Harlequin New Homes Faces Winding-Up Petition
On 19 October 2026, a winding-up petition was presented against Harlequin New Homes Limited in the High Court of Justice under case number CR-2026-008079. The petition was recorded at the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions via the HMCTS CE-File filing system.
The presentation of a winding-up petition is an initial procedural step by an applicant seeking a compulsory liquidation order. It does not constitute a judicial determination of insolvency, nor does it guarantee that an order will be granted. The outcome remains a matter for the court.
Petition details
The following details are recorded on the public CE-File registry:
| Record Field | Detail |
| :--- | :--- |
| Company Name | Harlequin New Homes Limited |
| Case Number | CR-2026-008079 |
| Case Title | Harlequin New Homes Limited |
| Case Type | Companies - Petition - Winding Up Petition |
| Filing Date | 19 October 2026 |
| Filing Source | Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions (CE-File public search) |
| Petitioning Creditor | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Petition Debt Value | [Check the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| First Hearing Date | [Check the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
Under court procedures in England and Wales, CE-File register entries confirm the presentation of the petition prior to court listing. The petitioning creditor and claimed debt amount are not disclosed in the preliminary registry entry.
Company snapshot
Harlequin New Homes Limited is an active private limited company incorporated on 5 February 2020. Its registered office is Lacemaker House, 5-7 Chapel Street, Marlow, England, SL7 3HN. The company trades under Standard Industrial Classification code 41202 for the construction of domestic buildings.
Financial figures, including turnover, balance sheet totals, and net assets, are not stated in the published source data. Full filings can be reviewed on the Companies House register or via the Corp Intel profile for Harlequin New Homes Limited.
Directors and ownership
Public filings at Companies House record four individual director appointments since incorporation, alongside corporate and individual persons with significant control.
Current and former directors
- Mr Paul Ian Parkhouse: Director, appointed 5 February 2020. British nationality, resident in England, born June 1973. Currently active.
- Mr John David Shelbourne: Director, appointed 8 June 2022. British nationality, resident in England, born April 1966. Currently active.
- Mr William Sutcliffe: Director, appointed 5 February 2020, resigned 31 August 2024. British nationality, resident in England, born October 1965.
- Mr Simon Roger Taphouse: Director, appointed 29 August 2023, resigned 28 March 2025. British nationality, resident in England, born February 1971.
Persons with significant control
- Harlequin Estates Limited (company number 07475318): Corporate person with significant control notified on 31 August 2024. Holds ownership of shares of 75% to 100%.
- Mr Paul Ian Parkhouse: Notified on 5 February 2020. Holds voting rights of 25% to 50% and the right to appoint and remove directors.
- Mr William Sutcliffe: Individual PSC notified on 5 February 2020 (ceased 21 December 2020) and re-notified on 29 March 2021 (ceased 31 August 2024).
- Cox Costello & Horne Partners LLP (partnership number OC362592): Corporate PSC notified 21 December 2020, ceased 21 December 2020.
- Cch Nominees Limited (company number 04117831): Corporate PSC notified 5 February 2020, ceased 21 December 2020.
These entries represent factual historical recordings on the statutory register. Public register data does not impute wrongdoing, liability, or insolvency to any named officer or owner.
Recent filings and Gazette activity
The supplied court records do not show any recent statutory advertisements in The Gazette for Harlequin New Homes Limited. Under Rule 7.10 of the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016, an applicant must generally advertise a winding-up petition in The Gazette no earlier than seven business days after service on the company, and no later than seven business days before the hearing date.
Commercial banks routinely monitor The Gazette and cause lists. When an advertisement appears, clearing banks typically freeze the respondent company's bank accounts to avoid liability under statutory disposition rules.
What this means for suppliers, creditors and counterparties
The presentation of a winding-up petition introduces substantial legal considerations under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986. If a winding-up order is made, section 127 renders void any disposition of the company's property made after the date of presentation, unless validated by court order.
Commercial counterparties should categorize their exposure based on transaction type:
| Counterparty Category | Key Legal and Operational Risk | Action Required |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Unsecured Trade Creditors | Unpaid invoices rank pari passu in liquidation; clawback risk on post-petition receipts. | Reconcile aged balances; halt discretionary credit extensions. |
| Subcontractors and Site Trades | Ongoing work without guaranteed payment; equipment retention disputes. | Audit plant on site; review retention-of-title clauses. |
| Commercial Lenders | Breach of negative pledge covenants or loan default events. | Review charge priority and security documentation. |
| Development Buyers | Deposit exposure or stage payment risk on domestic builds. | Review contract milestone protections and escrow facilities. |
Counterparty risk assessment framework
Credit professionals and financial controllers dealing with a counterparty facing a petition should implement the following four-step assessment:
1. Quantify immediate gross ledger exposure: Review all delivered goods, certified development stages, and unbilled work in progress.
2. Review security instruments: Verify whether existing debentures or fixed charges are registered at Companies House to secure outstanding debt.
3. Assess payment methods: Because post-petition payments can be subject to court clawback under section 127, seek legal advice regarding validation orders or third-party guarantees.
4. Check connected entities: Run a winding up search across parent entities or corporate shareholders, such as Harlequin Estates Limited, to evaluate wider corporate group risk.
Worked exposure scenario
Consider an electrical contractor owed £32,000 across two development plots. The contractor receives notification that a winding-up petition has been presented against the principal developer.
If the contractor accepts a direct bank payment after the filing date and the developer is later placed into compulsory liquidation, the liquidator may seek restitution of those funds under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986. To mitigate this exposure, the contractor pauses non-contractual site dispatches, performs a winding up petition search across connected project guarantors, and consults legal counsel regarding the necessity of a validation order before continuing performance.
How to run a winding up petition search
Historically, verifying petition filings required manual telephone enquiries to the Rolls Building cause list clerk, periodic inspections of physical court cause lists, or waiting for public advertisement in The Gazette. Because Gazette advertisements occur days or weeks after presentation, manual reviews often detect petitions too late to prevent unrecoverable deliveries.
Corp Intel continuously tracks registry filings directly from HMCTS CE-File records, enabling credit professionals to identify filings at presentation. Professionals can cross-reference the daily winding-up petitions list or conduct a focused winding up search to assess third-party exposure before issuing credit.
To ensure changes in corporate filings, officer resignations, or statutory notices are not overlooked, teams can activate free company monitoring for automated alerts.
For credit teams and suppliers
For commercial credit teams, subcontractors, and construction suppliers, checking petition records is an essential risk-mitigation step before authorising material credit facilities. A missing search at the point of presentation can result in frozen funds, trapped plant, or unsecured creditor status. Undertaking a defensible winding up search ensures exposure is identified before formal court hearings proceed.
Frequently asked questions
What occurs after a petition is presented at the Central Registry?
The court reviews the petition documents, allocates a case number via CE-File, and sets a hearing date. The applicant creditor must then serve the petition upon the company's registered office before proceeding to statutory advertisement.
Does a winding-up petition mean the company is in liquidation?
No. A petition is an application requesting an order for liquidation. The court may dismiss the petition, adjourn the hearing, validate transactions, or make an order depending on evidence presented at the hearing.
Can Harlequin New Homes Limited continue trading?
A company can continue trading, but directors face personal and commercial constraints. Any asset transfers or payments made after presentation risk being declared void under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986 unless sanctioned by a court validation order.
When will the hearing details become public?
Hearing dates are formally listed in the High Court cause lists closer to the hearing date and published if the petition proceeds to advertisement 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.