The new rules
1. Registered office address
Since 4 March 2024 Companies House has implemented more stringent criteria for a company’s registered office address.
These new requirements are:
1. any documents sent to the registered office should be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company; and
2. any documents sent to that address can be recorded by an acknowledgement of delivery.
If using a third-party agent for your registered address; for example, your accountant, this will still be acceptable providing that it meets the requirements set out above. However, using a PO Box for your registered address is no longer acceptable.
Where Companies House identifies a company having a registered address which does not meet the necessary requirements, a company will have 28 days to provide an appropriate replacement address and evidence of the company’s link to that address. If Companies House does not receive this evidence, it will begin the process to strike the company off the register.
2. Contact email
Companies will now have to provide a suitable registered email address. New companies are required to provide this as part of the registration process whereas existing companies will be required to submit this in the company’s next confirmation statement. Companies will have a duty to maintain an appropriate registered email address; a failure to provide this and keep it updated is an offence.
3. Lawful purpose
Another further requirement is that on incorporation of a new company the shareholders will be required to submit a statement of lawful purpose confirming that the intended activities of the company are and will be lawful. Existing companies will need to submit this as part of the confirmation statement. Companies House will not accept the incorporation of the company or confirmation statement if the statement for lawful purpose has not been confirmed.
If Companies House receives information that confirms the company is being operated in a manner which is unlawful, it may choose to take action on the basis that the statement of lawful purpose has been given fraudulently which would constitute a crime under the Fraud Act 2006, the maximum penalty for which is 10 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.
4. Accuracy of information
Companies House will now have greater powers to query information submitted by companies and it may request supporting evidence to allow it to tackle and remove factually incorrect information listed for a company.
These recent Companies House updates are the first of a batch of changes taking place. Exact dates for further updates have not been announced yet but it is paramount that you are up to date with these changes once they come into effect to avoid your company being struck off the register or prosecuted for a criminal offence.
If you would like to discuss Companies House or anything mentioned in this article, please contact Keira Golds or a member of our corporate team.
The new rules
1. Registered office address
Since 4 March 2024 Companies House has implemented more stringent criteria for a company’s registered office address.
These new requirements are:
1. any documents sent to the registered office should be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company; and
2. any documents sent to that address can be recorded by an acknowledgement of delivery.
If using a third-party agent for your registered address; for example, your accountant, this will still be acceptable providing that it meets the requirements set out above. However, using a PO Box for your registered address is no longer acceptable.
Where Companies House identifies a company having a registered address which does not meet the necessary requirements, a company will have 28 days to provide an appropriate replacement address and evidence of the company’s link to that address. If Companies House does not receive this evidence, it will begin the process to strike the company off the register.
2. Contact email
Companies will now have to provide a suitable registered email address. New companies are required to provide this as part of the registration process whereas existing companies will be required to submit this in the company’s next confirmation statement. Companies will have a duty to maintain an appropriate registered email address; a failure to provide this and keep it updated is an offence.
3. Lawful purpose
Another further requirement is that on incorporation of a new company the shareholders will be required to submit a statement of lawful purpose confirming that the intended activities of the company are and will be lawful. Existing companies will need to submit this as part of the confirmation statement. Companies House will not accept the incorporation of the company or confirmation statement if the statement for lawful purpose has not been confirmed.
If Companies House receives information that confirms the company is being operated in a manner which is unlawful, it may choose to take action on the basis that the statement of lawful purpose has been given fraudulently which would constitute a crime under the Fraud Act 2006, the maximum penalty for which is 10 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.
4. Accuracy of information
Companies House will now have greater powers to query information submitted by companies and it may request supporting evidence to allow it to tackle and remove factually incorrect information listed for a company.
These recent Companies House updates are the first of a batch of changes taking place. Exact dates for further updates have not been announced yet but it is paramount that you are up to date with these changes once they come into effect to avoid your company being struck off the register or prosecuted for a criminal offence.
If you would like to discuss Companies House or anything mentioned in this article, please contact Keira Golds or a member of our corporate team.