Companies House dissolved small limited company as I missed Confirmation Statement letters

myelomarace

I wondered if anyone else has experience this, as my bank said they'd heard a lot of it happening. I have a small business and was shocked to find my business has been dissolved a week ago. My bank account has been frozen. I now have to go through a process to reinstate everything with fees around £1k.
On my first conversation with Companies House, their dissolution team, I was told I didn't get the Confirmation Statement reminder letters as they don't send them anymore and I should have signed up to e-alerts. They then passed me to the restoration team, who told me I was sent a letter in August, then two reminder letters in October - hand on heart I never received these, and it's strange I was previously told there were no letters. It seems there was nothing sent to alert me of impending dissolution. 
My accountant has checked and the accounts were filed with HMRC on time, but Companies House are saying they weren't and issuing a big fine. Are these two separate submissions?
So now I find myself having to pay around £1k in fees to put everything right. I just think it's grossly unfair to penalise a small business like this. Plus the fact my bank account is frozen so I have to find the money elsewhere to get everything restored.
I just wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar recently. Or of course any other advice is very welcome.

Jeremy535897

Both accounts and an annual return need to be filed. See:
https://www.gov.uk/prepare-file-annual-accounts-for-limited-company

Was an annual return filed? What address was Companies House sending the letters to? Where is the company's registered office?

macman

What does your accountant have to say about this? 

comeandgo

Your accountant needs to file with HMRC and file again to Companies House, other documents other than yearly accounts need to go to Companies House.  Did you instruct your accountant to deal with Companies house as well as HMRC?

myelomarace

Hi, thanks for your help @Jeremy535897 @macman  @comeandgo

What I'm trying to figure out is if a change or error in Companies House processes has caused me to fall late with the confirmation statement.

Our accountant takes care of all the filing. He told me there looks to have been a software issue. Sure enough, HMRC have said they had the accounts on time. So it would make sense that there has been some issue as our accountant wasn't late with that step and I'd imagine he'd do it all in one hit. We've never had issues in previous years. I'll see him on Monday so will talk with him in more detail then.

Accounts were due end Oct, so I'm not sure why they are saying a £750 fine. I've checked online and it's £375 for up to 3 months late. Our accountant has said he'll deal with this fee anyway, whether he takes it up with the software providers or takes the hit himself.

Companies House have the correct address for directors and correspondence (it's all the same address). We moved house in June 2021 so that was my first thought, but we know the people that bought our old house and they've received nothing for us. Companies House details showed I changed the address in Sept 2021, CH did tell me the address they claim letters were sent to and it's correct, the new one.

What I don't feel comfortable with is CH house saying they don't send letters anymore, that I should have signed up for e-alerts. Then another person at CH contradicting this by telling me 3 letters were sent. But no letter warning of strike off.

As I say, my bank have said they've heard a lot of this happening, so I was trying to find out if there is some kind of pattern and issue with CH processes that is catching people out.

Many thanks again.