compulsory liquidation of private company

Private companies are not required to obtain trading certificates OK?

Thanks, that's right! But I've seen in other similar questions that the fact that 'the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due' is also not a ground for the court to gran compulsory liquidation. Is that right? Is there a difference between private and public companies?

No, an inability to pay debts as they fall due IS a ground for a Court order The possible misinterpretation that you may have made here is that it is necessary to show the Court that the company is insolvent and is not simply 'managing' its cash resource in an aggressive manner Thus it would probably be the case that you have to approach the Court to be granted 'judgement' on the debt (essentially the Court says that the debt is good and is payable) For this to be available, you would need first to show that the amount outstanding was greater than £750 and had been outstanding for at least 21 days after you had requested it to be paid Then you would need to appoint a sheriff or bailiff to enter the debtor's premises with the judgement order and ask for settlement or seize goods to the value of ... And if settlement is not made or there are no goods available to be seized, then you would need to go back to the Court with your 'proof' that the company was unable to pay the debt and then ... maybe! ... the Court would grant a winding-up order But an inability to pay its debts as they fall due IS certainly a ground for the Court to grant a winding-up order