Liquidate remaining stock
Sell or donate remaining stock before dissolution. Note that if you sell stock below cost, you may still have VAT obligations — the VAT is calculated on the market value, not the sale price. If stock is gifted or written off, there may also be VAT implications. Speak to an accountant if your stock is significant in value.
Close supplier and trade accounts
Notify all suppliers in writing that your company is ceasing to trade. Settle all outstanding invoices, return any goods held on sale-or-return, and formally close your trade credit accounts. Request written confirmation from each supplier that the account is closed and the balance is nil.
Handle customer obligations: returns, warranties, and gift vouchers
Notify customers of the business closure with reasonable notice. Honour outstanding warranties where possible, issue refunds for gift vouchers and unfulfilled orders. Failure to handle these obligations can expose directors to personal liability and may draw complaints to Trading Standards.
Cancel payment processors and POS systems
Close your card terminal merchant account, Stripe, PayPal, and any other payment processing accounts. Cancel your POS system subscription and ensure any recurring billing is stopped. Retrieve any reserve funds held by payment processors — these can take weeks to be released.
Exit your commercial lease and close e-commerce platforms
Review your commercial lease for break clauses and notice periods. Serve notice correctly and in writing to avoid ongoing rent liability. Close any e-commerce storefront (Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon Seller) and download all order and customer records before deletion.