Insolvency Act 1986

124 Application for winding up. E+W+S

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, an application to the court for the winding up of a company shall be by petition presented either by the company, or the directors, or by any creditor or creditors (including any contingent or prospective creditor or creditors), contributory or contributories [F1 , or by a liquidator (within the meaning of Article 2(b) of the EC Regulation) appointed in proceedings by virtue of Article 3(1) of the EC Regulation or a temporary administrator (within the meaning of Article 38 of the EC Regulation)][F2 or by [F3 the designated officer for a magistrates' court] in the exercise of the power conferred by section 87A of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (enforcement of fines imposed on companies)], or by all or any of those parties, together or separately.

(2) Except as mentioned below, a contributory is not entitled to present a winding-up petition unless either—

(a) the number of members is reduced below 2, or

(b) the shares in respect of which he is a contributory, or some of them, either were originally allotted to him, or have been held by him, and registered in his name, for at least 6 months during the 18 months before the commencement of the winding up, or have devolved on him through the death of a former holder.

(3) A person who is liable under section 76 to contribute to a company’s assets in the event of its being wound up may petition on either of the grounds set out in section 122(1)(f) and (g), and subsection (2) above does not then apply; but unless the person is a contributory otherwise than under section 76, he may not in his character as contributory petition on any other ground.

This subsection is deemed included in Chapter VII of Part V of the Companies Act (redeemable shares; purchase by a company of its own shares) for the purposes of the Secretary of State’s power to make regulations under section 179 of that Act.

[F4 (3A) A winding-up petition on the ground set out in section 122(1)(fa) may only be presented by one or more creditors]

(4) A winding-up petition may be presented by the Secretary of State—

(a) if the ground of the petition is that in section 122(1)(b) or (c), or

[F5 (b) in a case falling within section 124A [F6 or 124B] below.]

(5) Where a company is being wound up voluntarily in England and Wales, a winding-up petition may be presented by the official receiver attached to the court as well as by any other person authorised in that behalf under the other provisions of this section; but the court shall not make a winding-up order on the petition unless it is satisfied that the voluntary winding up cannot be continued with due regard to the interests of the creditors or contributories.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 124(1) inserted (31.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1240, reg. 8

F2 Words inserted (E.W.) by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 62(2)(b), 123, Sch. 8 para. 16

F3 Words in s. 124(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 294; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F4 S. 124(3A) inserted (1.1.2003) by 2000 c. 39, s. 1, Sch. 1 para. 7; S.I. 2002/2711, art. 2 (with transitional provisions in arts. 3-5)

F5 S. 124(4)(b) substituted by Companies Act 1989 (c. 40, SIF 27), ss. 60(2), 213(2)

F6 Words in s. 124(4)(b) inserted (8.10.2004) by The European Public Limited-Liability Company Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/2326), reg. 73(4)(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 124 excluded (S.) (27.7.1992) by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40, SIF 19), ss. 14(3), 15(9); S.I. 1992/1599, art. 5

C2 S. 124 extended (E.W.) by Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43, SIF 82), s. 87A (as inserted (E.W.) by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 62(1), 123, Sch. 8 para. 16)

C3 S. 124 applied (with modifications) (1.12.1994) by S.I. 1994/2421, arts. 8(3)(9), 10(1)(a), Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 8, Sch. 6 para. 2