A company was struck off and now somebody needs it back — to receive money, to be sued, to hold an asset, or to finish something it started. Here is which route applies and what it involves.
Once a company is dissolved it no longer exists, and its remaining assets generally pass to the Crown as bona vacantia. That becomes a problem in a surprising number of ordinary situations.
A refund or an insurance payout lands for a company that has gone.
Against the company, and there is no company to bring it against.
An asset is still held by a company that no longer exists.
A director finds the company was removed for late filings.
Restoration puts the company back on the register. The effect is that it is treated as having continued in existence, as if it had never been dissolved.
Applying under the wrong route does not fail politely: it wastes the application and the fee. So eligibility is settled before anything is prepared.
The company’s status, why and when it was dissolved, and who is eligible to apply. If restoration will not achieve what you want, you are told so here.
An application to Companies House, with no court involved. Available in limited circumstances: broadly where the registrar struck the company off while it was still carrying on business, and a former director or member applies within six years of dissolution.
Outstanding filings are brought up to date, and the Treasury Solicitor’s consent obtained where assets passed to the Crown.
Covers everything administrative restoration does not, including a company that was dissolved voluntarily, and applications by creditors and others with an interest.
Once proceedings are on foot it is reserved legal work, and it goes to AD Solicitors, with us staying on the file.
The company is treated as having continued in existence, as if it had never been dissolved.
Check the company’s status, why it was dissolved and when, and who is eligible to apply
Identify which route is available, and whether it will achieve what you need
Establish what happened to any assets, and whether the Treasury Solicitor’s consent is needed
Bring the outstanding filings up to date, or tell you what your accountant needs to prepare
Prepare and file the application
Where the matter has to go to court, refer it to AD Solicitors and stay on the file
Quoted on the specific company, because it depends on three things:
Finding out costs nothing. Send the company name and roughly when it was struck off. You get back which route applies, our fixed fee and the third-party costs, and nothing is chargeable until you approve.
Get my fixed priceRestoring a company only makes sense where there is something to recover once it exists again: assets that passed to the Crown, an insurance policy that would respond, or a claim that can be pursued. Restoration does not create money.
Where there is nothing to recover, the better conversation is about the debt itself. Business Debt Recovery is the same company.
If late filings are what got the company struck off, that is your accountant’s territory. Buzz Accounting can pick it up, and bring the accounts and confirmation statements up to date.
Restoration needs those filings brought up to date in any case.
And roughly when it was struck off. The form at the top takes one line.
Which route applies, what it costs, and whether restoration will get you what you need.
Nothing is chargeable until you do. Then we prepare and file the application.
Preparing and filing a restoration application is not a reserved legal activity, so it is work Buzz Legal can do. A contested court restoration involves conducting litigation, which is reserved: that goes to AD Solicitors, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (no. 8011228). Work carried out by AD Solicitors carries the full SRA framework; work we carry out ourselves does not. How this works, in full, or see our other fixed-fee work.
Administrative restoration is the quicker route and is dealt with by Companies House, with no court involved, but it still takes time and depends on how quickly the Treasury Solicitor and Companies House respond. A court restoration takes considerably longer. We do not promise a date, because the timing sits with them.
Administrative restoration is available in limited circumstances — broadly where the company was struck off by the registrar while still carrying on business, and the application is made by a former director or member within six years. Everything else, including a company dissolved voluntarily and most creditor applications, goes to court. Establishing which one applies is the first thing we do, because applying under the wrong route wastes the fee.
Only where there is something to recover: assets that passed to the Crown as bona vacantia, an insurance policy that would respond, or a claim worth pursuing once the company exists again. Restoration is not free and it does not create money. If the answer is no, you are told so before you spend anything. If you are chasing a debt, Business Debt Recovery is the same company and can look at whether there is a better route.
When a company is dissolved its remaining property generally passes to the Crown as bona vacantia. On restoration the company is treated as having continued in existence, and there is a statutory mechanism for recovering property — but it is a process with its own requirements and costs, and where the Crown has already dealt with an asset the position is more complicated. It needs looking at on the facts of your company.
Buzz Legal is not a firm of solicitors. Preparing and filing a restoration application is not a reserved legal activity, so it is work we can do. A contested court restoration involves conducting litigation, which is reserved, and that goes to AD Solicitors, SRA no. 8011228.
Tell us the company name and roughly when it was struck off. We will tell you which route applies, what it costs and whether restoration will get you what you need. See the privacy policy for how we use your details.
Tell us what has happened and what you want to happen about it. We will come back with what the job involves, who carries it out and what it costs, in writing, before you commit to anything.
