Company Formation FAQs

What is Companies House?

Companies house is the official registrar companies in the United Kingdom. All companies are supposed to incorporate and register themselves with the Companies House and furnish all the necessary details.

 

Where can I register a company online?

You can register a company on line by using our online incorporation form. This usually takes about 3 hours subject to current work loads, and will be registered with Companies House.

 

Why is there no paperwork to sign?

Paper based incorporations require the signatures of the company officers to confirm that the consent to act for the company. We take 3 details of personal information and supply them with the application. This information acts as the electronic equivalent to a paper signature.

 

Can I choose any name I like for my company?

You can choose whatever name you like for your company, but it is important to check that the name you'd like to register is acceptable to Companies House.

It can not be too similar to another company.
You can't use a name that is likely to cause offence.
The use of certain words is restricted. Please contact us to find out more.

 

Your company name but be stated in legible lettering on:

All business letters.
All electronic documents eg. Emails.
All notices and other official publications.
On your company website.
All bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements, cheques and orders for money or goods signed for on behalf of the company.

 

What are the requirements for registering a limited company?

Every company must have:

at least one Director - responsible for running the company
at least one shareholder - the people who actually own the company

 

Can anyone be a Company Director?

You can not be a Company Director of a Limited Company if you are:

An undischarged bankrupt
Disqualified by Court from holding a directorship, unless given leave to act
Under the age of 16

 

What are the memorandum and articles of association?

These are legal documents that set out:

The company name
Registered Office location
Objects of the company
The internal constitution of the company

 

What is a dormant company?

A company is dormant if it has had no 'significant accounting transactions' during the period.

 

The first accounts of a Private Limited Company

Within 9 months of the end of the accounting reference period; or
If the accounting reference period is more than 12 months, within 21 months of the date of incorporation, or three months from the end of the accounting reference period, whichever is longer.

 

What if my accounts are filed late?

There is an automatic penalty. This is between  100 and £1,000 for a private company and £500 and £5,000 for a PLC.

Directors can be prosecuted for not filing certain documents. If convicted, they will have a criminal record and be liable for a fine of up to £5,000 for each offence. They could also be disqualified from being a company director or taking part in the management of a company for up to 5 years.

 

What is the Registered Office?

This must be an address in England and Wales, or Scotland where legal documents can be served on your company. The address is kept on the Companies House database and is available for anyone to inspect free of charge.

This address needs to be written on all of your correspondence. We offer a Registered office address service from only £79.99 + VAT per annum, please contact us to find out more.

 

What are the details to be furnished to form a limited company?

A limited company must be formed with the Companies House. Following some of the necessary details which will need to be furnished to complete the process:

• Proposed company name
• Registered office address (We provide you with a Essex address which you can use)
• Company director details
• Shareholder details

 

How can I close a Limited company?

To completely cease all operations of your limited company, you will have to go through a process called “Voluntary Company Dissolution”, where the company name is removed from the Companies House register. You can choose from a variety of company dissolution services we offer, and we do the rest of the work for you.

 

Do I need to be a UK national to open a business?

No, it is not mandatory. However, you must have a UK based office address to run the business.