With the recent expansions to the power and authority of Companies House, many businesses might be worried about staying compliant.
One of the major changes has come in the form of new compliance checks for addresses, so it is important that every business ensures they are using the right office and email address.
What are the new rules around registered addresses for Companies House?
Where once Companies House had lax rulings around the addresses that a business could use, this has become a source of contention for many unaware directors.
All addresses should be appropriate for the business.
This means that the registered address should correspond to the place where the company conducts business.
A similar ruling is in place regarding email addresses.
These should be formal email addresses that clearly match the company to which they are linked.
Email addresses need to be closely monitored as this will form the primary way in which Companies House will communicate with businesses.
It is worth setting up a dedicated email address for Companies House to ensure that any emails from them do not get drowned out in the noise of your regular business emails.
There may be penalties and fines for missing Companies House communications, so do all in your power to avoid this.
What do I do if my business does not have a valid address?
If, for some reason, you do not feel that you can satisfy the new requirements regarding your registered business address, it is possible to enlist the services of an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
An ACSP is a solicitor or accountant who has registered to be a trusted third party with Companies House.
They are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of filings and pay close attention to anti-money laundering regulations.
The address of an ACSP can be used for Companies House filings and provides a suitable alternative in instances where a business has no better option.
An ACSP can also be used to make filings on behalf of a business and can verify the identity of those individuals who need it.
The services of an ACSP are likely to come at a cost, whereas liaising directly with Companies House is free.
PO Boxes are no longer valid addresses, so an ACSP is the only alternative for businesses that do not have an appropriate address.
What happens if I used a personal address in the past?
It is now possible to remove personal data from Companies House if you sued it in a previous filing.
This can include the private addresses of directors, which helps to mitigate the potential for data breaches to occur and for personal data to be leaked.
It also serves to clean up the records of a business to ensure that only relevant, compliant information is stored on Companies House.
Seeking professional advice is the best way to keep up with all the changes to Companies House.
More changes will come in the future, and we will highlight them as they come so that you can respond accordingly.
If you want to stay compliant with the changes to Companies House, get in touch with our team today.
