Dear insolvency practitioner > Chapter 14 > Housekeeping

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1.    Address Update

(First published in Dear IP no 39, October 1997)

Article Withdrawn December 2006


2.    Hays DX Document Exchange

Practitioners are advised that The Insolvency Service units based in Birmingham are members of the Hays (DX) Document Exchange. The DX addresses for IPCU and CAU are shown below:

PRACTITIONERS COMPLIANCE UNIT
DX 713897
BIRMINGHAM - 37
CENTRAL ACCOUNTING UNIT
DX 713899
BIRMINGHAM – 37

Practitioners sending instructions or documents to HQ Birmingham via the Hays (DX) document exchange, must include both their DX and postal addresses. Failure to do so, may result in delays in processing their instructions – for example cheques issued by CAU will, for the time being, still be dispatched to the recorded postal addresses which, for security purposes, is compared with the address shown on the requisition.

Details of DX addresses for other Birmingham units are available upon request from the appropriate unit.

(First published in Dear IP no. 37, January 1997)


3.    Millennium Edition

(First published in Dear IP no. 50, June 2000)

Article Withdrawn December 2006


4.    Introduction of a Database of IP’s on the Insolvency Service internet site

Article Withdrawn December 2006


5.   Changes within insolvency practitioner Section.

Article Withdrawn December 2006


6.  Change of address  

Article Withdrawn December 2006Please see article 10


7.  Inclusion on Insolvency Service website.

Article Withdrawn December 2006


8.  Electronic mail 

IP Section are currently reviewing the presentation and communication of Dear IP and it would be useful to know whether insolvency practitioners would prefer to receive Dear IP by email rather than as a paper copy; Dear IP would not be provided by both means. To assist in assessing views it would be helpful if you could complete and return the attached form. If you have any queries about this article or require additional forms please telephone Val Field on 020 7291 6765.

PDF Image  Click here to Download/View the survey form.


9.    Transfer of functions to insolvency practitioner Unit (IPU) and the transfer of insolvency practitioner Section to the Policy and Technical Directorate.

The following work is now undertaken by IPU in Birmingham.

  • Applications for agreement in principle for a SoS appointment of a trustee or liquidator;
  • Authorisation of IPs licensed by the SoS;
  • Monitoring of IPs licensed by the SoS;
  • Complaints about IPs authorised by the SoS;
  • Monitoring of other Regulatory Professional Bodies;
  • Applications from IPs for sanction in lieu of a liquidation or creditors' committee;
  • Applications for local bank accounts;
  • Applications for release from office by an IP, where the creditors have resolved against release or where the court removed the IP;
  • Applications for Old Act Remuneration;
  • Assistance on the bulk transfers of cases to a successor IP, where the last IP in office is/was authorised by the SoS;
  • Acting as Registrar of Individual Voluntary Arrangements;
  • Recording of all non-court Insolvencies;
  • Vetting of Disqualification Reports received from IPs;
  • Allocation of IP Disqualification Reports to insolvency practitioner Disqualification Unit.

Insolvency practitioner Section has transferred from the Enforcement Directorate to the Policy and Technical Directorate and is now known as insolvency practitioner Policy Section (IPPS). The section will continue to deal with: -

  • All policy work relating to the regulation of IPs;
  • Complaints about IPs authorised by one of the Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs) (e.g. the ICAEW, IPA);
  • Dear IP bulletins;
  • Regulation of the RPBs;
  • Assistance on the bulk transfer of cases to a successor IP, where the last IP in office is/was authorised by an RPB.

10. Change of Address, Firm Name etc

Insolvency practitioners are advised that any change in their business address, telephone number etc, should be notified to their respective RPB. The RPB in turn will notify IP Policy Section who will ensure that the change of details is passed to the relevant department within The Service. Practitioners are also requested to advise their RPB where there is any change in the name of their practice, or where they move between practices. Any insolvency practitioners authorised by the Secretary of State should continue to advise insolvency practitioner Unit in Birmingham. This article replaces the instructions contained within article 6, chapter 14, in Dear IP issue 10.

General enquiries may be directed to IPU.Email@insolvency.gov.uk


11. Details on the Insolvency Service Website 

Article Withdrawn December 2006


12. Updating Details on the Rota 

insolvency practitioners are reminded that any change in their business details, change of address, telephone number etc, should be notified to insolvency practitioner Policy Section, and to any local Official Receiver’s office where their details are on that Official Receiver’s rota for appointments.  This will ensure that the rota is kept up to date. Your assistance is appreciated.

General enquiries may be directed to IPU.Email@insolvency.gov.uk


13. Public Database of Authorised Insolvency Practitioners 

The Insolvency Service intends to publish on its website a complete list of all currently authorised insolvency practitioners. This follows fresh guidance on the Data Protection Act that consent of individual IPs is not required for entry onto the register provided that only public information is listed. 

For anyone seeking the services of an insolvency practitioner or wanting to see if a person is authorised, there is currently no one place that displays this information. It is considered that a register of all IPs will be a useful and effective way of gaining assurance that an IP is currently authorised and it is therefore intended to set up a public register within the next few months. The register will include the email address of the practice and a central telephone number. It will not include personal email addresses or direct telephone numbers without consent.  

Any enquiries regarding the above article should be directed towards, Insolvency Practitioner Policy Section, The Insolvency Service, Area 5.6, 21 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QW; IPPolicy.section@insolvency.gov.uk

Any enquiries regarding the register should be directed towards Insolvency Practitioner Unit, Ladywood House, 45/6 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4DS; telephone:  IPU.Email@insolvency.gov.uk


14. Relocation of Insolvency Service in Birmingham 

Insolvency practitioners are asked to note that with effect from 23 May 2008 the Insolvency Service office in Ladywood House, Birmingham, has closed, with all staff relocating to new premises at: 

Cannon House
18 Priory Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6BS
Tel: 0121 698 4000 

DX numbers, direct dial telephone numbers and fax numbers are unchanged. 

The following Official Receiver and Corporate Business Services functions are affected: 

Official Receiver, Birmingham – Offices A, B & C
RTLU Midlands
Insolvency Practitioner Unit
Disqualification Investigation Team
Case Targeting Team
Defendant Liaison Team
Estate Accounts Services
Finance Birmingham
Corporate Governance 

However, please note that the Estate Accounts Services PO Box and DX addresses will remain the same, and are as follows: 

Estate Accounts Services
Insolvency Service
PO Box 3690
Birmingham
B2 4UZ 
DX 713899
Birmingham 37 

Any enquiries regarding this article should be directed towards the relevant sections above. 

General enquiries may be directed to IPPolicy.Section@insolvency.gov.uk;

Telephone: 0207 291 6772


15. Insolvency contact details for BT  

Insolvency practitioners are asked to note the correct contact details for all insolvency related matters involving BT. 

All correspondence should be addressed to: 

BT plc
Dept W
Durham TE
Providence Row
Durham
DH1 1RR 

The telephone number for the BT Business Insolvency Team is 01325 560011 and for the Consumer Team is 0800 800150.

General enquiries regarding the above may be directed to IPPolicy.Section@insolvency.gov.uk; Telephone: 020 7291 6772


16. Insolvency Service Centralisation and Scanning Trial 

The Insolvency Service is presently looking at how Official Receiver’s (OR) offices deal with the administration of cases and whether efficiencies can be gained from the centralisation of administrative support. 

A trial is due to commence on 1 August 2011 and will run for six months; the purpose being to assess the processes, practicality and any associated risks of centralising case administration in ‘administrative centres’ while maintaining local presence for the initial interviewing and associated activities.   

The trial will affect creditor petition bankruptcy and liquidation cases which would normally have been handled in their entirety by the OR’s office in Cambridge.  For the purposes of the trial examiners based in OR Cambridge will continue to undertake the initial interviewing and routine case instruction, with OR Birmingham ‘B’ acting as the administrative centre and undertaking all other functions. 

For the duration of the trial the OR in Birmingham ‘B’ will be appointed as Liquidator/Receiver and Manager/Trustee on all such cases and ownership of the case will rest with him.   

The centralisation trial will run alongside a further trial of scanning and electronic case files which the Insolvency Service is looking to introduce in the near future. 

During the course of this trial, while you may receive correspondence from Birmingham regarding meetings of creditors and Secretary of State appointments in respect of cases within OR Cambridge’s geographical area, the operation of its IP rota will remain unaffected. 

It is not anticipated that this trial will have any significant impact on the interaction between OR’s offices and insolvency practitioners however feedback regarding any experiences you have as a result of this trial is welcomed.  Any such feedback can be directed to the contact details below or either of the ORs participating in the trial at Birmingham ‘B’ or Cambridge.   

Any enquiries regarding the above should be directed towards Joanna Winterton, Insolvency Service, Centralised Activities Directorate, 2nd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester M1 3BN; telephone: 0161 234 8476 email: Joanna.winterton@insolvency.gov.uk


17. The Insolvency Service – Delivery Strategy 

Insolvency practitioners may be aware that on 27 June 2011 The Insolvency Service launched a six week consultation with staff, Trade Unions and some targeted stakeholders on proposals for reshaping the way in which we carry out our business and deliver our services in the future.  

Having reviewed all the responses to the consultation, the Board announced on 21 September the following key decisions: 

Long term decisions 

  • We will adopt a delivery strategy that seeks to provide a more centralised structure to core elements of The Service. To achieve this we will move through a phase of “virtualisation” before moving to full centralisation in a few years’ time. This strategy reflects ideas put to us during the consultation in the summer by staff, our Trades Unions and external stakeholders. 

  • Virtualisation means moving the work to where staff are for the time being and not vice versa. 

  • The Service will move in the longer term towards a network of 8 Insolvency Service Centres and around 17 Insolvency Service Local Offices – around 10 fewer locations in total than now.  It will be some years before we achieve this. 

  • The centres will be in Canterbury, Croydon, Bristol, Swansea, Ipswich, Birmingham, Stoke and Leeds. 

Short to medium term decisions 

We will make a case to BIS for funding to allow us to: 

  • Conduct full public consultations in respect of the closure of our offices in Medway and Bournemouth in 2012 and Stockton in 2013. 

  • Move to a smaller and more flexible government estate whenever we come to a lease break or a lease end. We will do this on a business-as-usual basis until around the end of 2013, after which we will start to use lease breaks and ends to move directly towards our delivery strategy shape. 

A copy of the full staff consultation can be found on our website at: www.bis.gov.uk/insolvency  

Any enquiries regarding these announcements should be directed to the Delivery Strategy Team at Delivery.Strategy@insolvency.gov.uk


18. Insolvency Service publications, leaflets and guides 

As a result of the Government’s austerity measures, The Insolvency Service was, along with all other Government departments, asked to review its policy on the production and distribution of all of its hard copy ‘Advertising and Marketing’ material in order to reduce operational costs.  

For The Service the ‘Advertising and Marketing’ umbrella included our full library of information leaflets and guides that cover indebtedness, insolvency options, insolvency processes and procedures, enforcement and redundancy, of which over two million hard copies were distributed to users and stakeholders during the past two financial years. 

As a result of this review The Service has decided to cease printing hard copies of all of its information leaflets and guides apart from six publications, which will remain available in hard copy for Official Receivers only as they provide key information about the impact of bankruptcy and compulsory liquidation.  

All of The Service’s information leaflets and guides remain available to view or download free of charge via The Service’s website at http://www.bis.gov.uk/insolvency/Publications. Work is continuing to ensure that all of these online publications are as user and printer friendly as possible. This decision will also ensure that information provided to users will always be correct and up to date. 

It has been raised with The Service that the withdrawal of the availability of The Service’s hard copy leaflets and guides may affect an insolvency practitioner’s ability to comply with the requirements of SIP3. However practitioners can continue to provide debtors with a copy of R3s booklet ‘Is a Voluntary Arrangement Right for Me?’ as an alternative to The Service’s “Alternatives to Bankruptcy” leaflet. Additionally practitioners can print copies of the PDF or word versions of The Service’s leaflets from our website for issue to debtors where they feel it is appropriate. 

The Service’s National Consultative User Group were consulted as part of this review and the change in this internal policy was also the subject of an Equality Impact Assessment. 

Any queries about this notice should be directed to David Swarts, Strategy, Planning and Communications telephone: 0207 637 6568 or email: David.Swarts@insolvency.gov.uk


19. Change of address, firm name etc 

The Insolvency Service provides details of insolvency practitioners on the internet and also uses this data to send practitioners publications such as Dear IP. Therefore, it is essential that practitioners’ details are accurate and complete.   

Insolvency Practitioner Services (part of Estate Accounts & Insolvency Practitioner Services) is responsible for maintaining The Service’s systems in respect of practitioner data. Previously EAIPS have undertaken an annual updating exercise where each insolvency practitioner is contacted to confirm their details are correct. Recognising that this exercise may be burdensome on those practitioners whose details do not change, this exercise will now cease.   

To ensure the integrity of data held for the purposes stated above, when practitioners require updates to their details they should email inbox: EAIPS.IP.Amendments@insolvency.gov.uk where their request will be processed within five working days.  However, practitioners are still obliged to advise their RPB of changes to their details as and when they occur.    

This article replaces the instructions contained within article 10, chapter 14, in Dear IP issue 15. 

Any enquiries regarding this article should be directed towards Sabia Begum, EAIPS, 3rd Floor Cannon House, 18 Priory Queensway, Birmingham B4 6FD, telephone: 0121 698 4110


email:  Sabia.Begum@insolvency.gov.uk


20. New Insolvency Service publications

The Insolvency Service has reviewed its guidance publications and has begun the process of replacing the existing Word and PDF documents with new web based content.

We have refreshed our guidance to focus on our customers’ need to understand the insolvency processes available to them, complete the required tasks to access our services and meet certain requirements.

We will be introducing our new guidance in phases and recently published changes to content for those who are subject to a Debt Relief Order or considering making an application for one.

You can read more about this, and see keep up to date with our release schedule as it happens at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-insolvency-service-publications

As publications are removed, redirects will be put in place and our publications list at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/insolvency-service-guidance-publications will be updated.

Contact: Publications.Refresh@insolvency.gov.uk

Any enquiries regarding this article should be directed towards Martin Baker, Email:  web.admin@insolvency.gov.uk

 

[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14] [Chapter 15] [Chapter 16] [Chapter 17] [Chapter 18] [Chapter 19] [Chapter 20] [Chapter 21] [Chapter 22] [Chapter 23] [Chapter 24] [Chapter 25]