Registered office, ID and compliance
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act tightened what counts as an appropriate address. What changed and what happens if your address fails the test.
Short answer
An appropriate address under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act is one where post to the company would come to the attention of a person acting for it and where delivery can be recorded. PO boxes and unstaffed mailboxes no longer qualify.
Written and reviewed by Waqas Sagar Member of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT, a double graduate and entrepreneur at heart, helping startups grow and serving thousands of businesses nationwide with an excellent team. Published by LimitedCompany.Accountants, 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Reviewed 12 September 2026 against 2026/27 UK rates and current Companies House and HMRC guidance.
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QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityAn appropriate address under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act is one where post to the company would come to the attention of a person acting for it and where delivery can be recorded. PO boxes and unstaffed mailboxes no longer qualify.
The practical test Companies House applies
Consequences of a non-compliant address
The rule is not about prestige or location but about whether documents genuinely reach someone connected with the company. An address that simply forwards unopened mail with no acknowledgement can fail the test even if it looks legitimate.
For a non-resident director this matters because the whole point of the registered office is to be a reliable UK point of contact when you are not physically present to receive anything yourself.
Companies House can change a company's registered office to a default address it holds if it becomes satisfied the current one is not appropriate, and can begin the process of striking the company off if a compliant address is not then provided.
Because strike off notices are themselves sent by post, a non-resident director who has already lost a working registered office can miss the very warning that would let them fix it, so getting this right from incorporation matters more than for a UK-based owner.
Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.
Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.
Primary references
Local help
We work with company directors across London and Surrey from our office at 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Pick your area, or send the form below and we will call you back.
Frequently asked
Yes, all companies must maintain an appropriate address, not only new incorporations.
No, the address must be in the UK, ownership of an overseas property is irrelevant.
It writes to the registered office and, where held, the registered email address, so both need to be actively monitored.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
Yes. You can ask a straightforward initial question without charge. Calculations, filings, written advice, planning and HMRC correspondence are scoped and quoted before work begins.
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Pick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run monday to friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
