Correcting information on the register at Companies House

Company information is filed at Companies House to comply with legal requirements and is available to the public. It is therefore important that it is accurate. What should you do if you realise there’s an error?

Registrar’s powers

The Registrar of Companies has various powers to correct errors in documents filed for registration. Depending on the nature of the mistake and the document in question, the Registrar may be able to correct it or accept a replacement document. In some cases, the erroneous material can be removed altogether, but often it will remain part of the company’s historical record.

The Registrar’s powers are summarised in our table. It may be that one or more power can be used in any given situation, so if a company discovers an error in its filed information it should contact Companies House to check which method to use.

Court’s powers

It is also within the court’s power to order Companies House to remove or change information on its register, for example where a filing relates to action taken without the required authority or as a result of fraud. It can also order the rectification of certain registers where a person’s rights or liabilities are at stake, e.g. where a person has not been added to the register of shareholders.

Company hijacking

Companies can fall prey to company hijacking, when a third party illegally changes some of the company’s details, like its registered office and directors, and uses the company’s name to trade or gain credit. If you suspect this may have happened to your company, report it to Companies House using their pro forma (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-suspicious-company-activity). The Registrar can then advise on how the company’s information can be rectified.