Insolvency Act 1985

81 Dissolution of company

(1) On the receipt by the registrar of companies of a notice served for the purposes of section 79(8) above or of a notice from the official receiver that the winding up of a company by the court is complete, the registrar shall forthwith register the notice and, subject to subsections (2) and (4) below, at the end of the period of three months beginning with the day of its registration, the company shall be dissolved.

(2) The Secretary of State may, on the application of the official receiver or any other person who appears to the Secretary of State to be interested, give a direction deferring the date at which the dissolution of the company is to take effect for such period as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(3) An appeal to the court shall lie from any decision of the Secretary of State on an application for a direction under subsection (2) above.

(4) Subsection (2) above shall not apply in a case where the winding-up order was made by the court in Scotland, but in such a case the court may, on an application by any person appearing to the court to have an interest, order that the date at which the dissolution of the company is to take effect shall be deferred for such period as the court thinks fit.

(5) It is the duty of the person—

(a) on whose application a direction is given under subsection (2) above;

(b) in whose favour an appeal with respect to an application for such a direction is determined; or

(c) on whose application an order is made under subsection (4) above,

within seven days after the giving of the direction, the determination of the appeal or the making of the order, to deliver to the registrar for registration such a copy of the direction, determination or order as is prescribed.

(6) If a person without reasonable excuse falls to deliver a copy as required by subsection (5) above, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one-fifth of the statutory maximum and, for continued contravention, to a daily default fine not exceeding one-fiftieth of the statutory maximum.