Digita User Area product support, updates and advice

“Due to adverse weather conditions, Companies House is operating with a reduced level of support for its on-line services and contact centre. This may result in delays responding to e-mails and telephone enquiries. We would like to apologise to any customers who may be impacted and for any inconvenience caused.” – Companies House, 13th January 2010 09.00

Companies House have for the first time issued guidance on appropriate wording for the prescribed particulars that are required, as part of a company’s statement of capital, on various forms.

The guidance is limited to the simplest case of a private company limited by shares using the model articles provided in the Companies (Model Articles) Regulations 2008, for which it offers as examples of appropriate wording:

Voting rights: “each share is entitled to one vote in any circumstances”

Dividend rights: “each share is entitled pari passu to dividend payments or any other distribution”

Rights in distribution of capital: “each share is entitled pari passu to participate in a distribution arising from a winding up of the company”

Appropriate wording for the fourth category of prescribed particular, redmption rights, is not offered. It is considered that when redemption rights apply, the terms and hence the wording will vary on a case by case basis.

The full text of the guidance, which also includes examples of inappropriate wording, is included in Companies House CA 2006 – FAQs: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/companiesAct/faq.shtml. – see Section ’13. Capital’.

It has come to our attention that final ‘Accepted’ / ‘Rejected’ responses from Companies House are not being received for some forms that have recently been filed electronically, although the forms have been accepted and placed on the public record.

This does not affect your ability to successfully e-file forms and you should continue to check for final responses as usual. It is still possible that you will receive responses correctly for new forms even if you have some forms that remain overdue for a response.

In most cases Companies House give a final response within 24 hours, sometimes as little as a couple of hours, however it can take several days before the response is given. If you do not receive a response within five days then it is likely that the form is affected by the above issue and the final response is not being received.

Note that the Sentinel feature will continue to advise you when forms have been placed on the public record of monitored companies, regardless of whether the final electronic filing response has been received.

We are actively investigating the matter with Companies House and will provide an update as soon as possible.