
Partner
Partner and Head of Residential Property
blackheath
02083054229
maria.lati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mike Clary
Family
Partner and Head of Family
greenwich
02083054237
mike.clary@grantsaw.co.uk
Kalpa Prajapati
Partner
Partner and Head of Private Client
blackheath
02083053536
kalpa.prajapati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mario Savvides
Commercial Property
Partner and Head of Commercial Property
greenwich
02083053531
mario.savvides@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah-Kate Jackson
Litigation
Partner and Head of Litigation
greenwich
02083054236
sarah-kate.jackson@grantsaw.co.uk
Adina-Leigh Collins
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053556
adina-leigh.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Aimal Gram
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053524
aimal.gram@grantsaw.co.uk
Aisha Mohammed
Aisha Mohammed
Residential Property
Professional Support Lawyer
greenwich
02083054228
aisha.mohammed@grantsaw.co.uk
An Le Tran
Commercial Property
Professional Support Solicitor
greenwich
02083054226
anle.tran@grantsaw.co.uk
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053539
ana-maria.badeanu@grantsaw.co.uk
Angela Shaw
Angela Shaw
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054234
angela.shaw@grantsaw.co.uk
Angus Young
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054225
angus.young@grantsaw.co.uk
Atifha Aftab
Atifha Aftab
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054238
atifha.aftab@grantsaw.co.uk
Bimal Kotecha
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053523
bimal.kotecha@grantsaw.co.uk
Charlotte Warren
Charlotte Warren
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054231
charlotte.warren@grantsaw.co.uk
Claire Mac Mahon
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053537
claire.macmahon@grantsaw.co.uk
Deborah Taite
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053542
deborah.taite@grantsaw.co.uk
Emily Pearce
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053526
emily.pearce@grantsaw.co.uk
Georgia Beales
Litigation
Paralegal
greenwich
02083054206
georgia.beales@grantsaw.co.uk
Jeremy Brooks
Jeremy Brooks
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053534
jeremy.brooks@grantsaw.co.uk
Joanna Godden
Notary Public
Notary
greenwich
02083083627
joanna.godden@grantsaw.co.uk
Lauren Smith
Employment
Paralegal
greenwich
02083053543
lauren.smith@grantsaw.co.uk
Mandeep Clair
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054235
mandeep.clair@grantsaw.co.uk
Michael Pope
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053540
michael.pope@grantsaw.co.uk
Michelle Pinnington
Michelle Pinnington
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054216
michelle.pinnington@grantsaw.co.uk
Noella Gooden
Noella Gooden
Employment
Solicitor (Australian qualified)
greenwich
02083053543
noella.gooden@grantsaw.co.uk
Raj Waghela
Raj Waghela
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053529
raj.waghela@grantsaw.co.uk
Randeep Thethy
Randeep Thethy
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054209
randeep.thethy@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah Hogan
Sarah Hogan
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054214
sarah.hogan@grantsaw.co.uk
Simona Morina
Simona Morina
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053521
simona.morina@grantsaw.co.uk
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Simone Gavioli
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053548
simone.gavioli@grantsaw.co.uk
Susan Collins
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054200
susan.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Tatiana Zenina
Tatiana Zenina
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054239
tatiana.zenina@grantsaw.co.uk
Trisha Djemal
Trisha Djemal
Residential Property
Consultant Solicitor
blackheath
02083053546
trisha.djemal@grantsaw.co.uk
Tyrone Grant
Residential Property
Head of Leasehold Enfranchisement
blackheath
02083053522
tyrone.grant@grantsaw.co.uk
Denise
Accounts Staff
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Helen Arney
Helen Arney
Support Staff
HR Manager
greenwich
02083054233
helen.arney@grantsaw.co.uk
Jamie
Support Staff
Head of IT
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Jayne Lye
Support Staff
Office Manager
greenwich
02083054204
jayne.lye@grantsaw.co.uk
Kasia
Accounts Staff
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Michael Tobin
Michael Tobin
Support Staff
Marketing and Business Development Manager
greenwich
02083053550
michael.tobin@grantsaw.co.uk
Laura Danquah
Solicitor and Compliance Manager
greenwich
02083054222
laura.danquah@grantsaw.co.uk
Sue Holness
Support Staff
Customer Services
greenwich
02083054221
sue.holness@grantsaw.co.uk