Company Bank Account Frozen?
We Can Unfreeze It Within 48 Hours.
When your bank account is frozen, everything stops—payroll, suppliers, operations. A validation order is the legal tool that unlocks your funds and keeps your business alive. Femi Ogunshakin has secured validation orders within 24-48 hours of instruction.
Why Your Bank Account Has Been Frozen
When a winding up petition is presented against your company and advertised in the London Gazette, your bank receives an automatic alert. From that moment, they face a legal risk: under Section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, any “disposition of the company’s property” made after the petition could be declared void if the company is ultimately wound up.
To protect themselves from liability, banks take the safest option—they freeze everything. No payments in. No payments out. It’s not personal; it’s their legal obligation to preserve the company’s assets for potential creditors.
The result is devastating: You can’t pay staff. You can’t pay suppliers. You can’t even pay the petitioning creditor to make the problem go away. Your business is paralysed at exactly the moment you need to act.
The Good News
A frozen bank account doesn’t have to mean the end. The court can grant a validation order—legal permission for your company to continue making essential payments while you resolve the petition. With the right application, this can happen within 24-48 hours.
What Is a Validation Order?
A validation order is a court order that authorises your company to make specified payments from its bank account, despite the existence of a winding up petition. It essentially tells the bank: “These transactions are approved by the court and won’t be reversed if the company is wound up.”
There are two main types:
Specific Validation Order
Authorises particular, named payments—such as paying the petition debt, meeting the next payroll, or settling a critical supplier invoice.
- Easier to obtain—court only needs to approve specific transactions
- Can often be granted within 24-48 hours in urgent cases
- Ideal when you know exactly what needs paying
General Validation Order
Authorises the company to continue trading normally, making payments in the ordinary course of business without needing individual approval.
- Requires stronger evidence that company is solvent
- More flexibility for ongoing business operations
- Best when you’re confident the petition will be dismissed
Getting a Validation Order: The Process
Speed is critical. Here’s what happens when you instruct Femi to obtain a validation order.
Urgent Assessment
We review your situation immediately—the petition, your accounts, what payments are critical. This often happens the same day you call.
Evidence Gathering
We prepare the documentation the court needs: witness statements, cash flow forecasts, details of essential payments, and evidence of how the order benefits creditors.
Court Application
We file Form IAA with the court, notify the petitioning creditor, and request an urgent hearing. In emergency situations, hearings can be listed within 24-48 hours.
Court Hearing
Femi presents your case to the registrar or judge, explaining why the order is necessary and how it protects all parties’ interests.
Order Granted
If successful, the court issues the validation order. You provide a sealed copy to your bank, and the specified payments can proceed.
Resolve the Petition
With accounts unfrozen, you can now focus on resolving the underlying petition—whether by payment, negotiation, or defence.
What the Court Needs to See
The court will only grant a validation order if it’s satisfied that the payments benefit the company and its creditors as a whole—not just the directors. You’ll need to demonstrate:
Essential Evidence
- Details of the petition and current status
- Up-to-date management accounts
- Cash flow forecast showing trading position
- List of proposed payments with amounts
- Explanation of why each payment is necessary
What the Court Wants to Know
- Is the company solvent or likely to become so?
- Will these payments help preserve value for creditors?
- Is there a realistic prospect of resolving the petition?
- Are the payments at proper value (not preferences)?
- What’s the plan for the business going forward?
Don’t Do This Without Legal Help
Validation order applications are technical and time-sensitive. A poorly prepared application can be refused, wasting precious time. Worse, making payments without a validation order could expose directors to personal liability if those transactions are later reversed. Get specialist help.
Why Choose Femi for Your Validation Order?
When your bank account is frozen, you don’t have time for a solicitor to “look into it.” You need someone who’s done this many times before and can move immediately.
- Rapid response — urgent cases get same-day attention; applications filed within 24 hours
- Proven track record — extensive experience obtaining validation orders in the Companies Court
- Former HMRC Inspector — critical advantage when the petitioner is HMRC
- Full-service approach — validation order plus strategy to resolve the underlying petition
- Clear, fixed pricing — you’ll know the cost upfront before we proceed
Frequently Asked Questions
In urgent cases—particularly where payroll is at stake—the court can list a hearing within 24-48 hours. For less time-critical matters, it typically takes a few days to a week. The speed depends on how quickly we can prepare the application and the court’s availability. We prioritise urgent matters and can often file an application the same day you instruct us.
The court fee for a validation order application is currently £155. Legal fees vary depending on the complexity of your case and whether the application is contested. We provide clear, fixed-fee quotes before proceeding so you know exactly what to expect. Given the alternative—a frozen business—the cost is typically a fraction of what you stand to lose.
Once you provide your bank with a sealed copy of the validation order, they are legally protected to make the authorised payments. Most banks will act promptly—often the same day. However, the order only covers the specific transactions or trading period authorised by the court. You may need to return for further orders if the petition continues.
Refusal usually means the court isn’t satisfied that the payments benefit creditors as a whole, or that the company has a viable future. If this happens, we’d discuss alternative options—including whether to appeal, whether the company should enter administration (which provides automatic protection), or whether an orderly wind-down is the best course. A refusal isn’t the end, but it does narrow your options.
This is extremely risky. Any payment made after a petition is presented could be declared void if the company is wound up. The liquidator could pursue recovery of those payments—and potentially pursue the directors personally for authorising them. Directors’ personal funds, another company’s money, or third-party loans might be options, but each carries its own legal and practical risks. Get advice before making any payments.
The validation order addresses the immediate crisis—it unlocks your funds. But you still need to deal with the underlying winding up petition. That means either paying the debt, negotiating a settlement, disputing the petition, or pursuing a rescue option like administration or a CVA. Femi can help with all of these steps, not just the validation order.
Every Hour Counts When Your Account Is Frozen
Staff are waiting for wages. Suppliers are chasing payment. The longer you wait, the harder it gets. Call Femi now for urgent help with your validation order.
Get Urgent Help NowFree initial assessment. Same-day response for urgent matters.