A retailer no longer trading

A retailer closing its shop does not necessarily mean that the legal business has entered insolvency. Establish the company's status and any appointed office-holder before deciding where to send a refund claim. Insolvency Service guidance explains creditor claims in compulsory liquidation. ^[1]

Establish what happened to the business Use the name and company number on the invoice to check formal notices. A new operator using the same brand may be a different company; ask whether it assumed the relevant obligation rather than presuming liability.

Keep payment evidence, the order and correspondence admitting the debt. If an insolvency practitioner requests a proof of debt, follow the verified instructions and retain a copy. Registration of a claim does not guarantee payment.

Look beyond the failed retailer Check whether a credit provider, payment scheme or separate guarantee offers another route. Eligibility depends on the transaction, so provide the complete payment chain when seeking [a card-claim assessment](/guides/consumer-disputes/chargeback-and-section-75-questions-to-check/).

For a manufacturer's promise, examine the guarantee's own conditions. Account for any money recovered through another route to avoid claiming the same loss twice. Do not pay a supposed recovery agent without independently verifying its identity and authority.

Verify the legal event behind the closure notice Find the business name and company number on the purchase documents, then compare them with reliable company records and formal notices. Record whether the business has simply stopped trading, entered an insolvency procedure or been dissolved. Those events can lead to different next steps. A notice on the shop door or a social-media announcement may be useful evidence of closure but may omit the legal entity and procedure that determine where a creditor should send a claim.

If someone is appointed to deal with the business, verify their identity and contact details independently before supplying documents or following payment instructions. Use the relevant formal notice or official record to identify the case. The Insolvency Service guidance explains how creditors can check a company insolvency and identify the official receiver or insolvency practitioner in bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation cases. Do not assume that every closed retailer is being handled through that particular procedure. ^[1]

Classify what the retailer still owes Identify whether the unresolved issue is an undelivered order, an agreed refund, a faulty item or another obligation. Keep the order, payment, delivery promise and any admission of the refund together. If only part of an order arrived, describe the supplied and outstanding parts accurately. A claim based on a deposit needs its payment record and underlying booking terms; a claim for an additional loss needs a separate explanation and supporting evidence. The amount should be understandable without access to the failed retailer's former customer-service system.

For goods left with the retailer for repair or collection, preserve evidence of ownership and the reason they were on the premises. Ask the verified office-holder about the process for identifying and recovering those goods. This may raise different questions from being owed an unsecured refund, and the answer depends on the arrangement and identifiable property. Do not attempt to collect items from closed premises without proper agreement. Keep serial numbers, collection receipts and photographs available to support the enquiry.

Submit the claim through the identified procedure Follow the office-holder's verified instructions, providing the requested proof and retaining the submission reference. State the amount and basis of the debt, including any part disputed by the retailer. Keep the contact address current and read notices concerning further evidence or distributions. The Insolvency Service explains that registering a claim does not ensure a return: payment depends on the case, available assets and claims. Treat a creditor acknowledgement as confirmation of receipt or registration, not a promise that the purchase price will be repaid. [1]

If the claim is rejected or reduced, obtain the written reason and seek prompt advice on any available challenge and deadline. Where formal insolvency affects legal proceedings, check the relevant restrictions before issuing or continuing a court claim. The procedure may require permission or a different route. Avoid paying for enforcement based only on an earlier judgment without checking the company's current position. The useful next step is one permitted by the actual insolvency process and capable of addressing the consumer's remaining interest.

Investigate protections that depend on another organisation Check the payment arrangement, any independent guarantee and any relevant insurance or protection scheme. Preserve their separate terms and referral deadlines. A lender or guarantor may have responsibilities that require assessment despite the retailer's failure, but the retailer's closure alone does not establish every claim against them. Explain the original purchase and the precise failure, attaching evidence of the retailer's status. If an order is being fulfilled by a new business, obtain confirmation of what it has agreed to provide and on what conditions.

Maintain a record of all recoveries and tell the relevant parties when the outstanding loss changes. Ask how a card refund, guarantee replacement or insolvency distribution should be reflected in an existing claim. Be cautious about informal statements that a new owner will honour everything: keep the specific commitment concerning the particular order. The final recovery plan should identify each responsible organisation and outstanding request, with realistic expectations about the failed retailer's ability to pay and no duplicated claim for money already recovered elsewhere.