C1PART IXBANKRUPTCY

Annotations:

CHAPTER VEFFECT OF BANKRUPTCY ON CERTAIN RIGHTS, TRANSACTIONS, ETC.

Rights of occupation

Rights of occupation, etc., of bankrupt's spouseF4309

1

Nothing occurring in the initial period of the bankruptcy (that is to say, the period beginning with the day of the presentation of the petition for the bankruptcy order and ending with the vesting of the bankrupt's estate in a trustee) is to be taken as having given rise to anyF1F2 home rights under the Family Homes and Domestic Violence (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 in relation to a dwelling house comprised in the bankrupt's estate.

2

WhereF2 a spouse's or civil partner's home rightsF1 under the Order of 1998 are a charge on the estate or interest of the other spouseF2 or civil partner, or of trustees for the other spouseF2 or civil partner, and the other spouseF2 or civil partner is adjudged bankrupt—

a

the charge continues to subsist notwithstanding the bankruptcy and, subject to the provisions of that Order, binds the trustee of the bankrupt's estate and persons deriving title under that trustee, and

b

any application for an order underF1 Article 11 of that Order shall be made to the High Court.

3

Notwithstanding any provision of the Partition Act 1868F3, where a person and his spouse or former spouseF2 or civil partner or former civil partner have a legal or equitable estate in a dwelling house vested in them jointly or as tenants in common and that person is adjudged bankrupt, in a suit for partition maintained by the trustee of the bankrupt's estate the High Court may make such order as it thinks fit.

4

On an application such as is mentioned in paragraph (2) or in a suit such as is mentioned in paragraph (3) the High Court shall make such order under paragraph (3) orF1 Article 11 of the Order of 1998 as it thinks just and reasonable having regard to—

a

the interests of the bankrupt's creditors,

b

the conduct of the spouse or former spouseF4, so far as contributing to the bankruptcy,

c

the needs and financial resources of the spouse or former spouseF4,

d

the needs of any children, and

e

all the circumstances of the case other than the needs of the bankrupt.

5

Where such an application is made or such a suit is maintained after the expiration of one year from the first vesting under Chapter IV of the bankrupt's estate in a trustee, the High Court shall assume, unless the circumstances of the case are exceptional, that the interests of the bankrupt's creditors outweigh all other considerations.