A delivery is already on the road when the builder liquidates
Manage the factual logistics of an in-transit delivery after learning of a builder liquidation.
Corporate Recovery Partners
01 / 06
The news reaches you after dispatch
Imagine a supplier whose truck has left with custom panels when news arrives that the builder has liquidated. The driver is due at the site in an hour. The office must establish what is happening quickly, but a hurried demand to unload, turn around or collect other goods may create additional problems. Start with location and status.
Contact the carrier through your usual channel. Ask where the goods are, whether delivery has occurred and who is controlling the delivery instructions. Preserve the consignment reference and existing instructions. Distinguish goods still on the truck from goods already signed for. Ask about practical options and charges without representing that you have an unrestricted right to redirect the shipment.
Retrieve the sale terms, transport booking, order and relevant correspondence. Ask your legal adviser about ownership, contractual obligations and any right to stop or redirect the goods. Custom goods, independent carriers and completed deliveries can raise different issues. The operational urgency is a reason to make that request precise, not a reason to guess the legal answer.
ASIC describes the liquidator's role as protecting, collecting and selling company assets. Where the goods may be connected with the appointed company, tell the liquidator about the shipment and the time pressure. Provide the factual position and ask for the appropriate contact. Do not treat an unanswered message as authority to take goods or enter the site.
Once the position has been checked, communicate the instruction clearly to the carrier and confirm receipt. Record who made the decision, what information they relied on and any unresolved question. In the example, a temporary storage option might have a cost and require consent. Keep that cost visible rather than allowing an indefinite holding arrangement to develop unnoticed.
Obtain the eventual delivery, return or storage record and reconcile it with the order. Keep the shipment issue separate from existing unpaid invoices so the creditor account remains accurate. CRP can help organise the commercial impact alongside specialist advice. The immediate objective is a traceable decision about identifiable goods, made with the relevant people and documents in view.
