Companies House cracks down on sub-standard stationery

It has been suggested Companies House are bearing down on companies that do not correctly display their company particulars on official letterheads and e-mails.

A smart letterhead not only helps businesses portray a professional image, it must also contain specific pieces of information as stipulated by Companies House. Failure to adhere to this requirement could lead to each director of the company being hit with a £1,000 fine and potentially a £100 per day fine where the issue is not promptly dealt with.

Regulations stipulate the following four items in relation to company letterheads:

1. The registered name of the company. This is not the trading name used, if indeed a trading name is used, but the name of the company as it appears on the certificate of incorporation, including either the word ‘Ltd’ or ‘limited’. Where a trading name is used this can be shown more prominently than the registered name as long as the registered name is still clear and eligible.
   
2. The registered address of the company. This must be displayed in full and identified as the company’s registered address. Where a company trades from an address other than its registered address, this address should also be shown on the letterhead.  
   
3. The company registration number As well as appearing on letterheads, the above information must also appear in e-mails. It is therefore advised a standard e-mail footer containing all of this information is set up for all staff e-mail accounts.
   
4. Company letterheads are not required to include the names of company directors however, where a company chooses to include this information, the names of all the directors must be included rather than a select few.

In relation to other formal documents and communication, such as invoices and order forms, it is necessary to include all of the information listed in points 1 – 3 above, whether distributed in physical or electronic format.

This information must also appear on the company’s website.

Holmes & Hills Solicitors has team of commercial solicitors providing a range of corporate & commercial legal services for businesses across Essex and Suffolk.