What happens to struck off or dissolved companies?
Download the struck off or dissolved company restoration application form (PDF 69.9Kb).
If a limited company has been removed from the Register at Companies House (dissolved or struck off under section 652 of the Companies Act 1985) it forfeits its assets and they pass bona vacantia to either The Crown, The Duchy of Lancaster or Duchy of Cornwall, depending on the situation of the registered office of the struck off or dissolved company.
If you trade with a struck off or dissolved company prior to that struck off or dissolved company being restored to the Register at Companies House there can be serious legal repercussions, including personal liability for company debts and a host of contractual and other legal issues.
The only way a struck off or dissolved company can release any assets (held as bona vacantia) is by way of an application to the Treasury solicitor and the Registrar of Companies within sections 651, 652 and 653 of the Companies Act 1985, for a company restoration. In other words, you need to reinstate a struck off or dissolved company by way of a company restoration.
The name of the struck off or dissolved company becomes free for use in a new company incorporation. You may have to change the name of your struck off or dissolved company as part of the application to restore to the register if somebody else has formed a new company using the name of the struck off or dissolved company prior to your company restoration application.