In re B & G Fabricating Co.

33 B.R. 167, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5937
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 23, 1983
DocketBankruptcy No. 78-628
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 33 B.R. 167 (In re B & G Fabricating Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re B & G Fabricating Co., 33 B.R. 167, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5937 (W.D. Pa. 1983).

Opinion

[168]*168MEMORANDUM OPINION

GERALD K. GIBSON, Bankruptcy Judge.

The matter presently before the Court is Landlord’s objection to Trustee’s petition to make partial distribution of proceeds from the sale of liened assets to the three secured creditors involved herein. In its objection, Landlord asserts an administrative priority for rent of premises leased by Debtor upon which the collateral was stored prior to and until the time of sale. Landlord seeks payment of the rental obligation out of the fund derived from the sale of liened assets.

Trustee has made partial distribution of proceeds to the secured creditors and has withheld certain amounts claimed by Landlord pending resolution of the present dispute.

For the reasons that follow, the Court concludes that there is no authority for the payment sought by Landlord under the circumstances at bar. Accordingly, the Landlord’s objection to Trustee’s petition to make partial distribution of sale proceeds to secured creditors is dismissed.

The facts are as follows. On December 5, 1978, B & G Fabricating Company filed a voluntary petition under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act. Debtor continued to operate its business upon leased premises located in Carnegie, Pennsylvania and owned by A.J. Noce and Virginia Noce, his wife (hereinafter “Landlord”).

Shortly before the filing of the petition under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act, General Electric Credit Corporation (hereinafter “GECC”) entered into an agreement with Debtor for the lease of certain machinery, and properly perfected its security interest therein. On November 7, 1978, GECC filed a complaint in reclamation seeking recovery of the leased equipment. By Order of Court dated November 29,1978 Debtor was authorized to use the equipment on the condition that it pay GECC its regular installment lease payments. Upon Debtor’s default in June, 1980, GECC filed a motion seeking immediate return of its collateral. On or about the same time, Debtor filed a petition seeking adjudication.

In addition thereto, Air Pol Industries, (hereinafter “Air Pol”) held a perfected security interest in certain of Debtor’s machinery and equipment. In September, 1979 Air Pol filed a complaint in reclamation. The hearing on the matter was continued by the parties for settlement.

Mellon Bank, the third secured creditor involved herein, held a perfected security interest in all accounts, chattel paper and inventory. In January, 1979 Mellon filed a complaint in reclamation. Upon motion of Mellon, the hearing was continued with the consent of the Debtor.

In July, 1980, Debtor was adjudicated a bankrupt and a trustee was appointed. Shortly thereafter, Trustee filed a complaint to sell personal property, equipment, and inventory located at Debtor’s place of business, free and clear of liens and encumbrances. Included in the sale was property subject to the security interests of GECC, Air Pol and Mellon.

The aforementioned secured creditors consented to the sale and agreed that their liens would be divested and shifted to the sale proceeds. Trustee approximated that the balance due on GECC’s secured debt was $57,000. GECC consented to sale of the equipment subject to its security interest on the condition that its net recovery would be equal to or in excess of $50,000.

The gross proceeds of the sale held on October 21, 1980 were $97,840, against which was charged a 10% auctioneer’s commission plus advertising costs and labor. Net proceeds were in the amount of $80,-574.50. Machinery subject to GECC’s security interest was sold for $50,000. GECC consented to further reduction of this figure to $49,500., the difference representing partial payment of the auctioneer’s commission.

Equipment subject to Air Pol’s security interest was sold for $11,225. Air Pol agreed that its share of the costs and expenses was $890.81. Inventory subject to the security interest of Mellon was sold for [169]*169$5062.50. Mellon agreed that its share of the costs and expenses was $895.29. In the petition to make partial distribution of proceeds of sale, Trustee sought the Court’s approval to pay Air Pol and Mellon the amounts of $10,334.09 and $4167.21 respectively.

Additionally, the Court notes that the Landlord signed various Landlord Release and Waiver Forms on behalf of the above-mentioned secured creditors, wherein it purportedly waived its right to distrain their collateral in the event of Debtor’s default in its rental obligation. In the case of GECC the waiver was signed by A.J. Noce and Associates, while the record owner of the premises was A.J. Noce and Virginia Noce, his wife. It is not altogether clear from the record whether Landlord’s prior objection to the validity of the waiver has been withdrawn. Further, it appears that Mellon’s waiver was signed by A.J. Noce individually subsequent to the filing of the petition under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act. However, determination of the waiver’s validity is not necessary for resolution of the dispute at bar.

After hearing on the Trustee’s petition to make partial distribution to the secured creditors, Trustee was directed by the Court to withhold administrative rent from the secured creditors pending final account and distribution; the balance to be paid to secured creditors immediately. In accordance therewith, Trustee delivered to Mellon a check representing proceeds from the sale of its collateral minus the agreed upon costs. Trustee further withheld the amount of $968.44 as Landlord’s alleged administrative expense pending resolution of the dispute at bar. Similarly, Trustee delivered to Air Pol the amount realized from the sale of its collateral, minus the agreed upon costs, and alleged administrative rent in the amount of $1496.68. Further, Landlord apparently seeks contribution from GECC, although the amount is unclear from the record.

The Court now turns to the Landlord’s objection and the responses thereto. Landlord asserts that the property subject to the security interests of GECC, Air Pol and Mellon comprised substantially all personal property stored upon the premises leased by the Debtor; and that it was unable to relet the premises during the period between the appointment of the Trustee and the sale of Debtor’s assets. Landlord further avers that the monthly rental for the premises was $6,200 per month; or $12,400 for the months of September and October, 1980. Landlord seeks 90% of the rent, or $11,160; for the collateral of the secured creditors herein occupied 90% of the leased premises. In support thereof, Landlord cites § 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code which in some circumstances permits trustee to recover reasonable and necessary costs of preserving collateral from the involved secured creditor. However, the Court notes that the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act are controlling in the present case at bar.

The relief requested by Landlord in its brief differs from that set forth in its objection. In its brief, Landlord argues that it is entitled to administrative expenses for rent equal to the percentage of the amounts received from the sale of collateral in relation to the total amount of the sale. The total proceeds of sale were $97,840., of which 71% or $69,087.50 represents the amount realized by the three secured creditors herein. Therefore, Landlord requests 71% of its administrative rent claim, or $8,804.00. Landlord further asserts that the “release and waiver” does not defeat its right to administrative rent.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
33 B.R. 167, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5937, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-b-g-fabricating-co-pawd-1983.