How do I spot a UK company about to be struck off before I call?

Open the company's page on Companies House and read its status. If it says 'Active - Active proposal to strike off', the company is under an intent to strike off and a First Gazette notice has been published. The company may be dissolved soon, and a sales call is usually wasted. This takes under a minute and is worth adding to any pre-call check.

Why it matters to a seller

A company on the register as active is not necessarily a going concern. A proposal to strike off means either the directors have applied to close it (voluntary) or Companies House has started the process because the company has not filed what it should (compulsory). Either way the company may disappear, taking your follow-up and any credit you extend with it. Calling a company that is leaving the register also risks looking careless.

How to check

On the company's Companies House page, look at the status line near the top. Then open the filing history and look for a Gazette notice. The notice names the company and gives the date of publication.

Do not rely on a list you bought last quarter. Status changes after you load a list, so check on the day. Lockley works from the register nightly and the index counts 5,578,743 active UK companies as at 15 October 2026, but you should still verify the status of any company you plan to call.

Voluntary and compulsory strike-off

In a voluntary strike-off the directors apply. In a compulsory one, Companies House starts the process. Both are recorded as an intent to strike off, and the status shows an active proposal to strike off once the First Gazette notice is published.

Sources generally describe a window of about two months from the notice in which someone can object, or in which the company can bring its filings up to date and the process can be stopped. One source we found gives a longer warning period, and the position has varied, so read the dates on the actual notice and the current Companies House guidance rather than relying on a general rule.

When a company is worth a call anyway

Some companies in this position are salvageable. A compulsory proposal caused by late filings can be stopped if the company files what is missing. A company that has just caught up on its filings may be about to be reorganised and may need an accountant or a corporate services provider. If that is what you sell, a note that 'a strike-off notice was published and the company seems to be catching up' is an honest opening, though a sensitive one. Be careful not to presume financial difficulty.

For most sellers the rule is simpler: if the status is an active proposal to strike off, skip the company and move to the next one.

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