A consultant asks:
I mistakenly allowed my limited company to be struck off the register by Companies House. How do I restore it to the register?
Acumenica answers:
Sometimes, companies are closed down by mistake, or possibly because of inaction. The way you restore the company to the register will depend on how the company was struck off.
Restoration by Court Order
If you applied to have the company closed down by form DS01, then the only way to have the company restored is by court order. To do this, you need to fill put a form, pay a court fee (currently £280), find the County Court, Sheriff Court (in Scotland) or Royal Courts of Justice (NI) nearest to the registered office, and apply to have the company restored.
You then need to go through a whole rigmarole with the courts to get any assets released.
Administrative Restoration
If the company has been closed down compulsorily by Companies House because you failed to keep up your filing obligations, you can apply for Administrative Restoration. This is more straightforward and doesn’t involve the courts, but it can still be a long, drawn out affair: you need to fill out a Companies House form, apply for a Bona Vacantia waiver, and then wait. If the company has any outstanding returns or accounts, you’ll also need to file these AND pay any fines that might arise.
