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Look before you leap

27 March 2008 / Anthony Judge
Issue: 7314 / Categories: Features , Company , Public , Commercial
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Anthony Judge offers some practical advice to negotiating the minefield of insolvency purchasing

In this economic climate, property speculators are shopping for cut-price properties being sold by distressed sellers, and we are starting to see insolvency-related sales. When property is marketed by an agent on behalf of an insolvency practitioner (IP) the burden of verification is on the buyer, who must conduct due diligence investigations. Sales particulars from the IP tend to provide little information. A key duty of an IP is to obtain the best price reasonably obtainable for the assets he is selling. IPs frequently conduct parallel negotiations with a number of interested buyers and contract races are not unusual.

 

THE PURCHASE CONTRACT

The IP’s lawyers will prepare the first draft contract and transfer with no covenants, warranties or indemnities in favour of the buyer. The extent to which this is negotiable will depend on relative bargaining positions. Because title to the assets remains with the company, the company will be the contracting party

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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