ARTG3410 - Reviews and appeals for indirect taxes: Settlement of appeals: How appeals can be settled

An appeal may be resolved by

• agreement with HMRC at any time before the customer’s appeal is decided by the tribunal
• the decision of the tribunal, see ARTG8900 onwards, or relevant appellate court, see ARTG10020 
• the customer withdrawing their appeal, see ARTG3430

Customer becomes insolvent

Where a customer enters a formal insolvency procedure such as liquidation, administration or bankruptcy, the insolvency practitioner ‘stands in the shoes’ of the insolvent customer for legal purposes and so is entitled to decide whether to pursue an ongoing appeal or not. Where there is an open appeal and the customer enters a formal insolvency procedure, the decision maker (liaising with the review officer or litigator if the appeal is being reviewed or is to be heard by the tribunal) should write to the insolvency practitioner and ask whether they wish to continue with the appeal or consider settling the appeal by agreement.

In most circumstances insolvency practitioners will wish to incur the minimum of costs in quantifying the liabilities of the customer and so may be open to a reasonable settlement by agreement.