The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Power to disclaim onerous property

152.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article and Article 153, where a company is being wound up, the liquidator may, by the giving of the prescribed notice, disclaim any onerous property and may do so notwithstanding that he has taken possession of it, endeavoured to sell it, or otherwise exercised rights of ownership in relation to it.

(2) The following is onerous property for the purposes of this Article—

(a) any unprofitable contract, and

(b) any other property of the company which is unsaleable or not readily saleable or is such that it may give rise to a liability to pay money or perform any other onerous act.

(3) A disclaimer under this Article—

(a) operates so as to determine, as from the date of the disclaimer, the rights, interests and liabilities of the company in or in respect of the property disclaimed; but

(b) does not, except so far as is necessary for the purpose of releasing the company from any liability, affect the rights or liabilities of any other person.

(4) A notice of disclaimer shall not be given under this Article in respect of any property if—

(a) a person interested in the property has applied in writing to the liquidator or one of this predecessors as liquidator requiring the liquidator or that predecessor to decide whether he will disclaim or not, and

(b) the period of 28 days from the day on which that application was made, or such longer period as the High Court may allow, has expired without a notice of disclaimer having been given under this Article in respect of that property.

(5) Any person sustaining loss or damage in consequence of the operation of a disclaimer under this Article is deemed a creditor ofthe company to the extent of the loss or damage and accordingly may prove for the loss or damage in the winding up.