In March 2020, Companies House (CH) introduced temporary easement measures to suspend voluntary strike off action in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and they have reviewed these measures each month.
Following the July review, this temporary measure will be lifted from 10 September 2020. From this date, CH will restart the process to dissolve companies that have applied for voluntary dissolution.
If you’ve filed an application to strike off your company (DS01)
On 10 September 2020 CH restart the process of removing your company from the register.
You may have received a letter from Companies House stating that your company will be struck off within 2 months if no objections are received, but your company is still listed on the Companies House register.
CH may have suspended strike off action because they have received an objection to your application for strike off, or this could be due to the temporary measures to suspend voluntary strike off action during the coronavirus outbreak.
When voluntary strike off action restarts from 10 September – if there are no objections to dissolution and the 2-month period from the publication of the Gazette notice has expired, your company will be struck off shortly afterwards.
Objections to a strike off application
Any person with an interest in a company which is nearing strike off should register an objection to dissolution at Companies House. If you’ve already registered an objection, but the time period for that objection is due to expire – you’ll need to register your objection again if it’s still required.
When CH receive an objection to strike off, they will respond to advise whether the objection has been accepted or rejected. Every response will give a deadline and if they receive no further evidence that action is progressing by that date, they will resume the process to remove the company from the register.
It’s important to send any objection to CH as early as possible after publication of the Gazette notice and at least 2 weeks before the notice expiry date.
Applications from 10 July 2020
If you’re going to file an application to strike off your company from today onwards, these changes will not affect your company. The easements for voluntary dissolution apply to applications for strike off registered at Companies House before 10 July 2020.
If your application is acceptable, it will be registered, and a notice published in the Gazette. If there are no objections to the dissolution, your company will be struck off in around 2 months’ time.
Compulsory strike off
The compulsory strike off process is still paused. CH continue to review this measure on a monthly basis and publish any changes on our website.
Contact the team for help or advice on 0161 761 5231 or email theteam@horsfield-smith.co.uk.
