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Posts Tagged ‘bankruptcy’

Polaris World Avoids Falling Into Insolvency

April 23rd, 2010

As we had previously reported, PW was on the brink of filing for Insolvency if it failed to renegotiate 85 million euros of debt. It had already negotiated successfully to refinance over 900 million euros.

PW has successfully waived filing for receivership on reaching an agreement late last night with CAM, Bancaja, Bank Popular and Bank of Valencia to sell assets for the amount of 83 million euros. In exchange PW has transferred ownership of dwellings, golf courses, plots of land and hotels. It has taken PW the last 4 months to re-negotiate its debt commitments. Official confirmation will be today.

The group of companies affected by the possible insolvency were two hotels (Mar Menor Golf Hotel and La Torre Polaris Hotel), El Valle Golf Resort, Polaris World Sports Centre, Polaris Desarrollo, Hacienda Riquelme, Polaris World Development, Polaris World Alquiler de Maquinaria Industrial, Polaris World Hormigones, Polaris World Real Estate, Hacienda Verde, Nicklaus Golf Trail, Mar Menor Golf Hotel, La Torre Polaris Hotel, Centro Comercial El Oasis de Alhama, Oasis Polaris Ciudad, y Alhama Golf Resort.

Currently it has 700 employees which is a long shot from the 2,000 it used to employ in the boom years.

Source: La Verdad (http://www NULL.laverdad NULL.es/murcia/v/20100423/region/polaris-world-elude-precipicio-20100423 NULL.html)

Property, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

Is Polaris World Running Out of Time?

April 14th, 2010

Polaris World. We’ve all watched the TV ads with renowned golfer Jack Nicklaus selling us an affordable dream lifestyle under the sun surrounded by beautiful golf courses just a short drive away from the beach.

Unfortunately the dream may turn into a nightmare for many would-be off-plan buyers as Polaris World is now on the verge of filing for Insolvency within the next week. The events which have lead to this situation can be summarised as follows:

  • On the 22nd December 2009 Polaris World filed before Murcia’s Company Court number two a proposal to reach an agreement with its creditors within three months thus avoiding filing for Creditor Protection.
  • On the 22nd of March 2010 it requested an additional -and final- extension of 30 days which was granted by the court.
  • This extension ends in 8 day’s time, on the 22nd of April 2010.

If Polaris World fails to refinance its whole debt within the next week it will be forced to file for receivership in what would become one of Spain’s largest insolvency proceedings do date.

The positive note is that out of the €985 million (870 million pounds) in debt that it needed to renegotiate so as to remain afloat it has already successfully negotiated over €900 million over the last three months. Within the next 8 days Polaris World legal representatives will lead a frantic race against time to strike a deal on the last hour on the pending €85 million.

The stakes are high and the pressure must be almost unbearable for all those involved.

Taking in perspective what’s already been achieved by the negotiators, I believe the €85 million seems a feasible goal.

Source: El Economista (http://www NULL.eleconomista NULL.es/empresas-finanzas/noticias/2049813/04/10/Polaris-tiene-10-dias-para-pactar-con-la-banca-o-presentar-concurso-de-acreedores NULL.html)

Litigation, Property , , , , , , , , , ,

Promociones Eurohouse 2010 Files For Receivership

April 9th, 2010

As we had previously reported on the month of February 2010 Promociones’ Eurohouse 2010 receivership was imminent. Perhaps the “2010” included in its name was as an ill omen.  

The official announcement (http://www NULL.boe NULL.es/boe/dias/2010/03/30/pdfs/BOE-B-2010-10991 NULL.pdf) has now been made in Spain’s Law Gazette. Creditors will now have 30 days to lodge their credits joining the Creditor’s List.

The deadline to join the Creditor’s List ends on the 30th of April 2010. Credits submitted after the said deadline may be jeopardized.

Non-exhaustive list of affected off-plan developments:

  1. Fortuna Golf Gardens
  2. Fortuna Hills Golf Resort
  3. La Mirada
  4. Residencial San Pedro
  5. Residencial Miramar
  6. Miramar
  7. Residencial San Pedro del Pinatar

Off-plan purchasers need to collate the following original documents:

  1. Original Private Purchase Contract
  2. Original stage payment receipts of having sent over the funds (including the initial reservation deposit) on to Promociones Eurohouse 2010.
  3. Original bank guarantees (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/articles/showArticle/spanish-bank-guarantees).

To represent a client throughout the whole receivership procedure (not just to merely add them to the Creditor’s list) a Power of Attorney will be required which needs to be both notarized and legalized (with the Hague Apostille). Arranging this POA takes on average 7-10 days from the UK so it is advisable to plan ahead so as not to overrun the 30 days deadline.

Lawbird offers this legal service for a flat fee of €1,300 plus sundries (TBA).

Payment in installments is available upon request.

Appointed lawyers will seek to best defend client’s interests in the ensuing procedure taking the following actions, amongst others:

  1. Claiming from the judicial administrators the creditors’ position of the clients submitting all the necessary documents on time and in the due manner. To challenge adopted resolutions on the matter if proven detrimental to the inclusion in the Creditors’ List (this may entail additional legal fees).
  2. Continued monitoring of the receivership procedure ensuring client’s rights are upheld
  3. To negotiate with the judicially-appointed administrators reaching agreements as necessary.
  4. To keep the client informed on the ongoing procedure
  5. Assisting to Creditors’ meetings to defend the client’s interests
  6. To claim or challenge judicially agreements taken by Elche’s Mercantile Court number 3.

Litigation, Property , , , , , , , , , ,

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Developer Habitat Will Resume Trading After Putting and End to its Insolvency Procedure

March 31st, 2010

High profile developer Habitat filed for receivership in December 2008. Its receivership procedure was the second most important in Spain after Martinsa-Fadesa which filed for receivership in 2007 owing in excess of seven billion Euros.

Barely two years on, an agreement striked at the Creditors General Meeting  held early on this year will reschedule Habitat’s outstanding financial commitments.

As we had explained previously, the aim of Spain’s Insolvency Act of 2003 is to allow financially struggling companies to buy time and re-arrange their financial commitments with their creditors, either by extending the loan period or by reducing the debt burden or both. The whole receivership procedure is geared towards saving these ailing companies which may be undergoing severe temporary cash flow problems.

Following the trail of developer Llanera, which also concluded successfully its receivership last year, 82% of Habitat’s financial creditors have backed the overhauled debt plan as well as by 80% of the normal creditors. The former are namely major lending institutions which constitute the bulk of habitat’s debt which tallies over a billion Euros. The latter would include off-plan buyers for example.

It is foreseen Habitat will officially exit its receivership on the 19th of April this year when the judge of Barcelona’s Company court number three will put an end to it.

The Repayment Proposals
 
The first proposal establishes that creditors will receive 80% of their debt, of which 50% will be paid in the following 8 years and the balance will become a syndicated loan.

The second proposal has a shorter waiting period of only 5 years but in return creditors forfeit 30% of their credit recovering only 70%.

Source: Invertia (http://www NULL.invertia NULL.com/noticias/noticia NULL.asp?idNoticia=2315979)

Property, Uncategorized , , ,

Promociones Eurohouse 2010: Imminent Receivership

February 24th, 2010

Promociones Eurohouse 2010 is a well-known developer based in Orihuela, Alicante, and is a subsidiary of San Antonio Group. Its off-plan developments have been bought mainly by UK and Irish citizens looking to retire and enjoy the mild Mediterranean weather. Regrettably off-plan buyers are in for a nasty surprise within the next days as this developer is the latest victim claimed by the ongoing recession.

It is yet unclear at this stage on whether it will be a voluntary receivership filed by the developer itself or else a forced receivership procedure imposed by one of its numerous creditors (Atlas International) as both have been lodged on the same day before Elche’s Mercantile court. It will now be up to the Mercantile judge to decide on which one it finally accepts. The reported debt, yet to be confirmed, is over 150 million pounds.

As soon as it’s officially announced in Spain’s Law Gazette (“BOE”) creditors will have only a strict deadline of 30 days to lodge before the Mercantile court their financial interest. Failure to join the receivership within this deadline will result in a loss of their stage payments.

Once more, we stress that a developer filing for a receivership procedure does not necessarily equate to bankruptcy, as some sources keep mistakenly reporting. That is something that will be decided at a later stage by the Mercantile judge overseeing the receivership procedure. Spain’s Insolvency Act is geared towards saving ailing companies who may be suffering temporary cash flow problems. Filing for receivership in Spain allows these struggling companies to buy time allowing them to renegotiate and restructure their financial commitments.

In fact many high profile developers who filed for receivership back in 2007 and 2008 have already announced they are exiting receivership and resume normal trading i.e. Llanera Will be the First Spanish Developer to Exit Receivership

Non-exhaustive list of affected off-plan developments:

  1. Fortuna Golf Gardens
  2. Fortuna Hills Golf Resort
  3. La Mirada
  4. Residencial San Pedro
  5. Residencial Miramar
  6. Miramar
  7. Residencial San Pedro del Pinatar

Off-plan purchasers trapped in the ensuing receivership will need to collate the following original documents:

  1. Original Private Purchase Contract
  2. Original stage payment receipts of having sent over the funds (including the initial reservation deposit) on to Promociones Eurohouse 2010.
  3. Original bank guarantees (http://www NULL.marbella-lawyers NULL.com/articles/showArticle/spanish-bank-guarantees).

To represent a client throughout the whole receivership procedure (not just to merely add them to the Creditor’s list) a Power of Attorney will be required which needs to be both notarized and legalized (with the Hague Apostille). Arranging this POA takes on average 7-10 days from the UK so it is advisable to plan ahead so as not to overrun the 30 days deadline.

Lawbird offers this legal service for a flat fee of 1,300€ plus sundries (TBA). Payment in installments is available upon request.

Appointed lawyers will seek to best defend client’s interests in the ensuing procedure taking the following actions, amongst others:

  1. Claiming from the judicial administrators the creditors’ position of the clients submitting all the necessary documents on time and in the due manner. To challenge adopted resolutions on the matter if proven detrimental to the inclusion in the Creditors’ List (this may entail additional legal fees).
  2. Continued monitoring of the receivership procedure ensuring client’s rights are upheld
  3. To negotiate with the judicially-appointed administrators reaching agreements as necessary
  4. To keep the client informed on the ongoing procedure
  5. Assisting to Creditors’ meetings to defend the client’s interests
  6. To claim or challenge judicially agreements taken by Elche’s Mercantile Court

Lawbird Legal Services is a Spanish law firm with broad experience in litigation representing hundreds of clients in similar high profile receiverships. Learn more about the Firm (http://www NULL.lawbird NULL.com/about/).

 

 

Litigation, Property , , , , , , , , , , ,

Llanera Will be the First Spanish Developer to Exit Receivership

September 28th, 2009

As we had previously reported, an Administration Procedure does not equate to bankruptcy as some mistakenly repeatedly uphold. Receivership procedures in Spain are geared towards saving ailing companies which are undergoing temporary cash-flow problems. Throughout the Administration Procedure, and dependant on a Financial report drafted by experts, the Mercantile judge will rule on whether a company under administration should file or not for bankruptcy.

Developer Llanera was the first large Spanish developer to seek Creditor Protection back in 2007. It is fitting that it’s the first one to announce its clawed comeback. The Creditors’ General Meeting must ultimately give its approval tomorrow to the company’s proposal.

This is indeed welcome news for stressed creditors who are now bogged down in similar legal quagmires and have lost all hope.

Source: El Economista (http://www NULL.eleconomista NULL.es/empresas-finanzas/noticias/1571923/09/09/Llanera-primera-gran-inmobiliaria-que-saldra-del-concurso NULL.html)

Litigation, Property , , , , ,