Make a complaint to the Insolvency Service
Where to make a complaint about anything relating to insolvency including the Insolvency Service, an official receiver, an insolvency practitioner, or a bankrupt you suspect of wrongdoing or misconduct. You can also report a limited company or its directors for fraud or misconduct.
How to complain about the Insolvency Service (including an official receiver)
If you’ve been in contact with the Insolvency Service and are not happy with the service you’ve received, we want you to tell us. We can then try to resolve your complaint and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Complaints about the Insolvency Service can include issues with the following departments or staff:
- Official Receiver’s Office
- Insolvency Adjudicator
- Long Term Asset & Distribution Team
- Debt Relief Order Team
- Redundancy Payments Office
- Companies Investigation Section
- Headquarters
Read more about our complaints procedure and about how to complain.
How to complain about an insolvency practitioner
If you’re not happy with the service you have received by an insolvency practitioner handling a case, you can submit a complaint about an insolvency practitioner.
There is further guidance on how to complain about an insolvency practitioner.
An insolvency practitioner can also be called a:
- trustee in bankruptcy cases
- supervisor in a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) or Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)
- liquidator if a company has been wound up or is in voluntary liquidation
- receiver, administrator or administrative receiver
How to complain about a limited company
You can make a complaint if you have reasonable grounds to suspect a currently active company of:
- causing significant harm to customers, suppliers, etc
- breaking the law, eg fraud
- serious misconduct, eg company assets not being used properly
- having significant irregularity in its affairs
To make a complaint, visit Complain about a limited company and follow the instructions provided
Complain about the re-use of a company name
Complain to the Insolvency Service if a director or sole trader is re-using the name (or a similar name) of a company in compulsory or creditors’ voluntary liquidation.
How to complain about someone who’s bankrupt or subject to a Debt Relief Order (DRO)
You can make a complaint to the official receiver about someone who is bankrupt or subject to a DRO if:
- you suspect them of breaking the terms of their bankruptcy or the terms of their DRO, for example are acting as a company director without the permission of a court
- you suspect them of misconduct before or after the bankruptcy or DRO, for example hiding assets or obtaining credit they knew they could not pay
To make a complaint visit Complain about a bankrupt and follow the instructions provided
How to complain about someone who has broken the terms of a restrictions order or undertaking
You can report someone to the Insolvency Service Compliance and Targeting if you suspect them of breaking the terms of their:
- Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (BRO) or a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU)
- Debt Relief Restrictions Order (DRRO) or a Debt Relief Restrictions Undertaking (DRRU)
For example, they may have acted as a company director without the court’s permission or tried to borrow money without saying they are subject to restrictions.
Find out more about the terms of a BRO/BRU and the terms of a DRRO/DRRU.
to make a complaint visit Complain about a bankrupt and follow the instructions provided
How to complain about a disqualified director
You can complain about a director who has been banned but is:
- working as a director of a company or a member of a limited liability partnership (LLP) without the court’s permission
- getting involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the court’s permission
- acting as an insolvency practitioner
- breaching any other restrictions of a ban
To make a complaint, visit Report a disqualified director and follow the instructions provided.
Further information
Insolvency Service helpline
Contact form http://www.insolvencyd...
Insolvency Service helpline 0300 678 0015
Please only attend our offices if you have an appointment.
For information about the insolvency process contact the Insolvency Service helpline. The helpline is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 3pm on Friday.
We can give you information about processes administered or regulated by the Insolvency Service. This includes bankruptcy, debt relief orders and company liquidations.
We cannot give you: legal or financial advice, information on specific insolvency cases, information or advice about other government departments or information about redundancy payments.
If you are contacting about an existing bankruptcy or compulsory company liquidation case, use our ‘contact an official receiver’ guidance.
Last updated 24 May 2018 + show all updates
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added info on making a complaint about the re-use of a company name.
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First published.