Companies House Information

[Picture Bute]

Following on from another thread, where a poster had said that a company had been formed using his address (i think it was), I had a quick look an searched myself and found this:

A person, using an incorrect spelling of my name, but my correct address, had been registered as a co. sec. of a company from 2013 to 2017, resigning just before the company was voluntarily struck off.

The company shares a reg'd office with me by virtue of us sharing an accountant.

When I approached the accountants firm to point this out to them, I was passed on to a senior staff member who aggressively told me that it doesn't matter. "We don't know who did it, we can't find out who did it and there's no way of changing it. Nothing to see hear".

Now, I have been a customer of this accountancy firm for nearly 20 years so don't want to go off all half cocked and start a fight, but am I correct to be slightly paranoid about this ??

 

[Newchodge]

Following on from another thread, where a poster had said that a company had been formed using his address (i think it was), I had a quick look an searched myself and found this:

A person, using an incorrect spelling of my name, but my correct address, had been registered as a co. sec. of a company from 2013 to 2017, resigning just before the company was liquidated.

The company shares a reg'd office with me by virtue of us sharing an accountant.

When I approached the accountants firm to point this out to them, I was passed on to a senior staff member who aggressively told me that it doesn't matter. "We don't know who did it, we can't find out who did it and there's no way of changing it. Nothing to see hear".

Now, I have been a customer of this accountancy firm for nearly 20 years so don't want to go off all half cocked and start a fight, but am I correct to be slightly paranoid about this ??

Did the company trade?

 

[Picture Bute]

Did the company trade?

Yes, from 2003 until voluntary strike off in 2017.

 

[WaveJumper]

And what address was this company using for its correspondence

 

[Picture Bute]

And what address was this company using for its correspondence

I have no idea. Reg'd office is the accountants office, each directtor has (I assume) home addresses listed. For the avoidance of doubt, I had never heard of this company until the back end of last week when I found the info described above on the Co.Ho. website.

 

[UKSBD]

but my correct address

What do you mean by that?

Your personal address or the registered business address?

 

[Picture Bute]

What do you mean by that?

Your personal address or the registered business address?

The company is registered at the accountants office. The company secretary listed, having a miss spelling of my name had a correspondence address of my correct home address.

 

[Ozzy]

I would be upset about this to the point of changing accountants if they don't take some responsibility, not dismissing it as you describe.

As you had no dealings and no knowledge with that company, you may be able to get your home address removed from the public record. The directions on how to do this are here;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/removing-your-home-address-from-the-companies-house-register

Although if the accountant made a mistake I'd like to think they'd help sort this for you.

 

[WaveJumper]

Then I would have thought your accountants would have picked up on this. I would like Ozzy also be upset they should be taking this more seriously and you have to wonder why they are not

 

[Picture Bute]

Thanks for the response Ozzy.

I too, given the length of association we've had, would have expected a better response from the accountants office. I was actually quite surprised by the tone and attitude of a senior staff member, who I normally speak to once a year or so, and we usually have a pretty jovial chat, but his tone from the second he came on the phone was aggressive and dismissive, which got my back up even more and made me more suspicious.

 

[Ozzy]

Then I would have thought your accountants would have picked up on this.

Exactly my thoughts. Every year for four years the accountants would have filed the annual filings at Companies House with the wrong name on them, the accounts and the confirmation statement. Plus what about the accountants legal obligations to their client due-diligence, to check the people associated with the companies they represent and act for.

 

[WaveJumper]

Exactly my thoughts. Every year for four years the accountants would have filed the annual filings at Companies House with the wrong name on them, the accounts and the confirmation statement. Plus what about the accountants legal obligations to their client due-diligence, to check the people associated with the companies they represent and act for.

I wonder how many other companies with their registered address at his accountants have officers who never realised they had been appointed, makes me wonder

 

[Picture Bute]

I wonder how many other companies with their registered address at his accountants have officers who never realised they had been appointed, makes me wonder

So, I'm right to be suspicious and pursue further ??

 

[WaveJumper]

I certainly would be

 

[jimbof]

I think you are right to ask the questions. I would probably be trawling companies house and seeing what involved parties were up to now etc...

I wonder what possible nefarious benefit could have been extracted... I guess the co. secretary wins a load of compliance obligations for the business at the time leading up to the strikeoff...

 

[Maverick77]

I'll say it: it sounds like they're on a fiddle of some kind.

The fact that your accountant was so aggressive with you indicates that you asked questions that they didn't want you to ask.

If I was in your situation I would report this to Companies House, but that's just me.

 

[Newchodge]

I'll say it: it sounds like they're on a fiddle of some kind.

The fact that your accountant was so aggressive with you indicates that you asked questions that they didn't want you to ask.

If I was in your situation I would report this to Companies House, but that's just me.

Companies House won't care, they are just a listing directory.

 

[Financial-Modeller]

During the four years that somebody with a similar name to you was the director/CoSec of an unknown company, did you not receive any post at your home, addressed to them?

 

[Bob Morgan]

The first sentence on the CH Website states that they DO NOT verify information submitted!