Any interested party can object to a company’s application to be struck off the register and dissolved.
An objection can only be considered by the registrar once notification has been published in the Gazette showing the registrar’s intention to strike the company off the register at the expiration of 2 months.
It is important to send any objection to the registrar at the earliest opportunity after publication of the Gazette notice and at least two weeks prior to the notice expiry date.
11.1 How and why objections are made
Reasons for objection might be:
the company has broken any of the conditions of its application (for example, if it traded, changed its name, or become subject to insolvency proceedings during the 3 months prior to the application, or afterwards)
some form of action is being taken, or is pending, to recover any money owed (such as a winding-up petition or action in a small claims court)
the directors have not informed interested parties
any of the declarations on the form are false
other legal action is being taken against the company
the directors have wrongfully traded or committed a tax fraud or some other offence
A full list of conditions can be found in section 1004 and section 1005 of the Companies Act 2006.
In most instances, you should make your objection in writing. The safest and quickest way for an objection to be considered is by emailing enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk. Send your objection by post to the dissolution section. You must include supporting evidence.
Contact our enquiries department on 0303 1234 500 if you can’t send an objection by post.
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For example, if you are complaining that the company has traded within the 3 months prior to the application for voluntary strike off being made, you should provide a copy of a receipt/proof of purchase from the limited company that is dated within 3 months of the application being made. Or, if you are a creditor then you should provide evidence that you are actively pursuing a debt by providing copies of invoices sent to the company or court action you have taken to recover the debt. In such cases, supporting evidence should show the full limited company name (including the word limited) and be recent, usually dated within the last 6 months.
11.2 When we receive an objection
When we receive an objection to strike off the registrar will respond to advise whether the objection has been accepted or rejected. Every response will give a deadline and if we receive no further evidence that action is progressing by that date, action to remove the company from the register will resume.
If you need more time, you should lodge another objection, by writing to us two weeks before the deadline you have been given. You will need to provide evidence, including the full limited company name, stating what action you have taken since last contacting us.
If you have made a complaint about the company not meeting the conditions required for voluntary strike off, we will advise you whether or not we intend to take your complaint further.
Objector’s details are not in the public domain and we will only provide these if consent is given. When registering your objection, please state whether you are prepared for your details to be given.