Troubled Midlands firm Challinors owes more than £11.2m to unsecured creditors as it prepares to go into administration.

The firm yesterday confirmed it has filed notice of its intention to appoint administrators and is in talks with insolvency practitioners KSA Group about the future of the business.

A draft statement of affairs seen by the Gazette reveals the firm owes more than £4m to Allied Irish Bank and almost £500,000 to HM Revenue & Customs.

The firm also owes almost £500,000 to the South Tyneside Borough Council Pension Fund.

In total around 250 companies and individuals – including several other law firms – are owed money by Challinors.

Other creditors and their outstanding amounts include:

  • £212,887 for rent of a Birmingham office;
  • £25,964 to property consultant GVA Grimley;
  • £16,124 to LexisNexis Butterworths;
  • £67,824 to Sandwell Borough Council;
  • £250,000 to software developer Cosmic Concepts.

Challinors owes more than £1.5m in ‘employees’ unsecured claims’ and £17,288 to Fiona Debney, a partner in the firm.

Listed under contingent creditors, for those who provide services or financial products, Real Estate Investors House PLC, based in West Bromwich, is owed more than £350,000 in total.

Investec Asset Finance (£59,583) and property company Jer Excelsis LP (£203,912) are also included on the contingent creditors list.

The document, filed on 19 June, estimated the outcome of terminal insolvency or intervention will be £11.3m. The estimate of outcome in a voluntary arrangement is set at £6.6m. It is not yet clear how much creditors will be paid back.

Wayne Harrison, director of insolvency for KSA, confirmed today that he is acting on behalf of Challinors, but the firm has yet to enter administration.

The firm has made no further comment on top of a short statement yesterday, which said it continued to trade normally while the ‘orderly transfer’ of the business was arranged.

It has been reported by Insider News Midlands that a £450,000 offer to purchase Challinors’ assets could be in the offing.

According to Companies House records, a new company under the name of Challinors Legal Limited was incorporated on Tuesday, with three directors named who have no direct link to the existing firm.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has confirmed that it has no concerns at this stage over clients' interests so there is no need for regulatory action.