Company Secretarial Services in Kent

Keeping your company's records in order

A private company does not have to appoint a company secretary, but the work a secretary would do still needs doing. Companies must keep statutory registers, record decisions properly and tell Companies House about changes within set time limits. When that slips, problems tend to surface at awkward moments, such as when you sell the business, bring in an investor or apply for finance.

What our company secretarial service covers

• Statutory registers: members, directors, people with significant control, and charges, kept current.
• Director appointments and resignations, with Companies House told within 14 days.
• Share issues and transfers, including allotment filings, stock transfer forms and updated share certificates.
• Changes to the registered office or company name, and amendments to the articles of association.
• Board minutes and written resolutions for routine decisions, such as approving accounts or declaring dividends.
• Changes in control, so the register of people with significant control and the public record agree.
• Annual filings, including the confirmation statement.

Companies House sets out the different time limits for reporting changes on GOV.UK under making changes to your limited company.

Who this is for

Accurate records also matter when the business changes hands. Buyers, investors and lenders routinely check statutory registers and share history, and gaps can delay a deal or reduce its value. Our secretarial service suits owner-managed companies with more than one shareholder, family companies where shares pass between generations, companies with employee or investor shareholders, and groups with several entities. It is also useful when registers have never been written up and need rebuilding from past filings.

How we work

1. We review the current public record and any registers or minutes you already hold.
2. We point out gaps, such as unrecorded share transfers or late filings, and agree how to correct them.
3. We set up registers and a simple process for you to tell us about changes.
4. When something changes, we prepare the paperwork, have it signed and file it in time.
5. Each year we check the registers against the public record before the confirmation statement is filed.

What we'll need from you

Copies of your certificate of incorporation, articles, share certificates and any existing registers or minutes, plus prompt notice of planned changes. Directors and people with significant control will need to have verified their identity with Companies House. If you are planning a bigger change, such as a new holding company or share reorganisation, see our company restructuring advice. For decisions about paying profits out, our dividend planning service prepares the supporting minutes and vouchers.

Supporting Kent companies

We provide secretarial support to companies across Kent, often alongside their year-end accounts, so financial and statutory records tell the same story. Get in touch to talk about what your company needs.