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Complaints procedure

How to make a complaint about Companies House.

Types of complaints we can help with

This page covers complaints about a service we’ve provided or about the accuracy of information on the companies register.

There are separate procedures if you want to:

How to complain

In the first instance you should email our contact centre at enquiries@companies-house.gov.uk.

If our contact centre staff are unable to resolve your complaint you should email complaints@companieshouse.gov.uk.

What happens next

We will acknowledge receipt of your email within 5 working days. Our customer services centre will give you a named contact, a reference number for your complaint and a direct telephone number.

Where complaints relate to late filing penalties our response times will be 10 working days.

If you’re not satisfied

You can forward your complaint, in writing, to our director of customer delivery in the office where your company is registered. The relevant director will then investigate your complaint.

England and Wales

Director of Customer Delivery
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ

Scotland

Registrar of Companies
Companies House
4th Floor
Edinburgh Quay 2
139 Fountainbridge
Edinburgh EH3 9FF

Northern Ireland

Registrar of Companies
Second Floor
The Linenhall
32 - 38 Linenhall Street
Belfast BT2 8BG

Independent complaint adjudicators

If your complaint hasn’t been resolved, you can write to the independent adjudicators for Companies House, who will investigate complaints about:

  • delays
  • discourtesy
  • mistakes
  • handling of complaints by Companies House
  • appeals against the levying of late filing penalties

Your complaint will be dealt with by the adjudicator, so long as it isn’t:

  • more than 6 months old
  • involving criminal proceedings
  • about a matter on which the Secretary of State has decided

Companies House Independent Adjudicators
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ

Companies House must have the opportunity to resolve any dispute, so before being referred to the adjudicators, a complaint must have followed internal procedures and been considered by the Director of Customer Delivery.

This does not apply to penalty appeals, which are subject to a different procedure, and appellants may write to the Independent Adjudicators after an initial appeal to the Late filing penalties section and a subsequent review by the senior casework unit.

Further information on the independent adjudicators (PDF, 41.7KB, 1 page)

If you’re still unhappy about a complaint following adjudication, you can contact your MP to take your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

If you’re unhappy about an adjudication in relation to a penalty you can make a final appeal to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (or for Scotland or Northern Ireland, if appropriate).