Written by The Registrar of Companies would like to remind liquidators that Article 322 of the Companies Act provides that where a company is being wound up, whether by the court or voluntarily, and such winding up is not concluded within twelve months after the dissolution of the company, the liquidator shall, within thirty days from the expiry of the said period of twelve months, and subsequently at intervals of six months, until the winding up is concluded, send to the Registrar for registration a Form L4. The Form L4 can be downloaded from:
Form L4
Please be aware that if a liquidator fails to submit the Form L4 s/he shall be liable to a penalty and, for every day during which the default continues, a further penalty. The Registrar has noted that the majority of liquidators are not adhering to this requirement and for this purpose liquidators are urged to check their pending liquidations and if these are not finalised as yet to please send the last Form L4 to provide the Registrar with a current update of the dissolution process of that particular company.
No penalties will be imposed on Form L4s, of companies that were put in dissolution by the end of 2019, that are delivered to the Registrar for registration by 31/12/2020.
Please be informed that notifications of resignations of liquidators (Form L3) will not be registered unless the last Form L4 is submitted. Kindly note that Article 300(1) provides that “Upon the resignation of a liquidator from his office, he shall deliver to the Registrar for registration a notice of his resignation and the resignation shall only become effective on such registration.”
Please note that on 1st January 2021 the Registrar will be reviewing the pending liquidations and will impose the relevant penalties mentioned in Article 322 (2) of the Companies Act.
Joseph Farrugia
Registrar of Companies
30th October 2020