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Business and enterprise – guidance
Apply for a repayment after restoration of a
company (CB4)
From:
Bona Vacantia and Government Legal Department
First published:
6 December 2013
Last updated:
10 March 2014, see all updates
Part of:
Bona vacantia companies guidelines, Business auditing, accounting and reporting and
Business and enterprise
Applies to:
England and Wales (see detailed guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland)
How to reclaim bona vacantia after a dissolved company is restored to the register.
Contents
1. Overview
2. Apply for a repayment
3.
4.
5.
6.
Proof of identity you may need to send
If you live in the UK
If you live outside the UK
See more like this
Overview
You can only apply for repayment once the company has been restored to the register of
companies.
If you want to know how to restore a company, you can get advice from Companies House
If a dissolved company is restored to the register, then (unless the restoration order provides
otherwise) the Bona Vacantia division (BVD) will pay to the restored company:


all cash which belonged to the dissolved company which BVD collected while the
company was dissolved
the net proceeds of sale of other property and rights which belonged to the dissolved
company which BVD sold while the company was dissolved
BVD will normally make any repayment by cheque made payable to the company.
BVD do not provide legal advice. In particular they cannot advise you about restoration. You
should look at the guidance produced by Companies House and take your own professional
advice if you need to.
BVD cannot repay money that they have never received. For example, if a third party didn’t send
BVD money due to the dissolved company then you must take the matter up with the third party.
While a company is dissolved BVD may have disposed of an asset belonging to it – BVD are
entitled to do this and on restoration you will be entitled to recover the net proceeds of the sale
only.
Apply for a repayment
Complete the attached application form RA15 in all cases and a Payment Authority where
appropriate
RA15 repaying funds to restored companies
MS Word Document, 31KB
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request a different format.
If you use assistive technology and need a version of this document in a more accessible format,
please email bvinfo@governmentlegal.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help
us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Payment authority
MS Word Document, 31KB
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request a different format.
If you use assistive technology and need a version of this document in a more accessible format,
please email bvinfo@governmentlegal.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help
us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Send to:
Bona Vacantia - Cash Balance
Government Legal Department
PO Box 70165
London
WC1A 9HG
Email bvcbt@governmentlegal.gov.uk
Switchboard 020 7210 4700
You must include the following documents and information. BVD will not get this information
for you and failure to provide the information will delay dealing with your case.




a complete application form RA15
a copy of the court order restoring the company or confirmation of administrative
restoration from Companies House (whichever applies)
a Payment Authority where a repayment is not being made payable to the company’s
name
proof of identity as set out below
BVD will almost always repay the funds by cheque payable to the company’s name and number
as registered at Companies House.
Occasionally, BVD may agree to repay funds to an individual or organisation instead of the
company, but only if the company provides BVD with authority to do so.
The company must do this by completing a Payment Authority form.
BVD will only accept the Payment Authority if the company does not have an account with a
bank or other financial institution and cannot set one up. The Payment Authority should set out
clearly why payment cannot be made to the company.
The Payment Authority must be signed by a majority of the officers of the company. “Officers”
means directors and the company secretary. So, if the company only has two officers, then both
must sign the Payment Authority.
Proof of identity you may need to send
BVD operate anti-money laundering procedures and you may need to provide proof of identity
when making your application.
Please follow the instructions below carefully and provide the required documents when you
make your application.
Where the amount being repaid is less than £10,000
Generally, BVD do not require proof of identity unless you have completed a Payment Authority
requesting payment to a person other than the company in which case you must provide proof of
identity and of address for each person who signs the Payment Authority. Please see the section
for individuals on the Proof of identity checklist.
If one of the persons signing the Payment Authority is a company, proof of identity will be
required for that company. Please see the section for companies and other legal structures Proof
of identity checklist.
You should note that BVD may in certain circumstances require proof of identity from the
person who signs the application form RA15 or others even where the amount being repaid is
less than £10,000.
Where the amount being repaid is more than £10,000
BVD need to see proof of identity for the restored company. Please see the section for companies
and other legal structures in the Proof of identity checklist.
BVD need to see proof of identity and of address for the person who signs the application form
RA15.
Finally, if you are completing a Payment Authority requesting payment to a person other than the
company, BVD also require proof of identity and address for each person who signs the Payment
Authority.
If one of the persons signing the Payment Authority is a company, proof of identity will be
required for that company.
Please see the identity checklist for further details.
In all cases you must send the Proof of Identity documents that comply with the following.
If you live in the UK
Please send original documents or copies certified as true copies by a practising solicitor,
commissioner for oaths, or qualified accountant (all must be registered in England & Wales) or
by the U.K. Post Office ID Checking Service.
If you provide certified copies, the person certifying the documents must sign and date them, and
must state their full name, business name and business address, and their status.
If you live outside the UK
Where the applicant lives outside England and Wales, you must send us copies of Proof of
Identity documentation certified by a Notary Public registered in their country of residence
together with an Apostille certificate for each document. BVD will not advise you on how to do
this and you should take your own professional advice if you are unsure what to do. No other
certification of documents will be accepted.
BVD reserve the right to require you to get an official translation into English of any document
and to also have that translation certified by a Notary Public and apostilled.
Back to contents
Published:
6 December 2013
Updated:
10 March 2014
+ full page history
10 March 2014 4:42pm
Revision to the wording about requirements for identity documents where the repayment
exceeds £10,000.
6 December 2013 2:19pm
First published.
From:
Bona Vacantia
Government Legal Department
Part of:
Bona vacantia companies guidelines
More like this
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Bona vacantia companies guidelines
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