With the increase in company fraud involving the lodging of forged statutory forms with companies house it is now important that every company considers using internet filing to ensure it keeps its statutory details up to date and “safe”.

Applying for internet filing is straight forward. Go to the Companies House website and look for the web filing icon. You will need to provide an e mail address and then within 10 minutes you will get a security code. Then within five days the company will be sent (at its Registered Office – so check it is correct !) a company authentication code. Both codes are required to sign in and submit data.

Not all forms can be submitted by this route. However most that are in regular use are including; the Annual Return, 225 (change of accounting reference date), 287 (change of Registered office), 288a, 288b, 288c (changes in directors and company secretary), 88(2) (the allotment of shares), 123 (change in nominal share capital) and DCAs (dormant company accounts). You can even file audit exempt abbreviated accounts.

Whilst using internet filing at Companies House should solve a number of issues it is not without its own complications - see http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/miscellaneous/misc1.shtml

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When completing the audit of one of my clients this week we noticed that the company’s registered office address had mysteriously changed. 

My surprised client had never heard of the address some 50 miles away. We obtained a copy of the signed form 287 from companies house and it became apparent that the director’s signature had been forged

and someone, not connected with the company, had changed the Registered Office address.

Unfortunately, I have heard of this before. A fictitious party purchases assets with a credit agreement using the company’s details and a “fake” Registered Office (which the lender checks at Companies House) to complete the deal. They then take (and probably sell) the assets leaving the liability with the company.

My client has contacted Companies House and the police - we can now only wait to hear from any lenders who think they have an agreement in place with the company.

There is clearly a lack of control over the current paper system and going forward my client will be using internet filing at Companies House - although this is not without its own complications (see http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/miscellaneous/misc1.shtml)

So my advice is to keep an eye on your statutory details and apply for internet filing as soon as you can.

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