United Drains Ltd Enters Administration
Essex-based drainage and plumbing contractor UNITED DRAINS LTD entered administration on 21 October 2026, according to a statutory notice published in The Gazette. The proceedings were registered in the High Court of Justice Business & Property Division, Insolvency & Companies List in Manchester, under case number CR2026-MAN001443, pursuant to Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986.
Corporate intelligence records and court filings show that the company operated across the drainage, sewerage, and specialist plumbing sectors prior to the appointment.
Gazette notice details
The statutory appointment was formally filed under notice code 2410 on 21 October 2026. Key details recorded in The Gazette are summarised below:
| Detail | Record |
| :--- | :--- |
| Company Name | UNITED DRAINS LTD |
| Company Number | 11104760 |
| Court | High Court of Justice, Business & Property Courts in Manchester |
| Court Reference | CR2026-MAN001443 |
| Notice Date | 21 October 2026 |
| Nature of Business | Sewerage (SIC 37000), Plumbing and HVAC installation (SIC 43220) |
| Appointing Party | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Appointed Administrators | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
| Administrator Contact Details | [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor) |
Company snapshot
Companies House shows that UNITED DRAINS LTD was incorporated on 11 December 2017 as a private limited company. The profile recorded for /company/11104760 lists its details as follows:
- Registered office address: Wynters Barn Farm Hastingwood Road, Magdalen Laver, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0EW
- Company status: Active (administration pending register update)
- Standard Industrial Classification (SIC):
- 37000 (Sewerage)
- 43220 (Plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation)
- Financial statements: The company filing history shows no accounts submitted under its latest accounting period at the time of publication.
Directors and ownership
Public filings at Companies House disclose the officers and ownership structure of the business since incorporation.
Current and former officers
- Mr Aaron David Clark: British director, born October 1984, appointed on 15 February 2023. The register lists his appointment as active.
- Ms Donna May Haque: British director, born October 1975, appointed on 11 December 2017. She resigned as a director on 18 February 2025.
Persons with significant control (PSC)
According to the PSC register, control is held by a corporate entity following several historical changes:
- United Group 2023 Limited (Company No. 15335386): Notified on 26 September 2024 as holding between 75% and 100% of shares and voting rights, along with the right to appoint and remove directors.
- Mr Aaron David Clark: Previously held 25% to 50% of shares and voting rights between 15 February 2023 and 26 September 2024.
- Ms Natalie O'Brien: Previously registered with 25% to 50% of shares and voting rights between 25 August 2023 and 26 September 2024.
- Two statutory PSC statements registered at incorporation on 11 December 2017 ceased to have effect on 15 February 2023.
What administration means for creditors and customers
Administration places an immediate statutory moratorium over the company pursuant to paragraph 43 of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986. This moratorium prevents unsecured creditors from commencing or continuing legal actions, enforcing security, or issuing winding-up petitions without the consent of the administrators or permission of the court.
For commercial suppliers, sub-contractors, and trade customers, the following practical points apply:
- Management control transfers: The executive authority of the directors is suspended in favour of the joint administrators, whose primary statutory objective is to rescue the company as a going concern or achieve a better result for creditors than in an immediate liquidation.
- Creditor claims: Creditors owed money for goods or services supplied prior to the administration date cannot demand immediate payment. Claims must be submitted via a formal proof of debt form directly to the administrators.
- Ongoing trade: Any supplies requested by the administrators during the administration period are typically treated as an administration expense, ranking ahead of ordinary unsecured debts.
Disclaimer: This summary provides general information based on public records and insolvency statutes. It does not constitute legal or formal financial advice.
Action checklist for commercial creditors
When a trade debtor or tier-one contractor enters administration, commercial credit teams should implement the following recovery procedure immediately:
1. Cease supply on credit: Freeze credit accounts and review all pending orders or unfulfilled contracts immediately.
2. Review retention of title (ROT): Identify any plant, materials, or drainage stock supplied on site that remain unpaid. Check whether your contracts contain valid ROT clauses and notify the administrators in writing before assets are sold or incorporated into projects.
3. Run a winding up search: Conduct a winding up search to establish whether pre-existing petitions or related insolvency proceedings have been filed against the company or its parent entities.
4. Lodge formal proof of debt: Obtain the creditor pack from the administrators, prepare invoices, delivery notes, and contracts, and submit a documented claim.
5. Evaluate parent and connected entities: Review related trading vehicles, including United Group 2023 Limited, to determine whether ongoing transactions are exposed.
Credit risk scenario: Managing sub-contractor fallout
Consider a commercial groundworks supplier that supplied £42,000 of materials to a mid-sized plumbing contractor on 60-day terms. When the debtor enters administration, the supplier faces two risks: unrecoverable unsecured debt and the operational risk of unpaid materials sitting on an active construction site.
A prudent supplier checks the court lists and runs a winding up petition search as soon as payment deadlines slip past 30 days. This flags whether other creditors or HMRC have already presented petitions. Catching insolvency early allows the credit manager to exercise retention of title immediately, mitigate bad debt, and halt further shipments before the statutory moratorium locks the site.
Monitoring insolvency risks with Corp Intel
Traditionally, monitoring commercial counterparty health required credit managers and solicitors to perform piecemeal checks: checking WebCHeck, scanning court cause lists manually, searching The Gazette, and cross-referencing parent entities at Companies House. By the time a formal notice appears in print, the company has frequently ceased operations.
Corp Intel consolidates court records, Gazette publications, and Companies House changes into a unified intelligence platform. Instead of phoning court registries or inspecting disparate registers, legal and finance teams can track court petitions, inspect winding up orders, and set automated alerts across client portfolios.
Using free company monitoring ensures your credit team receives immediate notification when a company files notice of intention to appoint administrators, registers a charge, or receives a winding-up petition.
For credit teams and suppliers
Credit controllers and procurement professionals require real-time visibility before extending trade facilities or subcontracting essential infrastructure works. Failing to identify administration appointments early risks complete write-off of unsecured invoices and leaves supplied stock subject to statutory moratoria. You can track supply chain counterparties and verify insolvency filings instantly by using a winding up search across the public registers.
FAQ
Who appointed the administrators to United Drains Ltd?
The specific appointing party, whether a qualifying floating charge holder, the directors, or an administration order granted on petition, is contained in the formal administration order details filed under High Court Manchester case number CR2026-MAN001443.
Can creditors recover unpaid equipment or drainage supplies?
Suppliers who have incorporated a valid retention of title clause into their signed terms of trade may be able to repossess unsold goods. Creditors must submit their retention of title claim to the appointed administrators before any stock is disposed of.
What is the purpose of an administration under UK insolvency law?
Under Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986, an administrator must perform their functions with the primary objective of rescuing the company as a going concern. If that is not practicable, they seek a better result for creditors as a whole than a winding up, or realise property to pay secured or preferential creditors.
How does an administration differ from a winding up order?
Administration offers a temporary moratorium that pauses creditor action to allow an orderly restructuring or asset sale. A winding-up order terminates trading and places the company into compulsory liquidation to collect and liquidate assets for distribution.
Where can I monitor further court filings for this company?
You can monitor corporate filings and court records by registering for daily email updates on the entity via free company monitoring.