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What happens to me if the company goes into administration?

Published on : 2nd March, 2021 | Updated on : 27th January, 2025

Written ByGary Weber

Turnaround & Insolvency Manager (South)


07739 325 008

Gary has been with KSA since late 2010 and is now overseeing the work of all our Regional Managers as well as covering his own patch of the South East. He is passionate about helping companies having been an owner and a director of a number of businesses in industries including pubs, catering, road haulage, and retail. Gary drives our rescue work throughout central and west London, Surrey, W.Sussex, Berks., Bucks. and Oxon.

Gary Weber

Table of Contents

  • Can I be a director of a company in the future if this company goes into administration?
  • If I have provided personal guarantees will these be called in if the company goes into administration?
  • Will I be disqualified as a director is our company goes into administration?

What happens to me if the company goes into administration?

Answering simply, nothing. However, as a director of the insolvent company, if you have not acted properly, as you go through the insolvency process, you may face personal issues in the future.

When administrators are appointed then the directors’ powers cease. They are still responsible for their previous actions though. Usually the administrators will either sell the business quickly or if they trade the company in administration they will make the directors redundant as employees. So you will be sent home.

 

Can I be a director of a company in the future if this company goes into administration?

Yes, you can be a director of as many companies as you would like.  You may be part of a new company that is going to buy the business from the administrators. In which case you must get personal legal advice on conflicts of interest.

Make sure that the company name is acquired before re-using it. And it is obvious, what you shouldn’t do is to act irresponsibly when acting as a director of the old company and then set up another company and do the same silly things again.

Facts:

  • The law requires directors to keep up-to-date financial information and to understand the financial position of the company. If you fail to do this, legal action may be faced by a future administrator or liquidator.
  • Taking cash out of the company as drawings (not dividends) means that you owe the company money. This becomes an asset, a debtor and the administrators or future liquidators must collect that money or do a deal.

 

If I have provided personal guarantees will these be called in if the company goes into administration?

The answer is yes. It is very likely that if the company enters into administration, if you have provided security for company debts in the form of a personal guarantee , then this may be called in. If you’re in any doubt about this please call us . We can help directors with any related problems or queries.

 

Will I be disqualified as a director is our company goes into administration?

NO – as long as you have acted suitably, rapidly and responsibly . If you haven’t, and you knew the company was in serious financial difficulty then YES you may be disqualified…Take back control and protect yourself by asking for expert free help today! – call 0800 9700539

By failing to act and making creditors debts worse or running the company’s cash down to £0 to pay yourself, when other creditors are not being paid; likewise if you are taking some of the firms assets which do not belong to you, legal action by the future liquidator may be faced. But to do that, you would have to be extremely silly!

If you are thinking that the business will soon run out of cash then you must take advice now. Take back control and call us on (0800) 970 0539

Could Thames Water Go Into Administration?

People are understandably worried that Thames Water might go into administration.  So what does this mean?  First of all the process that it would find itself subject to be something called Special Administration. What is Special Administration? ​​ Similar to ordinary administration, special administration means giving control of the company to administrators who will take steps to turn a company’s situation around if possible – or to wind it down in the most efficient manner.However in a special administration, client assets must be recovered as soon as possible.  Also the running of the company must be done in a way that does not impact the users of the services too much.  This is due to the strategic importance of the company.  As such large banks (Lehman Brothers) energy companies, hospitals, or other national utilities tend to go into a special administration. Special administration is actually run by a court process a bit like Chapter 11 in the USA.  This means the administration can take longer. Why is Thames Water in the news now? Basically there was a deal for KKR (A private equity firm in the US) to inject much needed cash into the company.  However it pulled out today putting the company's future in doubt.​Thames Water chairman Sir Adrian Montague said that while KKR's withdrawal was "disappointing, we continue to believe that a sustainable recapitalisation of the company is in the best interests of all stakeholders and continue to work with our creditors and stakeholders to achieve that goal"."The company will therefore progress discussions on the senior creditors' plan with Ofwat and other stakeholders."Thames Water has a £16bn debt pile.  In any administration the idea is that the business is sold to a buyer.  Obviously in the case of Thames Water the only realistic buyer, if no one is prepared to invest in it, is the Government - meaning nationalisation.In any special administration there will be no interruption to any supplies but there could be job losses.  If you are an employee and worried about what might happen then look at our guide for redundant employees 

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Could Thames Water Go Into Administration?

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