KATALPA bankruptcy: creditors with paid deposits had until 15 September to file a claim

KATALPA - VÝROBA NÁBYTKU s.r.o. had been making fitted kitchens and other bespoke furniture for the mid-range and upper market since 2003. On Wednesday 15 July 2026 the Municipal Court in Prague, under file no. MSPH 77 INS 11102/2026, declared the company insolvent and opened bankruptcy proceedings under Czech insolvency law. The company's unpaid debts exceed CZK 33.5 million and, according to publicly available media reports, its creditors include customers who paid deposits for bespoke furniture that was never delivered.

What the declaration of bankruptcy means for creditors

With the declaration of bankruptcy, the power to dispose of the debtor's assets passed to the insolvency trustee (Section 246 of Act No. 182/2006 Coll., the Czech Insolvency Act). The trustee will realise the company's assets and distribute the proceeds among creditors according to the ranking of their claims. Secured creditors, typically lending banks, are satisfied first from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral. Other creditors, including customers who paid deposits, receive a pro rata share of the remaining proceeds.

Two-month deadline for filing a claim

Under Section 136(2)(d) of the Insolvency Act, creditors have two months from the publication of the insolvency decision to file a proof of claim. In the KATALPA case the deadline ends on 15 September 2026. The creditor files the claim on the official form of the Czech Ministry of Justice together with supporting evidence; for deposits paid for kitchens this means in particular the purchase contract, proof of payment, the order and e-mail correspondence. The requirements of a proof of claim are set out in Section 174 of the Insolvency Act; among other things, it must state the exact amount of the claim, its legal basis and any accessories.

A creditor who misses the deadline cannot take part in the further proceedings; a late claim is disregarded. Since many customers paid deposits of tens to hundreds of thousands of crowns, this is a crucial procedural step.

Practical steps

Creditors should gather the documents evidencing the contractual relationship, in particular the purchase contract, the order, proof of payment of the deposit and correspondence with the company, quantify the claim and file it within the statutory deadline using the official form. For claims of several hundred thousand crowns, or where the date on which the claim arose is disputed, it makes sense to consult a lawyer, because an incorrectly completed proof of claim may be partly or wholly contested.

The insolvency proceedings are conducted by the Municipal Court in Prague under file no. MSPH 77 INS 11102/2026. Řezníček & Co. has long represented creditors in Czech insolvency proceedings. If you need help with a proof of claim, contact us at office@reznicek.com or +420 386 323 247.

Source: Insolvency Register of the Czech Ministry of Justice; Resolution of the Municipal Court in Prague of 15 July 2026, file no. MSPH 77 INS 11102/2026.