Company registers
Company law

The Companies Act UK requires companies to maintain statutory registers for proper record keeping. Registration agents usually provide bound folders for the purpose, however such records may be kept in electronic form.

Generally, the registers must be kept at the registered office of the company and where the Companies Act allows a particular register to be kept in another place, the Registrar of Companies must be notified. Forms are available at Companies House for such notifications.

Both private and public companies must maintain a register of directors' interests in shares and debentures; a register of members; a register of directors and secretaries; and a register of charges. Public companies are also required to maintain a register of interests in voting shares.

The company secretary should implement measures to guard against fraudulent entries. Where information that should be kept in the registers is not generally available, it must be provided to the company.

Shareholders of a company are entitled to inspect the Registers at no cost, and members of the public pay a nominal fee to inspect and rights to request copies of documents exist for shareholders.