Image Design & Build Ltd: Director Disqualification Hearing Scheduled
The Insolvency and Companies Court has scheduled a hearing regarding the conduct of the directors of Image Design & Build Ltd. The matter is listed to be heard on 7 July 2026 at 10:30am in Room 10 of the Rolls Building, London. Filed under reference CR-2026-001114, this case represents a standard but critical enforcement action by the Insolvency Service concerning corporate governance failures in the UK construction sector.
When a company enters insolvent liquidation, the appointed insolvency practitioner must submit a conduct report to the Secretary of State. If the Insolvency Service determines that a director's conduct fell below the required standard, they will initiate proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (CDDA 1986) to protect the public from future financial harm.
Case Details and Company Profile
Image Design & Build Ltd operated in the building completion and finishing sector for over a decade before entering formal insolvency. The company's transition from an active trading entity to liquidation is documented on the Companies House register.
| Entity / Case Detail | Registered Information |
| :--- | :--- |
| Company Name | Image Design & Build Ltd |
| Registered Number | 08249035 |
| Incorporation Date | 11 October 2012 |
| SIC Code | 43390 (Other building completion and finishing) |
| Current Status | In Liquidation |
| Court Reference | CR-2026-001114 |
| Hearing Date | 7 July 2026, 10:30am, Rolls Building |
Expert Analysis: The Mechanics of Disqualification
Disqualification proceedings are civil matters. The court evaluates the evidence on the balance of probabilities rather than the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt. Under s.6 of the CDDA 1986, the court must make a disqualification order if it is satisfied that the person's conduct as a director makes them unfit to be concerned in the management of a company.
In the period leading up to insolvency, directors are required by s.172(3) of the Companies Act 2006 to shift their primary focus from shareholders to the interests of creditors. Disqualification cases in the construction sector frequently hinge on specific breaches of this duty:
- Crown Debt Neglect: A persistent failure to pay VAT, PAYE, or Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) deductions, effectively using HMRC as an unauthorised overdraft facility while paying trade suppliers or directors' remuneration.
- Accounting Deficiencies: Failing to maintain adequate accounting records, making it impossible for liquidators to trace assets or verify the legitimacy of transactions prior to insolvency.
- Insolvent Trading: Continuing to incur credit or accept customer deposits when there was no reasonable prospect of avoiding insolvent liquidation.
If the court finds the conduct sufficiently serious, it will impose a disqualification order ranging from 2 to 15 years. This prohibits the individual from acting as a director or being involved in the formation, promotion, or management of a limited company without specific leave from the court.
Worked Example: Construction Sector Insolvency Risk
Consider a composite scenario typical of the sector: A mid-sized subcontractor experiences severe cash flow pressure due to delayed payments from a main contractor. To keep the site operational, the directors prioritise paying wages and immediate material suppliers. They defer their quarterly VAT payments and fail to remit CIS deductions to HMRC for nine months.
When the company eventually collapses into liquidation, the liquidator identifies that HMRC is the majority creditor, owed £150,000, while trade creditors are owed £20,000. The liquidator's statutory report highlights this discriminatory payment practice. The Insolvency Service subsequently issues proceedings, arguing that the directors traded at the direct expense of the Crown. The directors face a likely disqualification of 4 to 6 years for this specific breach of duty.
Asset Security and Creditor Due Diligence
A review of a company's financial history often provides context for its eventual insolvency. Secured borrowing, debentures, and the priority of debt dictate who receives payment when a liquidator realises the remaining assets.
Before extending credit to construction firms, suppliers and lenders must assess the existing security landscape. Creditors assessing the risk profile of active firms should review company charges on Companies House to understand whether a bank or alternative lender holds a floating charge that would rank ahead of unsecured trade debt.
Pre-Credit Decision Framework
To mitigate exposure to companies exhibiting signs of distress, credit controllers should apply a strict vetting framework:
1. Verify Statutory Filings: Check if accounts or confirmation statements are overdue. Late filings are a primary indicator of internal distress.
2. Review Charge History: Examine the charges register to identify if the company relies heavily on invoice discounting or factoring facilities.
3. Check for Statutory Demands: Search for public notices of insolvency. Official notices regarding the appointment of liquidators or winding up petitions are published in The Gazette.
4. Assess Director Track Record: Review the directors' history for previous liquidations or dissolved entities with outstanding creditor claims.
The Intelligence Gap: Manual Checks vs Corp Intel
Credit controllers and insolvency practitioners traditionally monitor corporate risk through a fragmented manual process. This involves checking Companies House for late filings, searching The Gazette for winding up petitions, and periodically pulling fresh credit reports. This reactive approach creates an intelligence gap; a creditor may only discover a winding up petition weeks after it was advertised, by which time the company's bank accounts are frozen and recovery prospects are minimal.
Corp Intel eliminates this delay. Instead of manually cross-referencing multiple government databases, professionals use our platform to monitor a UK company free. The system automatically tracks changes in filing status, new charge registrations, and gazetted insolvency notices, delivering immediate alerts. This allows credit teams to restrict facilities or initiate recovery action the moment a risk indicator appears.
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Legal Disclaimer: This report is based on the published court cause list. The listing of a hearing is an administrative step and does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing. The court will determine the facts at the scheduled hearing.
To investigate the litigation history of a prospective client or supplier, professionals can check any UK company for a winding up petition using the Corp Intel database.