Companies Act 2014 section 632

No lien over company's books, records, etc.

Section 632 prevents any person from withholding a company's documents or claiming a lien over them when the company is in liquidation, ensuring the liquidator has access to all records needed to carry out their duties.

• No person may withhold company documents, accounting records, invoices, or other financial paperwork from a liquidator or provisional liquidator, nor claim any lien over such items
• Where documents have been deposited as security for a mortgage, charge, or pledge, handing them over to the liquidator does not affect the holder's underlying security rights — only the right to physical possession is lost
• If a liquidator holds documents that a receiver is entitled to inspect, those documents must be made available to the receiver at all reasonable times, unless the court directs otherwise
• Withholding documents without just cause is a criminal offence classified as a category 3 offence

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