Departments:
Company secretarial

Limited liability companies shelter their shareholders from liability to creditors. It is a protection conferred by the law. In return, the law also imposes obligations, including the need to maintain certain formal records (your statutory books) and to file various notices and returns with the Registrar of Companies.

We do all this for you. It is an efficient and cost-effective service which helps you to comply with the law. If you ever need to open up your statutory books to others, you can be sure that they will stand up to scrutiny.

Any change in the constitution of your company - such as issuing extra shares, transferring shares, adding or removing directors, moving your registered office, or changing your accounting date - calls for formal paperwork and usually the filing of statutory notices. Cassons' business advisers will normally have been involved in the decision. Our Company Secretarial Department will make it happen.

Cassons can form your company, keep its statutory books in good order, and (when the time comes) arrange for it to be dissolved. It is a complete service from start to finish.

Company formation

We tell you immediately whether your chosen name is available. We advise you about certain choices you must make (such as whether the chairman has a casting vote, or how freely can the shares be transferred). We see to all the formalities and provide you with a certificate of incorporation, several copies of the company's memorandum and articles of association, and a set of statutory books correctly written up. We file all necessary forms with the Registrar of Companies.

Company searches

Information that is filed at Companies House is available to the public. For example, you can find out who are the shareholders and directors of a company; or you can get a copy of any accounts that have been filed. This is a quick and cost-effective service. If you are after something more specific, or if you want more in depth research, our Corporate Finance Department offers a fuller range of company information services.

Provision of registered office facilities

Formal legal notices are sent to a company's registered office. So, unfortunately, is a lot of junk mail. We can host your registered office, ensuring that important mail is promptly brought to your attention and sheltering you from advertising circulars and other unsolicited mail.

Changes in directors and other company officers

When you appoint a new director or company secretary, or when one leaves, we attend to the company minutes, we prepare the necessary form and file it with the Registrar of Companies, and we write up the statutory books.

Amendments to memorandum and articles of association

Sometimes you need to change the company's constitution, for example to increase the authorised share capital or to permit a purchase by the company of its own shares. We draft the necessary resolution, file a copy with the Registrar of Companies, and write up the statutory books.

Restructuring of share capital

Sometimes it is necessary to change the structure of a company's share capital, for example to provide different voting or dividend rights. This is a complex matter. We make it simple for you by seeing to all the formalities.

Maintenance of all statutory records

Each year, there are formalities that must be seen to, such as holding an annual general meeting, approving the accounts, and filing an annual return with the Registrar of Companies. Doing these things wrong, or not at all, can incur penalties and may adversely affect your credit rating. Don't worry. We see to all this for you.

The above is not a complete list of the services available so please contact us if you wish to discuss any company secretarial matter.

Have you visited the Your business section yet? It contains lots of information which you might find useful...