Beware! Disputing a debt may not stop a Winding Up Petition

It is not enough to dispute a debt when dealing with a creditor’s Winding Up Petition, it is the disputed amount of the debt that matters.
A recent case involved a complex debt that was disputed where the Court made a Winding Up Order on the grounds that it was satisfied that more than £750 was undisputed.
While the High Court does not like creditors to use petitions for debt collection by putting improper pressure on a company, the Court does not have to resolve the dispute or agree how much is actually owed if it is satisfied that more than £750 is due.
£750 is the threshold amount needed for a Court to make a Winding Up Order.
All too often companies fail to deal with a creditor long before the hearing for a Winding Up Petition, where they have plenty of opportunity throughout the process to halt proceedings if the debt is disputed or to pursue a restructuring option if the company simply cannot pay the debt.
In most situations where creditors are pursuing overdue debts, and in all cases where a Winding Up Petition is served on a company, help from an experienced turnaround and recue adviser is needed if the company wishes to survive.
Companies should not believe that simply disputing a debt is in itself enough to ensure that such a Winding Up Petition will be dismissed.