Speakfirst Limited Faces Winding-Up Petition
A winding-up petition was presented against Peterborough-based corporate training and business support company Speakfirst Limited on 28 October 2026. The filing was registered at the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions in London under case number CR-2026-008344.
Filing a petition under Section 124 of the Insolvency Act 1986 is a formal court application seeking the compulsory liquidation of a company. The presentation of a petition is an opening procedural step and does not constitute a determination of insolvency; the final outcome remains a matter for judicial determination at a court hearing.
Creditors, lenders and trade suppliers track these filings via today's winding-up petitions list because a petition represents the earliest public signal of hostile recovery action before a case is listed or advertised.
Petition details
The formal details recorded on the Royal Courts of Justice CE-File electronic system show:
| Case detail | Filing record |
| --- | --- |
| Court | High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts |
| Registry | Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions |
| Case number | CR-2026-008344 |
| Case title | Speakfirst Limited |
| Case type | Companies - Petition - Winding Up Petition |
| Filing date | 28 October 2026 |
| Petitioning creditor | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Petitioner solicitor | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Debt amount claimed | [Check the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Listed hearing date | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
Company snapshot
Public filings at Companies House provide the corporate profile for the target entity:
- Company name: SPEAKFIRST LIMITED
- Company registration number: 04778086
- Incorporation date: 28 May 2003
- Company status: Active
- Registered office: 36 Tyndall Court, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, England, PE2 6LR
- Primary SIC code: 82990 (Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified)
- Financial disclosures: Turnover and balance sheet figures are [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor)
Detailed corporate disclosures and previous filing history can be reviewed directly on the Speakfirst Limited Corp Intel profile.
Directors and ownership
Public register filings confirm that executive management shifted to overseas residents in November 2022. The company register records the following directorship appointments:
- Renatus Laurentius Maria Janssen: Dutch national, resident in the Netherlands, born March 1985. Appointed director on 2 November 2022.
- Peter Hajo Kuperus: Dutch national, resident in the Netherlands, born September 1985. Appointed director on 2 November 2022.
The historical record shows earlier resignations of former directors and company secretaries:
- Amanda Jane Vickers: Appointed director and company secretary on 16 June 2003; resigned as secretary on 10 July 2009 and as director on 2 November 2022.
- Jack Timothy Edward Bavister: Appointed director on 20 April 2018; resigned on 21 December 2021.
- Steven John Bavister: Appointed director on 1 August 2010; resigned on 24 March 2018.
- Jacqueline Ann Smith: Appointed director on 16 June 2003; resigned on 24 April 2009.
- A.C. Directors Limited and A.C. Secretaries Limited: Corporate nominee officers appointed at incorporation on 28 May 2003; both resigned on 16 June 2003.
On the Persons with Significant Control (PSC) register, statements were notified on 2 November 2022. Historical PSC filings record that Amanda Jane Vickers ceased her notification of 75% to 100% shareholding on 2 November 2022. Separate individual notifications for Renatus Laurentius Maria Janssen and Peter Hajo Kuperus (recording 25% to 50% ownership) were notified and recorded as ceased on 2 November 2022.
Recent filings and Gazette activity
No statutory notice of this petition has been advertised in The Gazette to date. Under Rule 7.10 of the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016, a petitioning creditor must serve the petition on the company's registered office before advertising, and must not publish the notice earlier than seven business days after service without court permission.
The presentation at the Central Registry remains the sole public record of the current proceedings.
What this means for suppliers, creditors and counterparties
When a winding-up petition is presented, counterparties face immediate legal and financial exposure under Section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Under Section 127, any disposition of company property, transfer of shares, or alteration in the status of members made after the presentation date is void if a winding-up order is ultimately granted, unless ratified by a validation order from the court.
For businesses dealing with Speakfirst Limited, key operational risks include:
1. Payment clawback: Cash transfers made to trade suppliers after 28 October 2026 risk being clawed back by an Official Receiver or liquidator if compulsory liquidation follows.
2. Bank account freezes: Commercial banks routinely monitor the Central Registry or Gazette notices. Upon discovering a petition, lenders often freeze operational bank accounts to prevent unauthorised dispositions.
3. Supply chain disruption: Deliveries made on standard credit terms may turn into unsecured claims subject to statutory liquidation dividends.
Practical counterparty exposure framework
Credit controllers and financial managers assessing exposure should take structured precautions:
- Audit current ledger balances: Identify all outstanding invoices, unbilled work in progress, and payments received since 28 October 2026.
- Require payment in advance: Switch all ongoing deliveries or professional services to cleared funds on a pro-forma basis, or demand immediate cash on delivery.
- Enforce retention of title (ROT): Review whether contracts contain valid, registered retention of title clauses for physical goods delivered but not yet paid for.
- Obtain formal search verification: [Get a Winding Up Search Certificate →](#offers-certificate) to substantiate the current procedural status of the court record.
Composite scenario: Trade supplier exposure
Consider an IT support agency with a £25,000 overdue balance against a corporate client facing a newly presented petition. If the agency accepts a £10,000 partial payment from the client's bank account two days after petition presentation, that £10,000 payment is voidable under Section 127 if a winding-up order is made at the hearing.
To retain the funds lawfully, the supplier would need to apply to court for a validation order under Section 127, incurring significant legal fees and demonstrating that the transaction was beneficial to the general body of creditors. Conducting a timely winding up search avoids this trap by alerting the credit team before payment terms are renegotiated.
For credit teams and legal advisers
Commercial solicitors, conveyancers, and corporate credit teams require certainty before executing transactions, extending credit facilities, or completing contract assignments. Relying on Companies House alone is insufficient because petition filings do not appear on the Companies Register until an order or formal insolvency appointment takes place. A formal winding up petition search against the court records confirms whether petitions are pending, protecting transactions against retroactive invalidation under Section 127.
How to investigate further
Investigating counterparty risk requires checking records that update ahead of statutory registry filings:
- Inspect Companies House for mortgage charge registrations or recent changes in officers.
- Monitor The Gazette for formal advertisement of the petition hearing date.
- If examining an unrelated business or new customer, conduct a standalone winding up search across the Central Registry cause lists.
FAQ
What is a winding-up petition?
A winding-up petition is a legal application submitted to the court by an unpaid creditor, or occasionally the company itself, seeking a court order to place the target company into compulsory liquidation.
Does presenting a petition mean Speakfirst Limited is insolvent?
No. Presenting a petition indicates an applicant has claimed an unpaid debt and commenced court proceedings. The company may dispute the debt, settle the underlying claim, or apply to have the petition dismissed or struck out before a judge makes any ruling.
When does a winding-up petition become public?
A petition is recorded at the Central Registry on the day of filing. It typically becomes widely public when published in The Gazette, which cannot occur earlier than seven business days after the petition is formally served on the company.
What happens to payments received after the petition date?
Under Section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, dispositions of company property made after the petition date are void if a winding-up order is made, unless the court grants a validation order.
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.