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Last reviewed: June 2026 · For use in England & Wales · eLitigant is a Community Interest Company (No. 16566612), not a law firm. Always check the current official form on GOV.UK before you file, and sign the statement of truth yourself.
In short
A Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is a formal insolvency procedure that lets a viable but distressed company pay its unsecured creditors a reduced amount over 3-5 years while continuing to trade. A licensed Insolvency Practitioner acts as nominee, the directors prepare a proposal, and creditors decide – approval needs 75% by value. The supervisor then administers contributions. Do as much groundwork as you can yourself; the IP role is mandatory and should be a regulated, ideally local independent, Insolvency Practitioner.
The shortcut: eLitigant’s Chris drafts the document for you to this standard, from your details — you check, sign and file. A Community Interest Company, not a law firm; information, not advice.
① Draft it from scratch
Upload your accounts, cash-flow forecasts, creditor list and contracts. Chris drafts the full CVA proposal — history, forecasts, creditor treatment, Statement of Affairs and nominee pack — from your facts.Before you pay anyone — do as much yourself as you can
Insolvency Practitioners are regulated — but the “advisers”, lead-generators and middlemen around them often are not. Be wary of upfront fees before any work is done, pressure to liquidate quickly, unsolicited calls or texts after you search online, and anyone who isn’t a named, regulated IP. Many early steps — talking to creditors, the moratorium, the paperwork — you can handle yourself with Chris.
When you genuinely need a practitioner, consider a local, independent, qualified Insolvency Practitioner. You are more likely to get a personal service, a named contact and clear, fair fees — rather than being one case among thousands.
Always check they are regulated, on the official register:
• England & Wales — the Insolvency Service’s register of authorised insolvency practitioners (gov.uk)
• Scotland — Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB)
• Or check membership of the IPA, ICAEW or ICAS.
② Check the draft you’ve written
Already drafted a proposal or contribution schedule? Upload it and Chris reviews the forecasts, creditor treatment and governance against what the nominee and creditors expect to see.③ Facing winding-up or a challenge — respond
Under unsecured-creditor pressure, or a creditor challenge on irregularity or unfair prejudice? Run what you’ve received by Chris and draft your response.In short: A Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is a formal insolvency procedure that lets a financially distressed but viable company pay its unsecured creditors a reduced amount over 3–5 years while continuing to trade — approved when 75% by value of creditors vote in favour, and administered by a licensed Insolvency Practitioner as supervisor. eLitigant (the Chris engine) drafts the CVA proposal pack — proposal, Statement of Affairs, nominee information and creditor letters — from your own accounts and correspondence, or checks the draft you have already written, so the proposal is one creditors can believe.
A CVA lets a company in distress pay its unsecured creditors a reduced amount over 3–5 years — and continue trading. Drafted well, it saves jobs, continues contracts, and gives secured creditors a better outcome than liquidation. Drafted badly, it fails in month six and the company liquidates anyway.The economics of 2026: Elite insolvency advice has historically been the province of Insolvency Practitioners. Chris gives directors, company secretaries, and individual debtors the drafting capacity to work alongside an IP — redrafted to Queen’s English perfect.
Elite whoever drafts.
Facing this as a director?
Time matters in insolvency. Chris drafts the documents this guide describes — to a high, professional standard, the same day. For ongoing matters, Express Case covers the whole procedure, document by document.
Like a court clerk, we explain how to use the tools — we don’t advise on your case.
When a CVA fits
- Viable underlying business with cash-flow distress
- Directors committed to continuing
- Unsecured creditor pressure threatening winding-up
- One-off problem (bad debt, failed contract, Covid-era overhang) obscuring a good core
- Alternative to administration or liquidation
The structure
- Nominee appointed (licensed IP)
- Directors prepare proposal with nominee’s guidance
- Proposal covers: history, reasons for difficulty, forecast trading, contributions, treatment of creditors, supervisor role, duration
- Nominee reports to court (or directly to creditors under modernised route)
- Creditors’ decision — 75% by value approves
- CVA binds all unsecured creditors who had notice
- Supervisor administers — collects contributions, pays creditors pro rata, reports annually
Contribution models
- Profit-share — fixed percentage of future profits
- Fixed monthly contribution
- Lump sum from asset sale or third-party injection
- Hybrid
Let Chris draft this for you
Upload your accounts, correspondence, any insolvency paperwork. Chris produces documents to the standard the Insolvency Service, Companies House, or court expects. Redraft as many times as you need — no per-draft charge.
The proposal — what creditors want to see
Realistic forecasts. Transparent causes. Clear creditor treatment. Better outcome than liquidation. Robust governance. Chris drafts proposals with the forecasting and clarity that gets creditor votes.Landlords and CVAs
High Court decisions post-2020 have tightened what CVAs can do to landlord rights. Differential treatment of landlords (reduced rents, closure of specific stores) must be genuinely justifiable — not simply shifting the burden. Proposals that treat landlords worse than other unsecured creditors without proper rationale have been successfully challenged.Creditor challenges
A creditor bound by a CVA can challenge on:- Material irregularity in the decision-making
- Unfair prejudice to their position
Can Chris draft the CVA proposal?
Yes. Upload accounts, cash-flow forecasts, creditor list, contracts. Chris drafts:- Full CVA proposal with history, forecasts, creditor treatment
- Statement of Affairs
- Nominee information pack
- Creditor communication letters
- Court documents where court-approved CVA route is used
Prepare to win. Plan not to fail.
A CVA is a three-year promise. Draft it so the promise is one creditors believe.Related Court Forms & Guides
- Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (CVL)
- Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (MVL)
- Pre-Pack Administration
- Statement of Affairs (Insolvency)
- Winding-Up Petition
- Director’s Guide to Liquidation and Restructuring Strategy
- Insolvency & Debt Forms Hub
Choosing an insolvency practitioner — and keeping fees down
A formal liquidation or Company Voluntary Arrangement legally needs a licensed insolvency practitioner — but you can prepare and draft most of the groundwork yourself first (the directors’ statement of affairs, the background, the proposal narrative), which is where the real fee savings are. If you do appoint one, consider a smaller, local, independent practitioner rather than a large national firm: you typically get more personal service, clearer communication, fewer conflicts of interest and more competitive fees — and you deal directly with the person handling your case, not a production line. Always ask for a written fee estimate and check the practitioner’s regulatory record with their licensing body before you appoint.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Company Voluntary Arrangement?
A CVA is an arrangement that lets a company in distress pay its unsecured creditors a reduced amount over 3–5 years and continue trading. Drafted well it saves jobs, continues contracts, and can give secured creditors a better outcome than liquidation.When does a CVA fit?
A CVA suits a viable underlying business with cash-flow distress, directors committed to continuing, unsecured-creditor pressure threatening winding-up, or a one-off problem — such as a bad debt or failed contract — obscuring an otherwise good core. It is an alternative to administration or liquidation.How is a CVA approved and who runs it?
A licensed Insolvency Practitioner is appointed as nominee; directors prepare the proposal with the nominee’s guidance, the nominee reports to court or directly to creditors under the modernised route, and creditors decide — 75% by value approves. The CVA then binds all unsecured creditors who had notice, and a supervisor administers it, collecting contributions, paying creditors pro rata and reporting annually.How are creditor contributions structured?
Common models include a profit-share (a fixed percentage of future profits), a fixed monthly contribution, a lump sum from an asset sale or third-party injection, or a hybrid of these.Can a creditor challenge a CVA?
Yes. A creditor bound by a CVA can challenge it on the grounds of material irregularity in the decision-making, or unfair prejudice to their position, within a 28-day window from the decision. Differential treatment of landlords must be genuinely justifiable, as post-2020 High Court decisions have tightened what CVAs can do to landlord rights.Can Chris draft the CVA proposal, and is an IP still needed?
Yes — upload your accounts, cash-flow forecasts, creditor list and contracts, and Chris drafts the full proposal, Statement of Affairs, nominee information pack, creditor communication letters and any court documents. The nominee/supervisor (a licensed IP) remains mandatory; Chris drafts what the IP and the creditors want to see, and you can redraft as many times as you need.Draft a CVA proposal creditors can believe
Draft my CVA proposal →One matter · one case folder · a full day of drafting · 7-day guarantee on the standard of the drafts · you remain the litigant in person
See also: DIY company insolvency & rescue — every option compared, and how to cut the insolvency-practitioner fees.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Would you rather we drafted it for you?
Tell us what has happened and what you need. Every document is quoted case by case, on its size and the time it needs, and the price is agreed with you by email before any work starts. Nothing is charged until you say go.
Once agreed, it comes back to you within one working day (business documents usually within the hour). You read it, check every date and figure, sign it and file it: it stays your document throughout. No need to attach anything now — once we reply, you send your papers by email.
We use your details only to reply to this enquiry. eLitigant CIC is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. You remain the author of your documents.