EPC Seascape Ltd Faces Winding-Up Petition
A winding-up petition has been presented against EPC Seascape Ltd at the High Court Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions under case number CR-2026-007449 on 25 September 2026. The presentation of a petition represents the earliest public sign of formal court proceedings and is not a determination of insolvency.
Petition details
| Field | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Case Number | CR-2026-007449 |
| Case Title | EPC Seascape Ltd |
| Case Type | Companies - Petition - Winding Up Petition |
| Filing Date | 25 September 2026 |
| Source | Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions (CE-File) |
Neither the petitioner identity nor the underlying debt amount is stated in the published court source. Under section 122(1)(f) of the Insolvency Act 1986, a creditor may present a petition to wind up a company if it is alleged to be unable to pay its debts.
Company snapshot
According to the Companies House register, EPC Seascape Ltd (company number 16294129) was incorporated on 5 March 2025. Its registered office is recorded at 4 Innovation Close, Heslington, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 5ZF. The company is classified under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 68209, covering other letting and operating of own or leased real estate.
Financial filings and annual accounts are not stated in the published source due to the company's recent incorporation date.
Directors and ownership
Companies House records confirm the following management and control structure:
- Director: Robert Stephen Hampshire (British, born October 1967), appointed on 5 March 2025.
- Persons with Significant Control:
- Mr Robert Stephen Hampshire, notified 5 March 2025, holding between 25% and 50% of shares and voting rights.
- Dalstone Ltd (company number 13408612), corporate entity PSC notified 1 October 2025, holding between 25% and 50% of shares and voting rights.
These entries reflect current facts on the official register. An entry on the public register regarding an officer or shareholder does not connect that individual or entity directly to the court filing or imply any personal fault or liability.
Recent filings and Gazette activity
No notices regarding this filing are recorded in The Gazette within the available data set.
What this means for suppliers, creditors and counterparties
The presentation of a winding-up petition triggers statutory constraints under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Any disposition of the company's property or transfer of shares made after the presentation date is void unless validated by court order if a winding-up order is subsequently made.
Counterparties assessing risk exposure should consider the following actions:
1. Pause non-essential credit extensions: Re-evaluate open credit limits or pending transactions until legal status is clarified.
2. Review bank operation risks: Financial institutions frequently freeze operational bank accounts upon learning of a petition or its statutory advertisement to avoid section 127 liability.
3. Monitor cause lists: Check court listings on today's cause list to track court hearing dates or listed dismissals.
How to run a winding up petition search
Executing a timely winding up search before entering high-value contracts or extending trade credit allows risk teams to identify pending High Court petitions before they appear on Companies House. Conducting a comprehensive winding up petition search ensures trade creditors do not deliver goods under contracts vulnerable to section 127 invalidation. Credit professionals routinely run a winding up search alongside automated checks to maintain complete counterparty visibility.
Corporate intelligence and workflow integration
Traditionally, legal and credit risk teams monitor counterparty distress by searching Companies House filings, checking High Court CE-File databases, reviewing Gazette advertisements, and making inquiries to court registries. This manual process can leave blind spots during the gap between initial petition filing and public advertisement.
Corp Intel unifies CE-File court filings, Gazette notices, and Companies House records into a single consolidated view. Credit analysts and legal teams can use free company monitoring to receive immediate email updates whenever insolvency events, officer resignations, or statutory filings occur.
Practical scenario: Managing counterparty petition risk
Consider a commercial property asset manager negotiating a lease with a corporate counterparty. If a High Court petition has been presented against the potential tenant, any lease completion or deposit payment made after the presentation date risk being declared void under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986 if a winding-up order is granted later.
By verifying High Court CE-File registry records before exchanging contracts, the asset manager identifies the unadvertised petition. This enables the legal team to require a formal court validation order or security deposit guarantee before proceeding, protecting the property owner from potential loss.
For credit teams and suppliers
Credit controllers and commercial managers dealing with corporate buyers face heightened risk when a counterparty faces insolvency proceedings. Pre-transaction checks must extend beyond basic accounting filings to capture High Court filings before advertisement in The Gazette. To safeguard trade receivables and maintain credit compliance, credit managers can perform a winding up search or set up active monitoring across high-risk accounts.
FAQ
What does the presentation of a winding-up petition mean?
It indicates that a creditor or petitioner has formally filed an application in court seeking an order to wind up the company, usually alleging unpaid debts. It is the initiating step of court proceedings, not a final court judgment or proof of insolvency.
How long after filing does a petition hearing take place?
Petition hearings are typically listed several weeks or months after filing, depending on court availability, service of the petition, and compliance with statutory advertising requirements under the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016.
Can a company continue trading after a petition is presented?
A company may continue trading, but section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986 makes any property disposition void if a winding-up order is eventually granted, unless validated by court order. This often leads to frozen bank accounts once financial institutions become aware of the petition.
How can a creditor verify if a petition has been dismissed?
Status changes, dismissals, or court orders are updated on the court's CE-File system and reflected in subsequent cause list updates or published notices in The Gazette.
Disclaimer
This report summarises a petition recorded at the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions. Presentation of a petition is not a determination of insolvency; the outcome is a matter for the court. Companies believing they are named incorrectly should email contact@corp-intel.co.uk.