VMS (Fleet Management) Limited Enters Administration
Administrators have been appointed to VMS (Fleet Management) Limited under the provisions of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986. The statutory appointment was advertised in The Gazette on 20 October 2026, following formal filings in the High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts of England and Wales.
Gazette notice details
The formal insolvency notice published in The Gazette provides the following statutory details:
- Company name: VMS (FLEET MANAGEMENT) LIMITED
- Company registration number: 04443331
- Notice type: Appointment of administrators (Notice code 2410)
- Notice date: 20 October 2026
- Court: High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, Insolvency & Companies List (ChD)
- Court reference: CR-2026-007890
- Appointing party: [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor)
- Joint administrators: [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor)
- Administrators' firm: [Shown in the creditor report →](#offers-creditor)
Case timeline
| Date | Step | Source |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 2026-10-15 | Notice of appointment of administrator filed | Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions |
| 2026-10-20 | Administrator Appointed (Gazette notice 2410) | The Gazette |
The Central Registry record shows the notice of appointment of administrator was filed on 15 October 2026. The matter was subsequently recorded in The Gazette on 20 October 2026 under court reference CR-2026-007890.
Company snapshot
Incorporated on 21 May 2002, VMS (Fleet Management) Limited is a commercial fleet leasing and maintenance specialist registered in England and Wales. Public records maintained at Companies House list its registered office address at Avnet House, Rutherford Close, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2EF, England.
The business trades under the following Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes:
- 45200: Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles
- 77110: Renting and leasing of passenger cars and light motor vehicles
- 77120: Renting and leasing of trucks and other heavy vehicles
According to its latest audited financial statements for the period ended 31 May 2025, the company reported an annual turnover of £70,319,450 and net assets of £6,277,900, employing an average of 168 staff members. The principal activities stated in the strategic report consisted of arranging and managing repairs to and disposals of fleet-owned motor vehicles, alongside vehicle leasing operations. The independent auditor's report contained an unqualified audit opinion, with no going concern explanatory paragraph noted at the balance-sheet sign-off.
Directors and ownership
Public filings list the following historic and current officers on the company's statutory register:
Current officers
- Mr Martin Harold James: Director, appointed 30 May 2002 (born October 1963, British); also appointed Secretary on 8 June 2026.
- Mr Aaron William Laraman: Director, appointed 31 March 2022 (born January 1979, British).
Resigned officers
- Mr David John Medcalf: Director (appointed 21 May 2002; resigned 30 May 2002); Secretary (appointed 21 May 2002; resigned 30 May 2002).
- Mr Neil Roderick Walmsley: Director (appointed 21 May 2002; resigned 30 May 2002).
- Mr Colin Peter Fordham: Director (appointed 30 May 2002; resigned 30 May 2002).
- Mr Gary Colin Prentice: Director (appointed 30 May 2002; resigned 31 March 2022).
- Mr Richard James Horrex: Director (appointed 1 February 2013; resigned 31 March 2024); Secretary (appointed 1 May 2010; resigned 31 March 2024).
- Ms Natalie Louise Taylor: Director (appointed 1 April 2024; resigned 8 June 2026); Secretary (appointed 1 April 2024; resigned 8 June 2026).
- Mr Mark William Laraman: Director (appointed 1 April 2024; resigned 25 June 2026).
- Mr Daniel Glenn Miller: Director (appointed 1 April 2024; resigned 25 June 2026).
- Mr Scott Douglas Tedman: Director (appointed 1 April 2024; resigned 25 June 2026).
Persons with significant control (PSC)
- Vms (Holdings) Ltd (07349834): Corporate entity with ownership of shares representing 75% to 100% of the company, notified on 6 April 2016.
- Mr Martin Harold James: Individual recorded as holding significant influence or control over the company, notified on 6 April 2016.
- Mr Garry Colin Prentice: Ceased individual PSC; previously recorded with 25% to 50% shareholding (ceased 1 June 2016) and significant influence or control (ceased 31 December 2021).
Creditor protocol: What administration means
When a corporate entity enters administration under Schedule B1 of the Insolvency Act 1986, an immediate statutory moratorium takes effect. This legal protection prevents creditors from commencing or continuing legal actions, petitioning for winding up, or enforcing security against company assets without express leave of the court or consent from the court-appointed administrators.
The functions and management powers of the registered directors are suspended in favour of the administrators. The practitioners act as agents of the company to pursue one of three statutory objectives: rescuing the company as a going concern, achieving a better result for creditors as a whole than an immediate liquidation, or realising property to make a distribution to one or more secured or preferential creditors.
Action plan for counterparties and trade creditors
1. Stop unsecured credit lines: Cease extending credit and suspend further vehicle shipments or servicing arrangements until the administrators confirm trading intentions.
2. Verify security and asset title: Review contractual terms for valid retention of title (ROT) clauses. Check the register to review company charges on Companies House and confirm whether debentures or equipment leases require formal registration.
3. Lodge formal proof of debt: Request the administrators' formal statement of proposals and submit a completed proof of debt form accompanied by statement balances, purchase orders, and delivery invoices.
4. Monitor cross-guarantees: Examine group structures to see whether parent entity Vms (Holdings) Ltd or related subsidiaries carry joint liability.
Practical scenario: Assessing recovery across corporate groups
Consider an unsecured logistics parts supplier owed £85,000 across multiple trading divisions. When a notice of appointment is filed, relying solely on generic trade credit notifications frequently leaves the supplier unaware of parallel proceedings within parent or affiliate structures. Running a cross-entity winding up petition search ensures the credit controller verifies whether petitions or administration notices exist across both VMS (Fleet Management) Limited and its holding company, rather than relying on delayed postal circulars.
For credit teams and lenders
For commercial credit teams, asset finance lenders, and fleet brokers, late notice of an insolvency filing creates severe exposure to unrecoverable debt and asset recovery disputes. A pre-deal winding up search is mandatory before releasing financed vehicles or executing contractual settlements. Relying purely on statutory filings can mean waiting days for registry updates, whereas automated cause list monitoring identifies proceedings as soon as they reach the court rolls. You can review live filings using our today's cause list intelligence page.
Professionals routinely cross-reference multiple disjointed sources: downloading microfiche records from Companies House, tracking Gazette notices, and placing calls to the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions. Corp Intel consolidates these workflows into real-time digital feeds. Users can set up free company monitoring to receive instantaneous alerts whenever notices of intention, administration appointments, or winding-up proceedings are lodged.
FAQ
Can a creditor issue a winding up petition against a company in administration?
No. Paragraph 42 of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986 establishes a statutory moratorium. Creditors cannot present or pursue a winding-up petition, nor enforce existing judgments, without consent from the administrators or an order from the High Court.
Where can creditors find the appointed administrators' contact details?
Insolvency practitioners submit their proposals and formal appointment notifications via Companies House on Form AM01. If contact information is omitted from the initial Gazette advertisement, details typically appear on the public register within seven days of the appointment date or can be traced via the Insolvency Service.
What happens to vehicle leasing contracts held with the company?
Vehicle leases and operational agreements remain subject to the administrators' operational review. Administrators decide whether to continue trading ongoing customer agreements, assign fleet books to alternative leasing operators, or repudiate burdensome contracts.
How does a winding up search differ from an administration search?
A formal winding up search examines the High Court and regional court cause lists to identify live creditor petitions before an order is made. An administration search identifies filings under Schedule B1, including notices of intention to appoint and notices of appointment lodged by qualifying floating charge holders or directors.