New Rules for Registered Office Address

[The Resolver]

The changes coming into effect on the 4th March will also make PO Box addresses no longer lawful as a Registered Office address. This is because the new rules will require that the R/O must satisfy the following:-

• a document addressed to the company, and delivered there by hand or by post, would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company
• the delivery of documents there is capable of being recorded by the obtaining of an acknowledgement of delivery

These changes mean you will not only not longer be able to use a PO Box but , possibly (subject to interpretation), any 'poste restante' type service address if there is no arrangement for an acknowledgment of delivery and for post to be forwarded and the Directors fail to attend and remove the post. Since I use one I am looking into the detail!

 

[Mark T Jones]

I understood that PO boxes were always unacceptable under the term 'a physical address at which documents can be served'?

Though I see that many 'serviced' offices may now fall foul.

 

[ChrisCallaghan]

I'll be intrigued to see how much enforcement of these new powers will actually be seen.

 

[The Resolver]

I understood that PO boxes were always unacceptable under the term 'a physical address at which documents can be served'?

The wording of the announcement on the CH website says:-

"These changes mean you will not be able to use a PO Box as your registered office address in the future. "

Currently the website says:-
"You can use a PO Box, but you must still include a physical address and postcode."

A PO Box address is still physical in that letters go to a specific physical address which is just not transparent to the sender.

So currently you can use a PO Box but with a physical addres sthat can be a service address with the PO Box number making it easier for the service address operator to identify the recipienst of incoming mail.

Anyway at least this is now irrelevant. No PO Box.