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Companies House explained · Updated September 2026

“Active – proposal to strike off”: what it means and what to do

The short answer

The company is due to be removed from the Companies House register. A notice has been published in The Gazette, and unless the process is stopped the company is usually dissolved about two months later. Until then it is still active and can trade.

Check a company's status

Compulsory

Compulsory strike-off: when Companies House starts it

Companies House starts a compulsory strike-off when it has reason to believe a company is no longer operating. The usual trigger is overdue annual accounts or an overdue confirmation statement.

It writes to the company first. If there is no reply, it publishes a first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off and the company status changes to “Active – proposal to strike off”. Filing the missing documents usually stops the process.

Voluntary

Voluntary strike-off: the DS01 form

Directors who want to close a company that has stopped trading can apply to strike it off themselves using form DS01. It generally can't be used if the company has traded, changed its name or sold stock in the last three months.

The directors must send a copy to interested parties such as creditors, employees and shareholders. See our step-by-step guide to closing a limited company with DS01. The same Gazette notice and status follow. See the official GOV.UK guidance for the current rules and fee.

Timeline

What happens after a proposal to strike off

  1. 1

    Warning letters

    For a compulsory strike-off, Companies House first writes to the company, usually because accounts or the confirmation statement are overdue. For a voluntary strike-off, the directors file form DS01 instead.

  2. 2

    First Gazette notice

    A notice is published in The Gazette and the company status changes to “Active – proposal to strike off”. The company still exists and can trade.

  3. 3

    Objection period (usually 2 months)

    Anyone with an interest, such as a creditor, customer, HMRC or the directors, can object. Filing overdue documents or an objection normally suspends the strike-off.

  4. 4

    Second Gazette notice

    If nothing stops it, a final notice is published and the company is dissolved on that date.

  5. 5

    Dissolved

    The company no longer exists as a legal entity. Any assets left in its name pass to the Crown. It can only come back through restoration to the register.

Already dissolved? See what happens to a dissolved company and how to restore it.

Stop it

How to stop or object to a strike-off

  • If it's your company: file the overdue accounts or confirmation statement now and contact Companies House. If you applied with DS01 and changed your mind, you can withdraw the application.
  • If the company owes you money or work: object through the Companies House strike-off objection service , with evidence such as invoices or a contract. Object early: postal and email objections need to arrive well before the strike-off date.

Hiring a tradesperson whose firm shows this?

  • Ask them why. It may just be late paperwork, or they may be closing the company.
  • Don't pay a large deposit to a company that may soon not exist.
  • Get guarantees in writing from a business that will still be around to honour them.
  • If they already owe you money or unfinished work, object before the company is dissolved.

Get quotes from other local firms or check another company.

Default address

What is CF14 8LH (PO Box 4385, Cardiff)?

CF14 8LH is the Companies House default address. Companies House moves a company's registered office there when the address it gave is being used without permission or doesn't work. The company is given 28 days to respond before the change.

It is not meant to be permanent. Companies House does not open post sent there, and a company that doesn't supply a proper address can be struck off. A firm registered at CF14 8LH has no working official address, which is worth asking about before you hire it.

From our research

10.6%

of UK home-trade companies were proposed for strike-off or in liquidation or administration in September 2026, against 9.1% of all companies. Plastering was highest at 13.8%. 1,517 trade firms were registered at CF14 8LH.

Read the HouseJester Trade Index

Strike-off questions answered

It means a first notice has been published in The Gazette that the company will be removed from the Companies House register. The company is still active and can trade, but unless the process is stopped it is usually dissolved about two months later.

It is the public notice Companies House publishes when it intends to strike a company off, usually because it has not filed accounts or a confirmation statement. It starts an objection period of normally two months before the company can be dissolved.

A compulsory strike-off is started by Companies House, typically for missed filings. A voluntary strike-off is requested by the company’s directors on form DS01 when they want to close a company that has stopped trading. Both show the same company status.

DS01 is the Companies House application to strike off and dissolve a company voluntarily. It can generally only be used if the company has not traded, changed its name or sold stock in the last three months, and the directors must send a copy to interested parties such as creditors, employees and shareholders.

Yes. Its status stays “active” until it is dissolved. After dissolution the company no longer exists, so contracts, guarantees and deposits with it become very hard to enforce.

If you are a director, file any overdue accounts or confirmation statement straight away and contact Companies House. If the company owes you money or owes you work, you can object to the strike-off through the Companies House service, ideally with evidence of the debt.

Ask the builder why before paying any more money. It can simply mean late paperwork, or that they are closing the company. Avoid paying large deposits, get any guarantee in writing from a party that will still exist, and if they owe you money or work, lodge an objection so the company is not dissolved.

PO Box 4385, Cardiff, CF14 8LH is the Companies House default address. A company is moved there when its registered office is shown to be used without permission or not to work. It must then provide a proper address, and it can be struck off if it does not.

This guide is general information, not legal or insolvency advice. Rules and fees can change; check GOV.UK or speak to an accountant or insolvency practitioner about a specific company.