How do I choose an insolvency practitioner?
Check the named practitioner’s authorisation, experience, proposed role and written fees before appointing them. Formal insolvency appointments require the appropriate authority. An adviser’s website or a low initial quote is not enough to establish who will actually handle the case.
Business Insolvency Helpline • Checked 1 November 2026
General guidance, with procedural detail focused on England and Wales. Rules and routes can differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What should I ask before agreeing?
- Who is the proposed office-holder and who authorises them?
- Why is this procedure suitable compared with the alternatives?
- What work does the quote cover and what may cost extra?
- Who will handle communications and urgent questions?
- What are the consequences for staff, guarantees and director’s loans?
Check details with the authorising body if necessary. The government search service is useful, but absence from its voluntary directory is not by itself proof that someone is unauthorised.
Who does the liquidator act for?
An office-holder has statutory responsibilities. Paying for initial advice does not make the liquidator your personal representative throughout the case. Independent legal advice may be needed where your interests differ from those of the company or creditors.
Be cautious about promises of guaranteed debt removal, no questions asked or no director consequences. Ask for the proposed legal process in writing.
Can I change practitioner or complain?
Before formal appointment, you can compare advisers subject to any engagement already agreed. Afterwards, replacing an office-holder requires the appropriate procedure; it is not simply cancelling a subscription.
Raise service concerns directly first. The Insolvency Complaints Gateway considers eligible conduct complaints, but it does not replace a court application to challenge a legal decision. Preserve correspondence and obtain advice about any time limit.
On this page
Need help now?
If a deadline is approaching, tell us the date when you call.
Related questions
No. Ask separately about the cost of advice, appointment and ongoing administration of the case.
Not generally. A legal challenge may need to go to court, so distinguish service complaints from disputed decisions.
No. Compare scope, exclusions, additional costs, proposed procedure and the named practitioner’s role.
Sources checked for this guide
- How insolvency practitioners are authorised in great britain (www.gov.uk)
- Fip1 (www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk)
- Insolvency practitioners guidance on how to complain about an insolvency practitioner (www.gov.uk)
For guidance on your company, call 01246 912052 or complete the enquiry form below.