Find out more about the information it holds and who can access it
Personal and professional privacy is an issue that only tends to crop up when we read articles about large scale security breaches or hacks.
It’s an issue that company directors, owners and others with significant control should think about more often because their names, addresses and other information is available, for free, for anybody to look at, anytime.
No, you’re probably not being spied on by the KGB (we hope!) – we’re actually talking about the Companies House register.
There’s some minimum data that legally has to be displayed including the names, nationalities, formal occupations and the month and year of birth of any director of the company – past and present.
The register is a circle of accountability – where you can check that companies you do business with or are looking to build a relationship with are who they say they are. They can also perform the same checks on you.
Like the old Russian proverb says: “Trust, but verify”.
If you’re unfamiliar with the database it’s a useful tool for researching companies and getting a clearer picture of their history and current trajectory.
You can find their company type, standard industrial classification (their sector) and registered office address. You can see if their current status and if they are active or dissolved, the date of their last or next accounts with their details, any previous company names and current and former officer details.
You can also follow companies for free so you can be automatically updated when there’s any changes published. You should automatically follow your own company to make sure that the information displayed is accurate and to alert you of anything untoward.
For a fee, you can search for information on disqualified directors including their details, how long and why they’ve been disqualified.
Why not grab a coffee and check over you and your business’s details today to make sure your information is accurate and up-to-date?
After all, you never know who’s watching you, comrade…
Yes, we work in administration and insolvency but we really enjoy helping to rescue companies from downturns and dips, help them get back on their feet and go on to be more secure and successful than ever.
The clue’s in our name.
Get in touch with one of our expert advisors today. They will set up a free initial consultation where we can get a handle on what worries you most about your business and work to make sure that this either never comes to pass or if it has, to help you refocus, recover and rebound.