Keith is the Managing Director of KSA Group Insolvency Practitioners which has been established for 25 years. The company has undertaken more CVA led rescues than any other firm. Read our case studies to see how.
Having difficulty getting Construction Loans or Finance?
Having difficulty getting Construction Loans or Finance?
Every business is different, however there are particular issues that construction businesses face which are unique to the sector.
Often with low margins and tough trading conditions, cash flow can be a problem. Below is a list of problems we’ve seen happen in the industry:
Retention sums not released at agreed times
Delays in repayments from HMRC, regarding CIS deductions (which are connected to PAYE scheme). HMRC can be slow in making CIS refunds, leading to issues with cash flow.
Loss of large contracts
Issues with sub-contractors
Difficult customers
Lengthy contracts with prices agreed at beginning. I.e. quotes do not keep up with rising costs.
Less focus on financial accounts due to management being onsite
Hard to find new contracts if cash flow is tight, perhaps due to low credit rating
It might be that an additional loan is not what is required…. As turnaround practitioners, our specialists can help tackle these issues with you to get your construction business back on track. We can go through all the available options, like expert assessment of the issues your company faces, improved financial reporting, Time to Pay deals, CVAs and pre-pack administrations. We can also find finance for construction companies in distress.
We also have industry specific turnaround experts who can act as non executive directors, chairman or turnaround managers. We have turned around construction companies from £500k to £25m sales.
Call us on 0800 9700539 for free expert advice and a talk through your options. We can visit you onsite to discuss your specific situation.
One of the Britain's oldest tea companies has filed an intention to appoint administrators in the court.This follows a very difficult year with sales falling and an expensive break in at one of its factories. Sales fell from £38m to £25m in 2023 and it had to take an exception cost of £24m relating to the damage of stock and equipment following the break in.The company was founded in 1903 by grocer John Sumner and was at one time the best selling tea brand in the UK.It should be noted that the intention to appoint administrators is a way of protecting the company from aggressive creditor actions, such as winding up petitions. It gives the company protection for 10 days whilst it tries to rescue the business. This might be additional finance or a sale. EY is named as the possible administrator and will be looking at the options.Private equity firm Zetland Capital has been the company’s majority shareholder since 2021. Typhoo’s debts stood at £73m at the end of September 2023, compared to £53m a year earlier.According to the company's accounts it has made losses in excess of £40m every year since 2019.
Homebase, the hardware and home improvement retailer has gone into administration with Teneo,
It has been reported that The Range, the privately owned general merchandise retailer, are near to closing in on a rescue deal, via a pre pack deal which would save approximately 1,500 jobs for Homebase. The Range has become one of the fastest-growing retailers in the UK, founded in 1989 and now has 210 stores to its name, across the country.
There was also interest received from other DIY rivals, discount food retailers and high street brands, as per sources. Hilco have been working on this sale for a few months now, with hope something will come to fruition.
Such a deal would end the six years of ownership from Hilco. Back in 2018 Hilco rescued Homebase from trouble via a Company Voluntary Arrangement process - so this is of course not the first time Homebase have been in difficulty.
The DIY market has been facing headwinds from the cost of living crisis and recent uncertainty about the economy.
RMT Accountants Growing Business Recovery Sector Presence With KSA Group Acquisition
RMT Accountants & Business Advisors, part of the Sumer Group, is set to grow its presence in the business recovery and insolvency sector after completing the acquisition of a specialist restructuring practice for an undisclosed sum. RMT has acquired the KSA Group, which specialises in pre-insolvency solutions and works with the directors and owners of struggling businesses to effect rescues often without the need for a formal insolvency process. The 15-strong KSA team, which includes four directors and two Licensed Insolvency Practitioners, is staying in post, with the combined restructuring team being led by RMT director and head of recovery & restructuring, Chris Ferguson. KSA has offices in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Gateshead, Edinburgh and London, and was one of the first UK insolvency practices to take a digital approach to delivering its services, with the https://www.companyrescue.co.uk portal it first launched in 2001 providing a range of free information and advice to business owners who are looking for help. It is also nationally renowned in its use of Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs) for small and medium sized companies, with more than £31m being returned to their clients’ creditors and HMRC through KSA’s CVA work. The deal marks RMT’s third acquisition since it became part of the Sumer Group, the UK’s leading mid-market accountancy practice for SMEs, and made growth by acquisition a key part of its commercial strategy. RMT completed the acquisition of rural and agricultural specialists McCowie & Co in late 2023, while it joined forces in the summer with Durham-headquartered Ribchesters Chartered Accountants, which now operates as RMT Ribchesters. Chris Ferguson, director and head of recovery & restructuring at RMT, says: “Much of the work done by insolvency professionals goes under the radar, with pre-emptive support and advice helping to save hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs across the UK every year without the need for a formal insolvency process. “KSA has a particularly strong regional and national reputation in this respect, with the team’s skills and experience complementing RMT’s existing recovery and insolvency offering extremely well. “The increased resources that the combined team provides will enable us to widen the reach of our business rescue and restructuring work, both within the North East and across the UK. “This is the latest example of how becoming part of a nationwide organisation like Sumer, with a clear strategy for growth, is providing us with opportunities to bring in additional expertise which enhances the services we offer to our clients.” Keith Steven, founder and managing director at KSA Group, adds: “Our long-term success has been based on working directly with owners and directors to provide a holistic picture of the options available to their struggling businesses and then delivering the support and advice they’ve needed to find the best way to move forward. “Becoming part of a larger group will provide continuity for our expert team and a range of new opportunities, and we’re excited to be moving into this next stage of our business’s development. ” RMT Accountants & Business Advisors provides the full range of financial and business advisory services through its specialist teams, and works with companies of all sizes within and outside the North East, as well as internationally. Sumer is the UK and Ireland’s leading mid-market accountancy practice, delivering professional support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and employs over 2,000 staff across more than 40 offices. For further information, please contact Julian Christopher at Footprint Public Relations on 07891 005034KSA Group would also like to add special thanks to Alex Robson of Clarke Mairs Newcastle for assistance with the legals.
Following the collapse of the wedding venue, Stapleford Park Hotel in Leicestershire, 90 jobs have been lost and all reservations and events cancelled.It was confirmed on Thursday that Leonard Curtis had been appointed as Stapleford Park Limited's liquidator.The Grade-I listed property near Melton Mowbray was not owned by the hotel company, according to the firm, and its future "remains uncertain at this stage."Following the venue's closing, which featured superstars including the late US pop sensation Michael Jackson, 92 employees were laid off."Our priority was to ensure the most orderly wind-down of trading possible," stated Alex Cadwallader of Leonard Curtis, who was named a joint liquidator with Neil Bennett.Alex said; “Significant efforts were made to communicate with and re-locate the guests that were staying at the hotel, which was at approximately 50% occupancy.“Leonard Curtis attended the site and worked closely with front of house staff to make this possible, and the wider group also met some essential costs to limit the impact on guests and future bookings.“However, we fully appreciate that some guests will have been adversely impacted.”The Grade-I listed mansion is surrounded by 500 acres of parkland and 48 guest rooms.The hotel's management "was unable to generate the turnover required," according to the liquidator, "despite efforts to reach profitability."