The Debt Relief Orders (Designation of Competent Authorities) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
These Regulations are made under Article 208U (approved intermediaries) of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, inserted by the Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. That Act inserted a new Part 7A into the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 making provision for applications for, and making of, debt relief orders. An application for a debt relief order must be made to the official receiver through an approved intermediary. Approved intermediaries are individuals approved by a competent authority to act as an intermediary between a person wishing to make an application for a debt relief order and the official receiver. “Competent authority” means a body for the time being designated by the Department for the purposes of granting approvals to individuals to act as intermediaries