Insolvency Act 1986

284 Restrictions on dispositions of property. E+W

(1) Where a person is [F1 made] bankrupt, any disposition of property made by that person in the period to which this section applies is void except to the extent that it is or was made with the consent of the court, or is or was subsequently ratified by the court.

(2) Subsection (1) applies to a payment (whether in cash or otherwise) as it applies to a disposition of property and, accordingly, where any payment is void by virtue of that subsection, the person paid shall hold the sum paid for the bankrupt as part of his estate.

(3) This section applies to the period beginning with the day of the [F2 making of the bankruptcy application or (as the case may be) the presentation of the bankruptcy petition] and ending with the vesting, under Chapter IV of this Part, of the bankrupt’s estate in a trustee.

(4) The preceding provisions of this section do not give a remedy against any person—

(a) in respect of any property or payment which he received before the commencement of the bankruptcy in good faith, for value and without notice that the [F3 bankruptcy application had been made or (as the case may be) that the bankruptcy] petition had been presented, or

(b) in respect of any interest in property which derives from an interest in respect of which there is, by virtue of this subsection, no remedy.

(5) Where after the commencement of his bankruptcy the bankrupt has incurred a debt to a banker or other person by reason of the making of a payment which is void under this section, that debt is deemed for the purposes of any of this Group of Parts to have been incurred before the commencement of the bankruptcy unless—

(a) that banker or person had notice of the bankruptcy before the debt was incurred, or

(b) it is not reasonably practicable for the amount of the payment to be recovered from the person to whom it was made.

(6) A disposition of property is void under this section notwithstanding that the property is not or, as the case may be, would not be comprised in the bankrupt’s estate; but nothing in this section affects any disposition made by a person of property held by him on trust for any other person.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 284(1) substituted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 15(2); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)

F2 Words in s. 284(3) substituted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 15(3); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)

F3 Words in s. 284(4)(a) inserted (6.4.2016) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 19 para. 15(4); S.I. 2016/191, art. 2 (with art. 3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 284 applied with modifications by S.I. 1986/1999, art. 3, Sch. 1 Pt. II

C2 S. 284 excluded (25.4.1991) by Companies Act 1989 (c. 40), ss. 154, 155, 164(3), 175(4), 182(4), Sch. 22 para. 11(4); S.I. 1991/878, art. 2, Sch. ( with art. 3(4)).

S. 284 excluded (15.8.1995) by S.I. 1995/2049, reg. 21(5)-(8)

C3 S. 284 restricted (25.4.1991) by Companies Act 1989 (c. 40), s. 182(4), Sch. 22 para. 7(2); S.I. 1991/878, art. 2, Sch. .

C4 S. 284 applied (with modifications) (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, arts. 8(3)(9), 10(6), Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 29

C5 S. 284 modified (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, art. 11(2)(3), Sch. 7 para. 8

C6 S. 284 excluded (11.12.1999) by S.I. 1999/2979, regs. 16(3), 19(3) (as amended (2.2.2006) by The Financial Markets and Insolvency (Settlement Finality) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/50), reg. 2(8)(10) and as amended (1.10.2009) by The Financial Markets and Insolvency (Settlement Finality) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1972), reg. 6(a))