Quick guide to company books, records and filing
This quick guide to company books, records and filing will help you to stay within the law with your company’s various filing and record-keeping obligations.
You can download keep it as a helpful reference tool to keep an eye on what you need to do and when.
It is not just a box-ticking exercise to make sure your company paperwork is in good order; the consequences of failing can be serious. In most cases, not filing documents at Companies House when the law says you must is a criminal offence, committed by your company and any officer at fault. Fines usually increase over time until you comply.
Further, failure to file important documents at Companies House will show up on your company’s online record which can cost you business opportunities – it will make a poor impression on anyone searching for you, eg as part of a due diligence exercise. Most seriously, if you fail to file your annual confirmation statement for long enough, your company will be struck off the register.
Use this quick guide to help you get your company books and records sorted and keep them that way.
You can also get this document as part of the Starting a company toolkit.
Related Toolkits
Share transfer toolkit
This toolkit contains guidance on the process to follow in order to transfer shares, and copies of all the documents your company will need to properly approve the transfer of shares. The toolkit includes the stock transfer form necessary to make a transfer of shares, company resolutions to approve the transfer, and supporting guidance and documents to give legal effect to a share transfer. The documents contained in this toolkit are suitable for any transfer of shares in a company with the model articles of association.
This toolkit contains guidance on the process to follow in order to transfer shares, and copies of all the documents your company will need to properly approve the transfer of shares. The toolkit includes the stock transfer form necessary to make a transfer of shares, company resolutions to approve the transfer, and supporting guidance and documents to give legal effect to a share transfer. The documents contained in this toolkit are suitable for any transfer of shares in a company with the model articles of association.
How to guide: Share transfer toolkit- Blank stock transfer form
- Board minutes approving a transfer of shares
- Indemnity for lost share certificate
- Sole director resolution approving a transfer of shares
- Step-by-step guide to completing a stock transfer form
- Written board resolution approving a transfer of shares
- Share certificate
- Quick guide to shareholder rights and shareholding percentages
Small claims toolkit
This small claims toolkit guides you through the right process to follow if you want to make a straightforward small claim against someone, and contains a pack of all of the template documents you are likely to need. Use the small claims process to get back money you are owed for amounts less than £10,000 (for example, if a supplier has not sent you the right goods or you have not received payment from a customer). Documents provided in this small claims toolkit include: letter before action (also known as a letter of claim), which must be sent to someone before you sue them to set out what you are claiming; witness statement, which provides a template for any witness statements you are providing to ensure they are legally compliant; and letter of non-attendance for small claims hearing (if you want the court to judge your case on paper evidence rather than you attending a hearing). By using this small claims toolkit you can avoid the need to use a lawyer and maximise your chances of getting back money you are owed. It helps you avoid common mistakes that can reduce your chance of a successful claim.
This small claims toolkit guides you through the right process to follow if you want to make a straightforward small claim against someone, and contains a pack of all of the template documents you are likely to need. Use the small claims process to get back money you are owed for amounts less than £10,000 (for example, if a supplier has not sent you the right goods or you have not received payment from a customer). Documents provided in this small claims toolkit include: letter before action (also known as a letter of claim), which must be sent to someone before you sue them to set out what you are claiming; witness statement, which provides a template for any witness statements you are providing to ensure they are legally compliant; and letter of non-attendance for small claims hearing (if you want the court to judge your case on paper evidence rather than you attending a hearing). By using this small claims toolkit you can avoid the need to use a lawyer and maximise your chances of getting back money you are owed. It helps you avoid common mistakes that can reduce your chance of a successful claim.
- How-to guide: Small claims toolkit
- Letter before action
- Witness statement
- Letter of non-attendance for small claims hearing
Redundancy toolkit
This redundancy toolkit guides you through the key steps you need to take to make an employee redundant, and provides a pack of the relevant template documents you are likely to need. You will find guidance and a pack of 9 supporting documents, including letters, notices and agendas, for each step of the redundancy process: Initial steps (considering alternatives and reasons for redundancies); Creating a redundancy pool, applying selection criteria and notifying employees; Carrying out a consultation process; and Making a final decision, calculating payments and terminating employment. It also includes a template letter to offer alternative employment to employees who are at risk of being made redundant. By using this redundancy toolkit, you will ensure that your redundancy process is fair and legally compliant, which reduces the chance of any employees suing you. The guidance in this redundancy toolkit also helps you to ensure you do not make redundancies in a discriminatory way. Use this redundancy toolkit to ensure you are legally compliant without the need for a lawyer.
This redundancy toolkit guides you through the key steps you need to take to make an employee redundant, and provides a pack of the relevant template documents you are likely to need. You will find guidance and a pack of 9 supporting documents, including letters, notices and agendas, for each step of the redundancy process: Initial steps (considering alternatives and reasons for redundancies); Creating a redundancy pool, applying selection criteria and notifying employees; Carrying out a consultation process; and Making a final decision, calculating payments and terminating employment. It also includes a template letter to offer alternative employment to employees who are at risk of being made redundant. By using this redundancy toolkit, you will ensure that your redundancy process is fair and legally compliant, which reduces the chance of any employees suing you. The guidance in this redundancy toolkit also helps you to ensure you do not make redundancies in a discriminatory way. Use this redundancy toolkit to ensure you are legally compliant without the need for a lawyer.
- How-to guide: Redundancy toolkit
- Redundancy - Letter warning of proposed redundancies
- Redundancy - Selection criteria form
- Redundancy - Provisional selection for redundancy letter
- Redundancy - First individual consultation meeting agenda
- Redundancy - Outcome of individual consultation meeting
- Redundancy - Invitation to final individual consultation meeting
- Redundancy - Final individual consultation meeting agenda
- Redundancy - Notice of termination of employment
- Redundancy - Offer of alternative employment
Starting an online business toolkit
This toolkit to start an online business includes all the legal documentation and know-how you need to set up a website and change your business to online sales. It comprises 9 key documents, including: separate cookie and privacy policies, and terms of use for your website; a customisable set of terms and conditions to cover you for the supply or goods or services or both; template invoices (VAT and non-VAT) and cancellation form; and a quick guide to customer rights, which are much broader for online sales than face-to-face transactions. Our helpful how-to guide will take you step-by-step through how to use the documents included in this pack, whether you are starting a new business or changing an existing business model to set up your own website and start selling online. Note that if you provide online services in the EEA, you will also need to ensure that you follow the rules of each EEA country you operate in. If you are not sure how this applies to you, you can access a specialist lawyer in a few simple steps using our Ask a Lawyer service.
This toolkit to start an online business includes all the legal documentation and know-how you need to set up a website and change your business to online sales. It comprises 9 key documents, including: separate cookie and privacy policies, and terms of use for your website; a customisable set of terms and conditions to cover you for the supply or goods or services or both; template invoices (VAT and non-VAT) and cancellation form; and a quick guide to customer rights, which are much broader for online sales than face-to-face transactions. Our helpful how-to guide will take you step-by-step through how to use the documents included in this pack, whether you are starting a new business or changing an existing business model to set up your own website and start selling online. Note that if you provide online services in the EEA, you will also need to ensure that you follow the rules of each EEA country you operate in. If you are not sure how this applies to you, you can access a specialist lawyer in a few simple steps using our Ask a Lawyer service.
- How-to guide: Starting an online business toolkit
- Privacy policy
- Cookie policy
- Website terms of use
- Terms and conditions
- Cancellation form
- VAT invoice
- Non-VAT invoice
- Quick guide to customer rights in online sales
- Checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant