Companies House Late Filing Penalties
To enable Companies House to maintain the statutory information provided for the public record, late filing penalties were introduced by Companies House to encourage limited companies to file their accounts on time, this ensures that the information contained in the register is kept as up-to-date as possible.
The most recent late penalty increase for limited companies came into effect on 1 February 2009. The following fines being applied:
- £150 - if less than one month late
- £375 - if more than one month but less than three months late
- £750 - if more than three months but less than six months late
- £1,500 - if more than six months late
The above penalties automatically apply to all overdue accounts. Failure to comply with the filing requirements for the previous financial year will result in the above penalty being doubled.
The "14 Day Concession"
In accordance with the Companies Act 1985, companies are required to re-file legible documents within a 14 day period from the date of the rejection letter. With effect from 1 October 2009 this concession will cease to exist, it is therefore important that the requirement regarding legibility of information filed, is adhered to.
Changes to Articles of Association
Amendment to a company's Articles of Association must be communicated to Companies House. A revised copy of the Memorandum and Articles should be sent to Companies House within a 15 day period from the date of amendment. Failure to comply is a criminal offence.
With effect from 1 October 2009, the Companies Act will introduce a new civil penalty of £200 for failure to comply. The penalty will apply if a company receives instruction from the Registrar to deliver a copy of its amended articles within 28 days and fails to comply with this request.
The company will also remain liable to criminal proceedings in addition to the £200 civil penalty.
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