Directors addresses

From 1st October 2009 every director must provide Companies House with both their usual residential address and a service address for each directorship they hold.  The service address will be on the public record and will be public information, but the residential address will be protected information.

A director can choose any address as the service address including the registered office address of the company. The address must be one where documents can be delivered and an acknowledgement or receipt must be capable of being provided if required. The address cannot be a PO Box or a DX number. It will not be apparent from the records held at Companies House if the director’s service address is also his residential address.

However, if the service address is ineffective and documents cannot be delivered, the Registrar does have the power to ban the use of this address and to place the director’s residential address on the public register.

The following will be the only bodies able to obtain directors residential addresses:

• Specified Public Authorities for carrying out their public functions, such as the police and HMRC; and
• Credit Reference Agencies for vetting applications for credit and associated work and to meet the obligations in the Money Laundering Regulations.

Credit Reference Agencies will not be able to obtain the residential address of any director who is the beneficiary of a valid Confidentiality Order granted on or before 30 September 2009 or who has made a successful application to the Registrar on the grounds that he is:

• at serious risk of violence or intimidation as a result of the activities of a company of which he is a director;
• or has been, employed by the police or security services;
• providing, or has provided, goods or services to the police or security services.

No new Confidentiality Orders will be issued from 1st October 2009.  Any Confidentiality Order application received on or before 30 September 2009 will be dealt with, but any applications received after that date will be rejected.

If you would like more information, please contact helen.harvey@emwph.com or sharon.percival@emwph.com.