In this article the authors discuss the fundamental differences, from a Singapore law perspective, in how creditors might be treated in the insolvency of a real estate investment trust (REIT) compared to the insolvency of a company and explore some possible structures and mechanisms which might enable a REIT and its creditors to restructure or wind up a REIT synthetically. (In the UK, a REIT is a UK company limited by shares, with separate legal personality, so the issues raised in this article do not apply to UK based REITs).