As well as voluntary strike off - when a company director chooses to dissolve their company - Companies House can also forcibly dissolve a limited company. Known as compulsory strike off, it most commonly occurs when companies do not comply with Companies House regulations. That could be by repeatedly failing to file the company’s annual accounts or failing to notify Companies House of a change in address. Companies House must have grounds to believe the company has ceased trading before initiating the process.
The consequences of compulsory strike off can be serious. Contracts with suppliers and customers will be at risk and the company will find it very difficult to secure funding to resolve the situation as, legally speaking, the company no longer exists. Any assets you have not transferred away from the company before it is struck off will also become the property of the crown.