Company Restoration

Available at BTC from £175.00 + VAT plus disbursements

The power of the Registrar:

Companies House can strike a company off the register should any of the following apply:

  • The Registrar has not received documents from the company that should have sent them to them; or
  • Mail that the Registrar has sent to a company's registered office is "returned to sender"; or
  • The company has no directors.

What happens to a company if it is "struck off"?

A company which has been "struck off" under section 1000 of Companies Act 2006 forfeits its assets. They pass bona vacantia to either The Crown, The Duchess of Lancaster or Duchess of Cornwall, depending on the location of the company's registered office.

Trading with a unrestored "struck off" or "dissolved" company can lead to serious legal repercussions, including personal liability for company debts and a various contractual issues and litigation.

A "struck off" or "dissolved" company can release its assets by applying for a "company restoration" to the Treasury solicitor and the Registrar of Companies under sections 1024 - 1029 of the Companies Act 2006. This can be done either through court or via an administrative restoration. 

What is Administrative Restoration?

An administrative restoration can only be completed under certain circumstances. If the company was dissolved by Companies House because they deemed it was no longer in operation, a director or member of that company may apply to the Reistrar to restore the company to the register. Should the Registrar accept the application and consequently restore the company, it is then deemed to have continued in existence as if it had never been dissolved and struck off the register. This is done under Section 1025 of the Companies Act 2006, which means that a Certificate of Good Standing is now feasible.

Who can apply to have a company restored to the register?

Only a director or member of that dissolved company, at the time the company was dissolved, may apply to restore the company.

Eligibility for an administrative restoration depends on the following criteria:

  • The company must have been struck off the register under sections 1000 to 1002 of the Companies Act 2006.
  • The company must not have been dissolved for more than 6 years at the date the Registrar receives the restoration application.
  • The company must have been in operation or carrying out business at the date on which it was struck off.
  • Any assets of the company that were passed bona vacantia to the relevant Crown Representative can only be released with the Crown Representative's written consent to the company's restoration.
  • The company must have delivered all relevant documents to bring the company up to date along with the payment of any outstanding penalties.

The administrative restoration Process and Costs: 

Our fee for preparing the annual return(s), form RT01 and the prepartion and submission of the waiver letter to the Crown Nominess is £200 + VAT and disbursements

BTC staff will prepare, obtain all relevant paperwork, and send, on behalf of the director or member, an ‘Application for administrative restoration’ to the Registrar along with a compliance statement which confirms that the applicant is legally entitled to apply on behalf of the company and that all the necessary conditions for the company's restoration are met.

Any costs or expenses that are incurred by the Crown Representative must be met by the applicant, if they have been demanded by the Crown Representative. There may also be additional charges which the applicant must pay if they remain unpaid. These include:

  • Penalties on any outstanding on accounts from before the company was struck off; and
  • Penalties on accounts which are due on restoration, if overdue at time of striking off.

A filing fee may also be applicable for the submission of any outstanding documentation.

Fees for restoring a company are listed below. In the unlikely event of any complications during the application, the costs may be higher and we will of course keep you informed every step of the way. If any extra costs are incurred in excess of £40 we will seek your permission to proceed first. All prices are subject to VAT, except where stated. Prices do not include any late filing penalites and are broken down in the table below:

Item

Price

Administrative Restoration - BTC Legal fees

Administrative Restoration - Registrars Fee

Annual Return filing fee per year

£175.00

£100.00

£40.00

Crown Treasury Legal fees, or

Duchy of Lancaster/Cornwall fees (if applicable)

£69.00

£150.00

If you have any questions or queries, simply contact us and we will review the case, advising of any further relevant information as well as any additional costs.

What if the company is not eligible for administrative restoration?

For those companies that are not eligible for the administrative route, they will need the formal restoration procedures using the court systems. This can apply when a company was voluntarily stuck off or subject to formal insolvency procedures or winding up. Please email or ring us to discuss your requirements. We will be pleased to quote you upon request and if necessary talk to one of our solicitors who would take on the case.

Stephen O'Neill is licensed and regulated by the Association of Accounting Technicians to provide services in accordance with license No.443 details of which are displayed at the registered office address.
by phone:  0800 085 4127