Winding up petition

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Winding up petitions – expert legal help for creditors and companies at risk

Whether you’re looking to recover a business debt, enforce a judgment or defend your company against a winding up petition, we have the team to help At Francis Wilks & Jones, we’ve handled thousands of winding up orders and related insolvency cases since 2002.

✅We act for both creditors looking to enforce payment and companies under threat of being wound up.

✅ We have issued thousands of petitions since 2002 and recovered many millions of pounds for our clients.

✅ We have successfully defended companies served with petitions, including negotiating settlement, getting it withdrawn or applying for an injunction to stop it being issued or advertised.

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📈 Issuing a petition to recover a debt

Help for creditors, SMEs, business owners & individuals

A winding up petition can be of the most effective legal tools for debt enforcement. If a company owes you more than £750 and hasn’t responded to requests for payment, the use of a winding up petition can help achieve quick payment.

✅ When is a winding up petition appropriate?

Petitions need to be handled with care and legal advice is essential. You may be able to issue a winding up petition if:

• The debt is undisputed and over £750
• The debtor company is refusing or unable to pay
• Other recovery efforts (e.g., court proceedings or statutory demand) have failed

🧾 We can help you with:

• Drafting and issuing a winding up petition
• Ensuring proper service of the petition
• Advertising in the London Gazette
• Handling adjournments and court hearings
• Negotiating repayment or settlement
• Advising on the withdrawal of the petition
• Securing payment before liquidation

Our team has issued thousands of petitions and recovered millions of pounds for our clients using strategic and timely winding up action.

📞 Ready to recover your debt? Speak to our team today

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🛡️ Defending a winding up petition against your company

Help for company directors, finance teams & shareholders

Being served with a winding up petition can quickly destroy a business. It may lead to frozen bank accounts, damaged credit, and even personal exposure for directors. But there are legal defences—and urgent action can prevent the worst-case scenario.

⚠️ Act fast if threatened with a petition

If a creditor hasn’t yet issued the petition but is threatening to do so, by acting fast you can potentially avoid all the problems associated with a fully issued court petition. Our brilliant team can help with the following

• an urgent review of the claim to see if the debt is either partly or wholly disputed
• helping to negotiate a settlement / payment agreement if the debt is admitted
• seeking an undertaking from the creditor not to issue a petition if the debt is disputed
• applying to court for an injunction to stop a petition being issued.

⚠️ Act fast if you have received a petition

If a petition has been issued at court and served on your company, the situation becomes very serious. You must act quickly to avoid the worst effects. You have just 7 business days from service of the petition before it can be advertised in the London Gazette. After that, the consequences escalate quickly.

🛠️ Our defence services include:

• Injunctions to prevent advertisement
• Validation orders so you can continue trading
• Disputing the petition in court
• Negotiating with creditors, including HMRC
• Filing evidence and strike out applications
• Advising on company rescue and restructuring options

We’ll help you protect your business, your reputation—and your future as a director.

🔍 Common scenarios we handle

• HMRC winding up petitions
• Petitions based on court judgements or statutory demands
• Petitions based on unpaid invoices or loans
• Disputed petitions or abuse of process
• Petitions for unpaid trade debts

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⚖️ Why choose Francis Wilks & Jones?

• 🧠 Leading debt recovery and petition defence specialists since 2002
• 👨‍⚖️ Thousands of petitions issued since 2002 and millions of pounds recovered
• ⚡ Same-day legal support available for urgent cases
• 💬 Trusted by SMEs, accountants, professional advisers and individuals
• 💡 Clear, practical advice—not legal jargon

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📞 Speak to a winding up petition specialist today

✅ Whether you’re pursuing payment or facing a serious threat to your business, we provide clear, fast, and effective legal solutions.

✅ Whether it is use of petitions for debt recovery, dealing with defended or disputed situations, needing wider company rescue and restructuring advice or dealing directly with HMRC related issues, our brilliant team is here to help.

✅ We have every aspect covered, just contact us today and we will find the right person to deal with your situation.

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Extremely thorough, professional and speedy, and the fees were much more reasonable than the competition. Highly recommended.

A private client we assisted with issuing a winding-up petition to recover debts

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One of the most astute appointments I have ever made.

A Company Director

Whether it is use of petitions for debt recovery, dealing with defended or disputed situations, needing wider company rescue and restructuring advice or dealing directly with HMRC related issues, our brilliant team is here to help. We have every aspect covered, just contact us today and we will find the right person to deal with your situation.